We have done this hike a few times and it’s definitely a butt kicker and a strenuous up hill adventure!
Generally I pick turkey trot to go up just to avoid the bikes! Lucky for me it was a rather chilly day, well it started out that way, overcast and chilly and everything that was mud was ice.
Turkey trot is a nice uphill, up up up! When you meet up with the castle trail, keep on truckin up to the castle. When you get to the pavillion, go left to the castle, right to another ruin.
It was a nice solo hike i got to have, early morning, coffee in hand and huffin and puffin all the way!
Verdict:
6.7 miles, 1600 ft elevation gain
Great views, wonderful history
Pro tip: parking can be tight, go early, or on off days