Summertime in Southern Colorado
There are so many attractions in the area, it would be impossible to list them all here, so we will only discuss the few most popular. The most well-known attraction is the Royal Gorge, a natural river canyon through which the Arkansas River courses. Experts estimate that the gorge started out with a small trickle of water finding its way down from higher mountains over three million years ago. Now, the Arkansas is the 4th longest river in the United States. Until 1846, it was the boundary between the United States and Mexico. It is now claimed that the Royal Gorge gets one foot deeper with every 2500 years. The bottom of the gorge is only about 40-50 feet across, with the Royal Gorge Railroad track running along one bank of the river. Those tracks have a history replete with stories of dynamite attacks and fights for the right of way through the canyon, but you will have to research those stories another day, we just don’t have the time to go into that here.
At the top of the canyon walls, a little less than 1100 feet above the floor, is the theme park. The main attraction is the World’s Highest Suspension Bridge which spans the narrowest point of the canyon and can be crossed by car or on foot, as your taste dictates. There is an aerial tramway, a theater where historical films and information are available, and shops full of local merchandise. In addition, there are rides, a small tramway train for sight seers, and even horse rentals, so that you can take in the nature trails on your own. There is a large herd of deer who pander to the tourists at the gates to the bridge, hoping for a handout. Use caution in feeding them, they are gentle, but the antlers can gore you accidentally if you get too close. There are picnic areas, food for sale, a water slide, a bunji jump, go-karts, a helicopter ride, miniature golf, and a host of things to keep the average family entertained for an entire weekend.
The old west town, Buckskin Joe, which is a reconstruction of the original town which once existed in another part of Colorado, is located just next to the park. The buildings were torn down and brought to the rim of the Royal Gorge, and reconstructed, taking care to restore the entire town to as close to the original as possible. You will recognize it as you stroll through the shops now open inside the buildings, or have dinner in the saloon, because it has been the site of many major motion pictures over the years. Movies like The Dutchess and the Dirtwater Fox, The Sacketts, The Cowboys, just to name a few, have been filmed at Buckskin Joe. You will probably be amazed at how large that barroom looked in the movie, The Sacketts, and how truly tiny it is. The cameras were actually outside the building peeping in through windows because there was no room for them inside. There are gunfights in the streets nearly hourly through the summer months, a hanging, and for lunch, you can buy a buffalo burger at the Gold Nugget, or a less adventurous meal if you like.
In Canon City, there is the Santa Fe Depot, an old restored railroad station from the early 1900’s and before. The Royal Gorge Scenic Railway calls the building home these days, and takes sight seers through the canyon in open topped rail cars, as well as closed if you prefer. There is a dining car, and a special dinner run every day, for a small fee. The ride is a photographer’s dream, the views from the bottom of the Royal Gorge, looking up to the bridge above are breathtaking. You may even have the chance to wave at the rafts full of people shooting the rapids right beside you in the river.
The other way to travel through the canyon is to sign on with one of the many white water rafting companies and ride a raft down the river yourself. There are many options from full day trips starting in the towns of Salida or Buena Vista, to half day trips starting at smaller places along the river between Salida and Canon City. Regardless of which choice you make, you will be delighted by the service and the photography opportunities, and if you take a full day tour, you might even enjoy a steak grilled beside the river at the end of your trip.
After you have enjoyed the Royal Gorge, you might want to take a car trip to see some real “gold country”. From Canon City, in the gold rush days, there were several train and stage coach routes through the mountains to Cripple Creek and Victor, the richest of the Gold Mining areas of Colorado. Some of those passages are still in use. Canon City is at about 5300 feet in elevation. At the other end of the approximately 35 miles to Cripple Creek, you find yourself at 10,000 feet. The best part of the “gold belt tour” begins at the intersection of Highway 50 and Highway 67, just east of the town of Canon City. You will need to turn north on Highway 67, and allow for about a two hour trip to Cripple Creek. WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE YOUR MOTORHOME OR PULL A LONG TRAILER ON THIS ROAD!!! It does not require a four wheel drive, but there are very tight turns, narrow spots in the road, bridges and tunnels along the way, and large vehicles will NOT fit.
This Phantom Canyon route follows the old Florence, Cripple Creek and Canon City Railroad bed. There are tunnels, bridges, the running creek beside the road, several ruins of old railroad stops, water tanks, and the like. Local lore has it that the Indian tribes in the area were often found living in the rock caves along the sides of the canyon. If you are a fisherman, the brook trout in that creek are lively and excellent fighters. If you are a hiker, the trails and places to explore are countless. There are deer, elk, bighorn sheep, wild turkey, bear, cats, and a host of other wildlife in the area. It would be rare to travel the entire route without seeing at least a bear and cub, or a herd of elk or deer. There are still operating gold mines in the Cripple Creek area, the largest of which still offers public tours, and for a few dollars, you can learn to pan for your own gold nuggets. There is a scenic railroad trip to consider in the town of Cripple Creek, and Victor is home to one of the best pizza bars in the world. The most popular of all the attractions in that area is the gambling. Cripple Creek is home to a casino in nearly every commercial building in town. From small locally owned casinos, to the large commercial ones, there is something to interest every taste, all in an atmosphere of the late 1800’s. During the summer months, there are events like the donkey races, the bed races, art fairs, and many other music and celebrity events.
A drive from Canon City in just about any direction will take you through places where history began. Less than three miles from the Royal Gorge is the site of one of the most valuable paleontology sites in North America, where remains of several dinosaurs over 100 million years old have been found. There are several scenic drives through fourteen thousand foot mountains and places where you can stand on top of those mountains, and view the world below. The Arkansas River is the source of days of fun and excitement as well. Canon City people are friendly, and the small town aura is real. In the hottest of the summer, from mid-July to late August, the mid-day sun may rise to a temperature of 100�º but by nightfall, around 9pm, you will enjoy a comfortable 70�º on most nights. The Rocky Mountains are unique, and the Royal Gorge Region even more so. Although you may read about it, the only way to truly appreciate the many attractions and wonders is to plan for at least a week of exploration.
