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Royal Gorge Park and Bridge: A Macaroni Review

By Eileen Wright, Publisher, Macaroni Kid Englewood-Greenwood Village-Centennial July 22, 2015

About two hours south of Denver is the

Royal Gorge Bridge and Park

 in Cañon City, home to America's highest suspension bridge. In 2013, 90% of the park was destroyed by the Royal Gorge Fire, with the exception of the bridge itself. Since that time, several features have been rebuilt including the Visitor Center and Zip Line. We had not been to the park prior to 2013 so we cannot compare it to "what was," but we did visit recently and enjoyed our stay.




What to Expect
We spent a few hours on a Tuesday afternoon at the park which provided plenty of time to experience the great activities it had to offer. It was not crowded and we only had to wait a short while for the zip line. It was easy to get around, and for those who need assistance, golf carts are available for rental or enjoy a free ride on a people mover trolley.

The views are spectacular, and the Arkansas River runs at the bottom of the gorge. Rafters can be seen traveling on the river and the Royal Gorge Route Railroad runs along side.

What To Do
  • Royal Gorge Bridge. Built in 1929 in about five months, the bridge spans almost 1,300 feet across the Arkansas River and remains a World Wonder. It is 18 feet wide and contains 1,270 planks of wood. Miraculously, no workers were seriously injured or killed during its construction. It was spectacular to walk across the bridge, and along the rails are flags from each of the fifty states.
  • Aerial Gondolas. Included with your admission are unlimited rides on the Gondola which take you across the Gorge. They run right along side the zip line.
  • Cloudscraper by ZipRider (aka Zip Line). Stretching 1,200 feet above the Arkansas River is the highest Zip Line in America. My husband braved the ride as he took his first zip line venture! He was strapped in pretty tight and found it exhilarating. The ride is so long, you can't even see the riders until they are over half way across. There is an additional $40 charge for the zip line and riders must be at least 10 years of age, weigh 100+ pounds and be over 48" tall.
  • Children's Playland. My daughter wanted nothing to do with walking across the bridge until she realized the Children's Playland was on the other side (based on our choice of entry to the park). Then, she couldn't get there fast enough! It includes a carousel and three-story climbing structure complete with slides, nets, and ropes. Future plans have a splash pad/water feature and running creek.
  • Royal Rush Skycoaster. We did not do this ride, which has an additional cost, but it is an adrenaline-filled trip at 50 MPH that takes you out to hang 1,200 feet over the Arkansas River before swinging back.
  • Plaza Theater & Historical Expo. A video played depicting the history of the park and entertainers are scheduled to perform throughout the Summer.
https://youtu.be/Ykse4jLaOOY

Discount tickets can be purchased online, or full-price at the gate. A discount for AAA members is available.

Royal Gorge Route Railroad
My brother and his family, visiting from Ohio, opted to ride the train that meanders through the gorge alongside the Arkansas River. It is located within Cañon City about 10-15 minutes from the Park and Bridge. He said it was absolutely awesome and not to be missed (so I will be headed there in a couple weeks :)! They purchased coach tickets and ordered lunch early in the ride, leaving plenty of time to venture to the open air train cars after they ate. They could hear the river and waved to the rafters, all while enjoying the breathtaking views. Tickets can be purchased online or at the station.


DISCLOSURE: No compensation was given for this review. The opinions expressed are 100% my own.


➡️ Find more great day trip ideas in our Day Trips from the DTC guide