Stunning Places in Southern Colorado for the Best Photos
Best Spots for Photos at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
From jagged peaks and serene alpine lakes to golden meadows and colorful wildflowers, Colorado has some of the most photogenic landscapes. Then, there are places like Southern Colorado where the distinctive Royal Gorge and the only-of-its-kind Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve are found. Photography in Colorado ranges from all types of natural features, but there are only a few destinations where you can capture photos such as those found at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park.
So now you have planned a visit to the Royal Gorge Region, but are you still researching where the best places to photograph are found? It can be hard to discover Colorado’s most beautiful photo spots in the short amount of time you have when visiting. From rock climbing on the Royal Gorge Via Ferrata to zip lining over the Royal Gorge, plenty of opportunities for photos along your adventures are found at the park. Included in this list of iconic scenes to photographic within the park are the world-famous Royal Gorge Bridge, also known as the America’s Highest Suspension Bridge, the incredible depths of the Royal Gorge, and the roaring Arkansas River. Stunning scenery awaits no matter the time of year you visit the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in Southern Colorado. So get your camera ready and head to the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park for beautiful photos of Colorado:
Viewpoints in the Royal Gorge Region for Photography
1. On America’s Highest Suspension Bridge – Royal Gorge Bridge
What makes a beautiful scenery more memorable? The adrenaline rush from standing on America’s Highest Suspension Bridge! There is no question whether the views from the Royal Gorge Bridge are worth braving the walk 956 feet over the gorge. Put on your camera strap and hold on as you come across the bridge for some of the best photos of the world-famous Royal Gorge! You will find views all around, including below you, of some of Colorado’s best scenery.
Along with this natural wonder of the world, photographing the steel cables and wooden planks that make up this suspension bridge is certainly work capturing. The Royal Gorge Bridge was an engineering feat of its time upon its construction in 1929. The bridge has never been part of a road or highway system but was built solely for the enjoyment of the incredible views of the Royal Gorge! The unique and technical construction of the Royal Gorge Bridge, such as its 100-foot-tall towers, give you the creative freedom to capture many angles and focal points for a variety of photographs.
So many wonderful destinations in Southern Colorado are known for the beauty of the natural landscape. One of the most accessible spots where several best photo spots are found in one place is the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park. Various viewpoints throughout the park provide the most beautiful points of scenery for you to take all the best pictures you can. Peer down into the depths of the Royal Gorge to see the roaring Arkansas River winding below from several of our overlooks. Or stand before the 100-foot-tall metal towers on the Royal Gorge Bridge, spanning rim to rim 956 feet over the gorge.
All our thrilling rides provide a great photo opportunity as well. For example, photograph the beaming red cars gliding over the gorge with our Aerial Gondola. Or capture the smiling faces of riders on our Cloudscraper Zip Line! Some of our overlooks, such as the Café 1230 patio and Point Sublime, offer fabulous, sweeping, and unobstructed views of the bridge. Read more in this blog of the best photo opportunities in the park and the surrounding Royal Gorge Region.
3 Best Photo Destinations in Southern Colorado
2. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve – Alamosa
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Southern Colorado is another of our state’s most unique landscapes. The national park in Colorado is surprisingly home to North America’s two tallest sand dunes, Star Dune and High Dune, at 741 feet from base to the top. A hike to the top of these dunes, or even to the summit of the shorter ones, provide an uncanny view of a landscape found nowhere else in Colorado! Think of Ansel Adams’s Sunrise Death Valley photo and that can be the same stunning views in your photographs when you visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
3. Narrow Gauge Railroad – Durango and Silverton
Climb aboard the historic Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a unique train ride through Southern Colorado. You will find yourself snapping photos around every bend so make sure your camera is charged! This train follows 45.4 miles, one-way, from Durango to the small mountain town of Silverton, through some of the best scenery found in the San Juan mountains. The summer season for photos of green mountain sides painted with colorful wildflowers runs May through October. You won’t want to miss the glowing golden hues of the fall season in Colorado, especially along this railroad. The winter season of the railroad, November to May, offers beautiful snowy scenes in the remote stillness of the mountains. The route follows the Animas River and through stunning canyon scenery.
4. Colorado’s Tallest Waterfall – Telluride
For a refreshing experience in Southern Colorado, visit the mountain town of Telluride to find Colorado’s tallest waterfall. Bridal Veil Falls can be reached via a moderate hike from downtown. This spectacular waterfall beautifully drapes dark rock walls with 365 feet of falling mountain water. You will love capturing every angle of Bridal Viel Falls!
What Are You Waiting For?
There are many things about the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park that we enjoy, but the viewpoints inside and outside the park are some of the things that attribute to it being a bucket list attraction. However, don’t just take our word for it — come visit it for yourself. Book your ticket online today! Share your photos with us on our social media channels by tagging #RoyalGorgeBridgeandPark!