Visiting St. Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock – Allenspark, Colorado

Built on a rock formation with a fantastic mountain view, St. Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock is one of Colorado’s most interesting landmarks, and being only 12 miles from Estes Park, Colorado, it’s a great stop along the way to Rocky Mountain National Park. Not only are the mountain views here fantastic, the church itself features intricate stonework. Let’s explore this interesting and beautiful church!

St. Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock – Quick History

Monsignor Joseph Bosetti came upon this site, with its notable rock formation and decided he wanted to build a church on the site. Construction of “St. Catherine of Siena Chapel” finished in 1939 and became an historic landmark in 1999, known today as the Chapel on the Rock.

At one point, there was a conference center located behind the church, but it burned to the ground in 2011. Thankfully, the chapel was untouched by the fire. A flood went through the area in 2013, but the chapel was unharmed.

St. Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock – Location

St. Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock is located right off Colorado State Highway 7 (also known as the Peak-to-Peak Scenic Byway), which is a popular route leading into Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park, so if you’re headed these destinations, you might be passing by this interesting Colorado landmark. As you travel down the highway, you’ll see signs directing you here, so you can’t miss it.

You’ll find a free parking lot at the chapel. If that parking lot is full, you there is a small pullout along the highway where you can safely park.

Visiting Chapel on the Rock in Colorado

The church still functions as an active Catholic chapel, holding mass every Friday at 8:30am. Visitors are instructed to stay outside the chapel during mass unless they would like to participate. Additionally, this area serves as a religious retreat and conference center with Camp St. Malo located near the chapel.

Visitors are welcome inside the chapel daily from 10am – 4pm. I just viewed the chapel from the outside, taking photos of the beautiful church against the stunning mountain backdrop.

Visiting the chapel is free and donations are welcome. You are welcome to explore the chapel grounds and snap as many photos as you’d like!

I spent about 10 minutes here exploring and taking pictures, so this stop won’t take too long on your road trip. Chapel on the Rock is definitely worth seeing and makes for a beautiful photo!

Have you visited Chapel on the Rock near Estes Park, Colorado? What did you think?