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417:, which at 955 feet (291 m) above the river held the record of highest bridge in the world from 1929 to 2001. The bridge is the centerpiece of Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, an amusement park with rides and attractions on both sides of the gorge. The land and bridge are owned by the city and leased to a
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began. About 3 million years ago, as the mountains began to rise from the surrounding plains, the
Arkansas Riverāthen only a small streamābegan to wear away at the stone it flowed across. Scientists estimate that the mountains surrounding the canyon rose at a rate of approximately one foot every 2500
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of the
Arkansas River and enjoy the scenery of the gorge. Named rapids in the gorge include Sunshine Falls, Sledgehammer, Wallslammer, Corkscrew, the Narrows, Boateater and Soda Pop Rock. River recreation in the gorge is regulated by the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) and daily user fees
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On June 11, 2013, a wildfire broke out near the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park which ultimately destroyed 48 of 52 buildings in the park on both sides of the gorge. The bridge was only lightly damaged, with some scorched planks requiring replacement. The park was rebuilt and opened once again on August
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travel. As many as four trains per day went through the gorge, though in time the establishment of alternate routes through the mountains made the Royal Gorge fall from favor for transcontinental use, and passenger train service on the main line was discontinued in 1967. A sightseeing train now
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are required to launch at all of the recreation sites upstream of the gorge. There are many commercial rafting companies which are licensed by the AHRA to run the gorge and summer weekends can see hundreds of rafts packing the river.
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220:(River), with a maximum depth of 1,250 ft (380 m). The canyon is also very narrow, measuring from 50 ft (15 m) wide at its base to 300 ft (91 m) wide at its top, as it carves a path through the
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410:, a local newspaper editor and future Congressman, lobbied to establish an 8-mile (13 km) park at Royal Gorge by having the land ceded to the City of CaƱon City. Royal Gorge Park was then created.
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now operates excursion trains through the Royal Gorge throughout the year. The train travels 11 miles through the canyon from CaƱon City, Colorado to the caretakers house.
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intervention prompted the so-called "Treaty of Boston" to end the struggle. The D&RGW completed its line and leased it for use by the Santa Fe.
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in 1877 prompted a race to build rail access to the area. Royal Gorge was a bottleneck along the
Arkansas too narrow for both the
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may have seen Royal Gorge in their traversal of the area. The first recorded instance of a
European arrival, however, is the
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to pass through, and there was no other reasonable access to the South Park area. Both railroads thus took to fighting the "
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The cost of admission has increased over the years. In 2023, the price was USD$ 32 for adults, USD$ 27 for age 3 to 11.
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On May 7, 1879, the first excursion train traveled through the Royal Gorge after years of court battles between the
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for itself through the surrounding granite. The gorge's peculiar shape, contrasted to broad canyons such as the
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666:"United States Reports, Supreme Court: Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Supreme Court of the United States"
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was founded in 1860 to exploit possible mineral deposits in the area. Discovery of silver and lead near
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The path of the
Arkansas River was already set when the granite uplift that would eventually form the
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is a very popular activity in the Royal Gorge. Tourists travel from around the world to tackle the
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are generally not permitted at the Royal Gorge. Occasionally, during special events such as the
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was hired by the Royal Gorge Bridge
Company in 1984 to handle daily operations of the park.
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wintered in Royal Gorge for its protection from wind and its relatively mild climate. The
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719:"Nominees for the Guy U. Hardy Award for Service to Outdoor Recreation are due Sunday"
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811:"Royal Gorge Park reopens Saturday, 14 months after fire damaged the park and bridge"
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which has held the leasing rights since 1947. Another Dallas-based company called
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and YMCA Mountain, which rise above the north and south rims, respectively.
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480:(credited as Randy Farr), were filmed in Royal Gorge Park and CaƱon City.
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hunting expeditions as an access point to mountain meadow regions such as
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A Builder of the West: The Life of
General William Jackson Palmer
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In the 1890s Royal Gorge was used as a passenger route for
797:"Royal Gorge fire to be fully contained Sunday evening"
447:, which is based on the true story of a prison break.
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413:In 1929 CaƱon City authorized the building of the
664:Court, United States Supreme (22 January 1879).
