Royal Gorge Bridge

The Royal Gorge Bridge is a one of a kind bridge that is 1053 feet high. There is also a park with 21 rides on it for family fun!

Walking or driving across this very high bridge is nothing short of awesome! The view is spectacular. If you are afraid of heights, you probably won't enjoy it, but it is really cool. This is the highest suspension bridge in the entire world and is one quarter of a mile long.

The bridge was built back in 1929! It is 1260 feet long, 18 feet wide, and it was designed to support over two million pounds. Wow! It cost $350,000 to build back in 1929, the year that the Great Depression began, just to give you some perspective. In today's money that is around $20 million.

Interestingly, the walkway on the bridge is a popular wedding venue. The bride, groom, and minister go on the walkway while the guests watch the wedding from a platform. If you are thinking of a destination wedding, this could be the way to go.
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There are some great rides in the park for the whole family to enjoy. There are several shows for your enjoyment and a petting zoo that the kids will love.

In addition to the bridge and the park, the world's longest single-span Aerial Tram and the steepest Incline Railway on the planet are also here and are included in the cost of admission.

They are open 365 days a year, even on holidays. Admission for children from ages four through eleven is $19. Ages 12 and up pay $24. Children under four are free. The bridge opens daily at 7am and is open until dusk.

Royal Gorge Bridge and Park is located in Canon City at 4218 County Road 3A. Their phone numbers are 719-275-7507 or 1-888-333-5597.

To get to Canon City from Colorado Springs, take Highway 115 south to Highway 50 and head west. Then turn left on County Road 3A until you come to the gorge.

Colorado Rafting Through Royal Gorge

How about a Colorado rafting trip down the Arkansas River through Royal Gorge? If whitewater rafting is something you would like to do, the Royal Gorge is the place to do it!

The Arkansas River is just 25 feet wide through the gorge so it has some pretty good rapids. There are huge waves and big drops through this portion of the Arkansas River. The whitewater here is ranked from Class III to Class IV. The cliffs here are 1100 feet high and just spectacular to look at from the river.
A company called Raft Masters will take you on the trip of a lifetime. Up to seven guests can go in a raft plus one of the guides from Raft Masters. You can take a half day trip or a full day trip. There are also overnight trips. Raft Masters provides all meals on any of their trips.

They provide wetsuits for you to wear free of charge so that you are comfortable. You need to wear some good, yet comfortable shoes. Bare feet are not allowed. No flip flops or Croc-type shoes can be worn while you raft.

You will want to bring sunscreen. If you wear eyeglasses, make sure you have a strap on them or you will lose them to the Arkansas River.

Whether you have been whitewater rafting before or not, you can ride the rapids and have a blast. Nothing is 100% safe, but if you cooperate and follow the rules, you should be fine. The most important thing you can to stay safe is to listen to your guide and you will have a successful trip, the adventure of a lifetime!

Talk about fun. These adventures are awesome. My kids want to go whitewater rafting again and again!

The price for a half day, 12 mile trip is currently $64 per person. A full day, 22 mile trip costs $99. They also offer other routes and options so it is best for you to visit their web site using the link above. This is Colorado rafting at its best.

Along with Raft Masters, there are other companies who offer whitewater rafting in Colorado Springs. For instance, there is:

WAORafting

Buffalo Joe

Performance Tours

American Adventure Expedition

River Runners

There are also many other Colorado rafting tours you can take through the state besides the Royal Gorge tour.