Royal Gorge Colorado

[ddndoug]

We are planning a trip to the Colorado Springs area next month. The wife is wondering if Royal Gorge Bridge Park is worth paying the admission fee to get into the park, or can you enjoy the gorge without entering the park?

Doug

[ddndoug]

fanrgs wrote:
... In fact, I generally recommend that visitors bypass both Colorado Springs and Denver if they only have a week or two to spend in Colorado.

My son is stationed in Colorado Springs which is the biggest draw for heading to CS.

Doug

[fanrgs]

tatest wrote:
Consider that I am a geologist, and have particular interests you may not share. For me, Legoland or Six Flags Anywhere is a waste of time and money, a special geological feature is not.

I am a geologist too and have lived in Colorado for 54 years. That's why I recommended Black Canyon over the Royal Gorge and Garden of the Gods and Florissant Fossil Beds over the privately-owned "Santa's Workshop"-type tourist traps in the Colorado Springs area.

We have too many incredibly scenic natural wonders in our state--geologic or otherwise--to recommend that out-of-state tourists waste precious vacation time on most of the widely advertised "attractions" of the Springs. In fact, I generally recommend that visitors bypass both Colorado Springs and Denver if they only have a week or two to spend in Colorado. Go directly to Rocky Mountain NP, Great Sand Dunes NP, Meas Verde NP, and the San Juans--Ouray, Silverton, Telluride, Durango--if you want to see the real reasons that so many people want to move to Colorado.

[Lauren]

When we lived in CO we called it the Royal Gouge. High priced for what it was worth. Busskipper makes a good point. Don't miss Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

[tatest]

For me, it was worth what I paid. I was there in October, first thing in the morning, and it was not crowded. I've also paid to see Lookout Mountain. I paid to ride through the gorge late in the afternoon before, and a camping fee to be around to see the gorge from the top in the morning.

But it depends on your interests, and how you value your money. Most of these attractions cost less than a decent bottle of wine or a six pack of good beer. To some folks that is a lot of money, to others it is trivial. It tend to rather value these attractions not vs the entry fees but rather the time I spent there, and Royal Gorge for me was worth the time spent. Consider that I am a geologist, and have particular interests you may not share. For me, Legoland or Six Flags Anywhere is a waste of time and money, a special geological feature is not.

[ddndoug]

Thanks. Keep the opinions coming.

Doug

[donut_dave]

we were there last summer. I can't remember the price but I thought it was fair. we had been there about 15 years before that so we knew what it would pretty much be inspite of the fire a few years ago.

there are new trams which are very nice when compared to the old ones. the incline thing is gone which disappointed us. there is a zip line across for extra money $40. my friend did it and said it was pretty cool as I videoed it.

we would do it again. after traveling all the way to CO why not?

[fanrgs]

ddndoug wrote:
The wife is wondering if Royal Gorge Bridge Park is worth paying the admission fee to get into the park

In a word, no. It is a privately-owned tourist trap, like so many other "attractions" in the Colorado Springs area.

If you want to see an impressive canyon in Colorado from its top, go to the Western Slope. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is deeper and much more impressive, as well as cheaper. If you want to drive to the top of a mountain for spectacular views, take the Mt. Evans road or Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, not the Pikes Peak Toll Road. If you want to see a waterfall, go to Fish Creek Falls near Steamboat Springs, not Seven Falls in Colorado Springs. If you want to see real Anasazi cliff dwellings, go to Mesa Verde National Park, not to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings in Colorado Springs. They're about as real as "Santa's Workshop" at the North Pole village just up Ute Pass on US 24!

The real, not-to be-missed tourist attractions in Colorado Springs are the Garden of the Gods, a free city park, and the Air Force Academy, now a National Historical Landmark. And, a few miles west on US 24 is Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, which is another unique geologic attraction.

[padredw]

If you have never been to the Royal Gorge it would certainly be worth the admission fee for the visit. We pass it now without a stop, but that is because we have made the full visit in the past. Agree with the suggestion about going on further up the Arkansas Valley to Buena Vista area if possible and the possibilities there.

[BB_TX]

If you just want to see the gorge without paying, there is a road that turns off about a half mile before you get to the bridge parking area that goes toward the gorge. Appears to have some covered picnic areas, but hard to tell on satellite view. On sat view, it appears you could get a decent view of the gorge, but we did not try it. After driving that far, we just paid the admission fee, went in and walked across the bridge, ate lunch, saw the touristy things, and went down the inclined rail to the bottom of the gorge. Interesting visit.

[Thom02099]

ddndoug wrote:
We are planning a trip to the Colorado Springs area next month. The wife is wondering if Royal Gorge Bridge Park is worth paying the admission fee to get into the park, or can you enjoy the gorge without entering the park?

Doug

Worth is always subjective. What may be a worthwhile expense for one person, may not be so for another.

That said, as the others have detailed, there are a variety of options of things to see and do, and the alternatives mentioned give a completely different perspective on not just the bridge but the canyon. For photo ops, it would be hard to resist getting a picture of the bridge from afar, a picture on the bridge, a picture on the incline going down, a picture from the train, or a picture from a raft on the river.

Also keep in mind that a lot of the area immediately surrounding the bridge and in the park was destroyed in a fire several years back (the bridge itself did not sustain fire damage), so it would be very interesting to see what they have done to rebuild. I personally have not been back since the fire, but it's definitely on my to-do list.

[IDman]

In answer to your question, you must pay to get into the park, which then will allow you to see the gorge from above. You can then take the tram, the bridge, or the cable car/gondola type thing over the gorge. You also will access to the touristy stuff for the kids plus concessions.

[westernrvparkow]

I found the park to be very interesting. The inclined railroad to the bottom of the gorge was great. The bridge does a great job of inducing vertigo. The history and information regarding how it was constructed was fascinating.
The best way to go through the gorge is on a raft. Beats the train trip by a factor of 100. Class three and four rapids which means they are the biggest waters a novice should be running (ability to swim strongly is required, however). You will get wet, cold and maybe dump trucked at Sunshine rapids or smashed into the gorge wall at Wallslammer, make it this far and then hope that Boateater isn't hungry. Worth the price of admission.

[Busskipper]

ddndoug wrote:
We are planning a trip to the Colorado Springs area next month. The wife is wondering if Royal Gorge Bridge Park is worth paying the admission fee to get into the park, or can you enjoy the gorge without entering the park?

Doug

Not to bad mouth the Springs but if you just drive on out RT 24 to Buena Vista and the Collegiates you will see what I would consider the Real Colorado, not the Touristy part - Independence Pass - 14'ers - Aspen - Lakes - Streams - Beaver Dams..............

Just so much to see, might as well go to the Big, Beautiful and Wild side.

JMHO,

[robbiesgram]

If you can, take the train ride through the gorge. Ride in the open car if you can, you have to stand the entire way, but the views are well worth it. It's a beautiful trip along the river at the bottom of the gorge and I think the best way to see it.

If you just walk across the bridge, you don't get to see much, mostly due to all the people. You catch the train in Canon City. It's been several years since I took the train ride, but I think I just paid for the train and not the park admission.