Per a February 25 report, a hiker found human remains about five miles northeast of Castle Rock, prompting a response from law enforcement investigators and search and rescue crews.

The remains were found in the area of Crowfoot Valley Road and Pradera Parkway. Mapping from AllTrails doesn’t show any established trails in this area, though a few pathways can be seen on Google Maps. Details shared by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on the matter don’t indicate whether or not the hiker was on-trail at the time of the discovery, with images from the scene capturing official personnel engaging in off-trail travel. The area appears to be rugged – a grassy field stretching into a hillside covered in low-lying vegetation, bushes, and sparse trees.

In addition to Douglas County Sheriff’s Office investigators, the Douglas County Search and Rescue Team along with the El Paso County Search and Rescue K9 Team were included in the response. An airborne drone can be seen in images from the scene.

The investigation into the situation is ongoing with no additional information available at this time.

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