Bucket List Adventures in Colorado You Must Do in 2023
Colorado Adventures to Add to Your 2023 Bucket List
As we enter yet another new year, the time calls for new adventures! Colorado is home to several various ecosystems, from high plains to deserts to mountains. This biological diversity gives way to a plethora of outdoor adventures Colorado is most known and loved for. Whether you have never made a bucket list before or are continuing your list of adventures from last year, here are eight awesome bucket list items to do in Colorado this year:
Top Adventures at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
1. Come Across America’s Highest Suspension Bridge
Looking for a way to face your fear of heights but have fun while doing it? Come across America’s Highest Suspension Bridge at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in Southern Colorado! You can purchase your tickets at any time as they remain active for up to one year from the purchase date. That means you can get your ticket right at the start of the new year and use your tickets at any time in 2023! The Royal Gorge Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects the rims of the Royal Gorge, 956 feet above ground and 1,260 feet across. This incredible engineering project was constructed for the sole purpose of providing visitors an opportunity to take in the views of the Royal Gorge from a different perspective. Come across the Royal Gorge Bridge in 2023 for an adventure you will never forget!
2. Zipline in Colorado
Now that you have learned about walking across the Royal Gorge Bridge, fly across the Royal Gorge on our Cloudscraper Zip Line! This is another must-do item in Colorado for your 2023 bucket list. Our zipline is recognized as The Travel Channel’s #1 Colorado Bucket List experience for its incredible views of the Royal Gorge and heart-pumping heights. Seated and harnessed up, riders fly 1,200 feet from rim to rim of the Royal Gorge. Two riders can fly next to each other on our zipline, making this an experience you must do with your best friend, significant other, or family member for an unforgettable adventure you will always share. Do not forget to stop by our photo booth to see the video of your ride and take it home with you as proof you flew across the famous Royal Gorge!
3. Try a Via Ferrata for a Climbing Adventure
Are you a hands-on adventurer? Then the Royal Gorge Via Ferrata is a bucket list adventure you must try in 2023! Our Via Ferrata is the most unique course in Colorado as it takes guests along and up the rock walls of the Royal Gorge. Our expert guides will teach you about the safety gear, show you best techniques, and tell stories about the Royal Gorge Region on your tour. Between hiking and climbing, you will discover views from within the gorge and the Royal Gorge Bridge poised above you. A mini suspension bridge and lookout points are unique features you can look forward to on our Via Ferrata tour! Tickets to this climbing adventure include access to the entire Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, so your adventures do not have to stop once you have climbed your way back to the top of the Royal Gorge.
4. Brave the World’s Scariest Skycoaster
Perhaps the most adrenaline-pumping adventure on this list, our Royal Rush Skycoaster is an experience you have to say “yes” to! This thrilling ride is found at the south end of the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, swinging riders over the rim of the Royal Gorge. From the Royal Gorge Bridge, you can watch riders swing back and forth and hear their screams of sheer excitement! The skycoaster brings one to three riders up 100 feet to the top of the tower. Then, at the “3, 2, 1, FLY” mark, the riders are dropped for a free-fall until the swing carries them up and over the rim of the Royal Gorge, momentarily dangling them 1,500 feet over the Arkansas River! Riders swing back and forth, reaching speeds of 55 mph. While this ride is not for the faint of heart, our Skycoaster is a must-do bucket list adventure in Colorado!
It is no secret that Colorado boasts an incredibly wide variety of adventures, from mountain activities like hiking and camping to adrenaline pumping experiences like walking across America’s Highest Suspension Bridge and ziplining 1,200 feet over the ground! Here are eight Colorado adventures you should add to your bucket list in 2023.
5. Visit a National Park in Colorado
Did you know you can find four national parks throughout Colorado? The parks include Rocky Mountain National Park, the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Mesa Verde National Park, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. If you are a local looking to explore a new part of Colorado or are a visitor to the state, consider taking a trip to one of these national parks in Colorado. Each park has its own unique environment, from the record-breaking depths of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison to the enchanting environments within Rocky Mountain National Park to the unique landscape of the Great Sand Dunes.
6. See into Colorado’s Ancient History
If you are a history buff and would love to have a glimpse into the prehistoric times, Colorado is an excellent place to see it! Throughout our state, countless fossils and evidence of Jurassic activity have been found. More well known species that once roamed our lands were the stegosauruses, triceratops, and other long-necked dinosaur giants. Find dinosaur destinations in Colorado for your 2023 bucket list at places like the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland Park, Dinosaur National Monument near the Utah border, the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience near the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, and more.
7. Witness Views from a Colorado 14er
The term “14er” refers to mountain peaks in Colorado that reach an elevation of 14,000 feet above sea level or higher. At the summit of a 14er, you can get a bird’s eye view across the horizon at these incredible heights. Most of these views include over the mountain tops of surrounding lower peaks, lakes and rivers in the distance, and awesome wildlife like the Rocky Mountain Goat, marmots, and more. If you are not able to hike and climb, there are a couple of 14ers in Colorado that you can drive to the top of! The summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs is 14,115 feet above sea level and is accessible via the Pikes Peak Highway, a 19.5-mile paved highway that twists and turns its way up the mountain. Another 14er in Colorado you can drive to is Mount Evans, near Denver.
8. Explore the Royal Gorge
If there is one destination in Colorado to check off as many adventure bucket list items as possible, it is the Royal Gorge Region. With most adventures in this list being accomplished in the Royal Gorge Region, you can find more like whitewater rafting, a train ride, a helicopter tour, hiking, mountain biking, and more. Come visit us at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park where the ultimate Colorado adventures never stop!