Take a Spring Break Trip to the Royal Gorge
Canon City, CO, is a small town that offers big landscape views. Situated in Colorado’s Banana Belt, the town offers mild year-round temperatures ideal for exploring.
One great attraction near town is the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. For your next spring break trip, take the family to the Royal Gorge and make a day of exploring the bridge as well as the surrounding park and attractions.
Experience the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
Just outside the town limits of Canon City, sits the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.
The main attraction here is the bridge itself, which is nearly 1,000 feet above the Arkansas River and is listed in the National Register of Historic places!
The park complex also includes the state’s top bucket-list zip line, the Royal Rush Skycoaster, the Tommy Knocker Playland, and the Royal Gorge Via Ferrata.
Spring is a great time to visit the Royal Gorge Bridge! In fact, due to the park’s location, it typically sees temperatures 8-10 degrees warmer than cities like Colorado Springs.
During the typical spring break period (March-April), the park is open until 5:00 p.m. daily.
Ride the Cloudscraper Zip Line
If you want an adrenaline rush, fly through the air 1,200 feet above the Arkansas River on the Cloudscraper.
High-tech harnesses and braking systems ensure that you can feel as free as a bird as you glide across the gorge. Hearing the roar of the wind, along with the feeling of defying gravity, adds to the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
To commemorate that you completed the ride, you can stop by the photo booth and secure a still picture or video of yourself on the zip line for a small fee.
The Via Ferrata: A Bucket-List Adventure
The Via Ferrata involves a guided climbing tour of the gorge.
Led by your guide, you’ll be able to scale the rock walls of the gorge and get views that others won’t. This exhilarating tour is one of the best things to do in Colorado for spring break.
Sign the entire family up for the tour; note, though, that children under 10 are not permitted on the climb.
Other Things to Do
The Plaza Theater explains the history of the park along with the evolution of the Royal Gorge Bridge. There is a display area that provides a historical expo, original artifacts, and historical photos of the Royal Gorge Railroad War.
The Nature’s Educators Birds of Prey show is available during the summer months. On occasion as a part of the show, Juno, one of the organization’s eagle ambassadors, will be available for a meet and greet. Each show lasts about 20 minutes and is available from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
You can enjoy the mountain views from the inside of the bright red Poma-Leitner aerial gondolas. As long as space is available, passengers can ride as many times as they would like. The rides begin at 10:00 a.m. and stop at 4:00 p.m. each day. There are six cars to fit a maximum of eight passengers each.
Food options inside the park consist of Bridge View BBQ, Café 1230, Cliff Side Patio, and Grill on the Hill. Café 1230 is open year round. If you want to make an entire weekend of your trip, rent out the Big Horn Mountain Top Lodge for your entire family. Make sure to book well in advance as this is the only lodging inside the park.
The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park is one of the best Colorado attractions. Instead of the usual spring break trip to Florida, head to the Centennial State and experience family fun at a higher altitude.