Bear caught on camera climbing into Castle Rock police parking lot

A black bear climbed a chain-link fence into the Castle Rock Police Department parking lot and wandered through the lot before leaving without finding food. Security video recorded the bear over the weekend of June 13-14, showing it descending steps, balancing along a narrow handrail support, shimming toward the fence and hopping into the lot.

Castle Rock police used the brief visit to reinforce a message that wildlife encounters are not unusual in town. The department urged residents to keep bears wild and the community safe, a warning that lands with extra force as bears continue showing up in developed areas across Douglas County.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said prolonged dry weather can reduce natural food supplies and push hungry black bears toward neighborhoods. The agency said that pressure has been showing up in the numbers: it had logged 98 bear reports across 22 counties by late April 2026, compared with 127 reports in those same counties for all of last year.

The Castle Rock sighting fits a broader pattern closer to home. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has recently reported bear sightings in Larkspur, Castle Pines and Roxborough Village. In one Douglas County case, a bear entered a home and caused interior damage, underscoring how quickly a wildlife encounter can become a property and safety issue when food is left accessible.

State wildlife officials say black bears can smell food from five miles away, and most Colorado bears remain active from mid-March through early November. That long active season, paired with dry conditions and expanding development, has made repeat encounters more likely in communities that border open space, foothills and rural land.

Castle Rock and state officials are urging residents to change routines now. Bird feeders should come down, trash should be secured, garage doors should stay closed and cars parked outside should be locked. Any wildlife concern should be reported to Animal Control, police non-emergency, Colorado Parks and Wildlife or 911 in an emergency.

Colorado law makes intentional feeding of bears illegal. In a county where rural land still sits beside subdivisions, civic buildings and parking lots, the message from police and wildlife officials is clear: removing easy food is the best way to keep bears moving on.