Royal Gorge Gondola

00:00     Title
00:15     Royal Gorge Park    
02:55     Royal Gorge Gondola  
07:10     Point Sublime    
09:55     Royal Gorge Bridge   
14:45     Fin   

​Exciting outdoor adventure parks are always popular during the summer season, especially on weekends. These kinds of parks provide a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature while getting some healthy exercise and the daredevil thrill rides provide an opportunity to experience the thrill of a lifetime. Near Pueblo, Colorado the majestic Royal Gorge is at the top of the adventure park list, simply because the setting is so extreme. This narrow Royal Gorge is over 1,200 feet deep, so conquering the daredevil thrill rides high up over the the Arkansas River will definitely deliver an adrenaline rush that will be remembered for a lifetime!

Royal Gorge is also known as the “Grand Canyon Of the Arkansas River” and this nickname certainly is apropos. The Arkansas River winds its way downhill through the Rocky Mountains from Leadville, Colorado all the way to the Mississippi River in the State of Arkansas, which gives this waterway the distinction of being the sixth longest river in the world.  The section from the town of Salida to Royal Gorge is called the Arkansas River Recreation Area and there is plenty to see and do along this long narrow stretch of public land. River rafting is the most popular activity and rafting excursion companies can be found by Royal Gorge in Cañon City. Everything from fly fishing to rock climbing can be done along the banks of the river. There are also plenty of campgrounds and lodges to be found in this area. 

Royal Gorge is the grand finale of the Arkansas River downhill run, before this waterway moves onward into the flatlands of the Great Plains. In a way, it is fitting that Royal Gorge is the grand exit of the Arkansas River from the mountains and this is what makes Royal Gorge such a majestic place. Royal Gorge is one of the deepest canyons in the west and on a grand scale, this scenic gorge can make anything look small by comparison. Because of the physical nature of the abyss, it is an intimidating place to be and this contributes to the thrill of it all.

The Royal Gorge Gondola is one of several thrill rides that are managed by the Cañon City Park Service. The gondola also happens to be the tamest of the thrill rides, which include a monster bungie cord jump, long zip lines that stretch across the deep canyon and tethered sky diving. When compared to the other dare-devil attractions, riding a gondola across the deep canyon is the mild way to go, but those who suffer from acrophobia will certainly request to be left behind. Once the gondola moves over the edge of the cliff, it is over 950 feet straight down and the views are nothing less than spectacular..  

On the day that I visited Royal Gorge it was late in the spring season and high winds were expected before noon. While chatting with one of the park service workers, he mentioned that the tram would likely be shut down early in the day because of the windy conditions. High winds definitely are a limiting factor in this place and the gusts can be very strong when the wind rips through this narrow canyon. For this reason, if you wish to do the daring thrill rides at Royal Gorge Park, it is best to check the weather report ahead of time and plan accordingly. This is a dangerous place where the safety crews take no chances, so if high winds are forecasted it is best to expect closures.

There really is nothing scary about the gondola ride that goes across the Royal Gorge and the trip is actually very smooth. The glass in the gondola is curved, so visitors can practically look straight down while traversing the deep canyon. The views of the rough south side of the canyon are breath taking and the entire Royal Gorge Bridge can be seen as well. Trying to take a few photos through the glass can be frustrating, because the glare of the sunlight does cause flares and reflections. For those who want to capture the moment on film, I suggest taking a few extra snapshots, so the good ones can be saved and the duds can simply be tossed out. 

Cañon City did a tremendous job of converting an old historic railroad suspension bridge into a major tourist attraction when they created the Royal Gorge Park Entertainment Complex.  The thrill rides range from mild to wild in this place, so anybody can have a great time as long as there is no fear of heights. There is no other place on earth like Royal Gorge and this is reason enough to chalk up this exciting destination high on the lifetime travel bucket list!