932:Tourist attractions in Fremont County, Colorado
490:image of burn scars with bridge circled in red
321:. Colorado's Rocky Mountain region fell under
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256:A view of the Royal Gorge Bridge, from below
27:Canyon of the Arkansas River in Colorado, US
835:General Admission & Rides; Royal Gorge.
443:In 1948, images from the park appeared in
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668:. Little, Brown – via Google Books.
269:, this small stream grew, cutting a deep
248:A view of the Royal Gorge Route Railroad
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440:never did attempt such a feat herself.
917:Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
748:. Denver Westword, LLC. Archived from
364:", two years of essentially low-level
922:Landforms of Fremont County, Colorado
907:Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
626:The American Military on the Frontier
380:follows the route through the gorge.
354:Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
281:Early history and European settlement
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208:. The canyon begins at the mouth of
396:(AT&SF or Santa Fe) railroads.
329:expeditions of the 17th century or
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640:"Encarta article about Canon City"
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427:Leisure and Recreational Concepts
697:. Hugo: Western Guideways, Ltd.
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581:Gorge and bridge from north rim
545:Gorge and bridge from south rim
394:Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
912:Canyons and gorges of Colorado
861:. W. W. Norton & Company.
744:Dexheimer, Eric (1999-04-29).
450:In 1955, portions of the film
358:Denver and Rio Grande Railroad
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30:For the gap in Missouri, see
813:. 2014-08-29. Archived from
218:Grand Canyon of the Arkansas
368:between the two companies.
102:50 feet (15 m) (base)
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604:. Boulder: Johnson Books.
423:Royal Gorge Bridge Company
421:-based company called the
401:Royal Gorge Route Railroad
104:300 feet (91 m) (top)
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746:"The Royal Grudge Bridge"
693:Osterwald, Doris (2003).
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569:Looking east from bridge
557:Train and Hanging Bridge
362:Royal Gorge Railroad War
888:National Park Service:
723:CaƱon City Daily Record
390:Denver & Rio Grande
240:The wall of Royal Gorge
112:1,250 feet (380 m)
498:In the summer months,
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160:38.45694Ā°N 105.31722Ā°W
32:Royal Gorge (Missouri)
927:Landmarks in Colorado
602:Colorado Scenic Guide
600:Gregory, Lee (1996).
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377:transcontinental rail
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94:6 miles (9.7 km)
18:Royal Gorge, Colorado
695:Rails Thru the Gorge
313:used Royal Gorge on
165:38.45694; -105.31722
725:. November 25, 2019
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883:Royal Gorge Bridge
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458:Broderick Crawford
434:Sensations of 1945
415:Royal Gorge Bridge
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868:978-0-393-06126-0
453:Big House, U.S.A.
445:Canon City (film)
366:guerrilla warfare
224:formations below
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16:(Redirected from
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819:. Retrieved
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648:. Retrieved
644:the original
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523:GoFast Games
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511:BASE jumping
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478:Felicia Farr
462:Ralph Meeker
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438:Bird Millman
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408:Guy U. Hardy
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339:Zebulon Pike
327:conquistador
325:claims, and
289:settlement,
284:
275:Grand Canyon
259:
226:Fremont Peak
217:
189:
187:
890:Royal Gorge
781:November 9,
729:February 3,
456:, starring
331:fur traders
210:Grape Creek
190:Royal Gorge
163: /
151:105Ā°19ā²02ā³W
138:Coordinates
73:Royal Gorge
40:Royal Gorge
901:Categories
821:2016-01-18
756:2016-01-21
650:2008-07-23
587:References
495:30, 2014.
346:CaƱon City
295:Ute people
202:CaƱon City
148:38Ā°27ā²25ā³N
81:CaƱon City
893:(archive)
350:Leadville
337:of 1806.
267:millennia
132:Geography
853:(2011).
406:In 1906
392:and the
356:and the
311:Cheyenne
299:Comanche
287:European
206:Colorado
776:tcm.com
532:Gallery
500:rafting
370:Federal
344:Nearby
323:Spanish
315:buffalo
293:of the
285:Before
271:channel
222:granite
196:of the
172:
117:Geology
865:
701:
608:
419:Dallas
194:canyon
177:Rivers
126:canyon
91:Length
307:Sioux
303:Kiowa
192:is a
109:Depth
99:Width
79:near
863:ISBN
783:2015
731:2020
699:ISBN
606:ISBN
517:and
476:and
399:The
309:and
188:The
122:Type
488:ISS
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