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406:, 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.
209:(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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399:, 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.
201:, about 2 mi (3.2 km) west of central CaƱon City, and continues in a west-northwesterly direction for approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) until ending near
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425:, Hubert Castle plays the role of Olaf, āThe Great Gustafson,ā who performs a high-wire publicity stunt above the canyon. It is notable that CaƱon Cityās own
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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 "
330:'s group built a crude shelter in the gorge and explored the area, descending on horseback over the frozen Arkansas River.
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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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655:"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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708:"Nominees for the Guy U. Hardy Award for Service to Outdoor Recreation are due Sunday"
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800:"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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672:, by John Stirling Fisher and Chase Mellen, copyright 1981, by Ayer Publishing.
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and YMCA Mountain, which rise above the north and south rims, respectively.
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469:(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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618:, by James P. Tate, copyright 2002, The Minerva Group, Inc.
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In the 1890s Royal Gorge was used as a passenger route for
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786:"Royal Gorge fire to be fully contained Sunday evening"
436:, which is based on the true story of a prison break.
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402:In 1929 CaƱon City authorized the building of the
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653:Court, United States Supreme (22 January 1879).
921:Tourist attractions in Fremont County, Colorado
479:image of burn scars with bridge circled in red
310:. Colorado's Rocky Mountain region fell under
245:A view of the Royal Gorge Bridge, from below
16:Canyon of the Arkansas River in Colorado, US
824:General Admission & Rides; Royal Gorge.
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432:In 1948, images from the park appeared in
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657:. Little, Brown – via Google Books.
258:, this small stream grew, cutting a deep
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237:A view of the Royal Gorge Route Railroad
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429:never did attempt such a feat herself.
906:Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
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737:. Denver Westword, LLC. Archived from
353:", two years of essentially low-level
911:Landforms of Fremont County, Colorado
896:Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
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726:
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615:The American Military on the Frontier
369:follows the route through the gorge.
343:Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
270:Early history and European settlement
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197:. The canyon begins at the mouth of
385:(AT&SF or Santa Fe) railroads.
318:expeditions of the 17th century or
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629:"Encarta article about Canon City"
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416:Leisure and Recreational Concepts
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686:. Hugo: Western Guideways, Ltd.
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570:Gorge and bridge from north rim
534:Gorge and bridge from south rim
383:Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
901:Canyons and gorges of Colorado
850:. W. W. Norton & Company.
733:Dexheimer, Eric (1999-04-29).
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439:In 1955, portions of the film
347:Denver and Rio Grande Railroad
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19:For the gap in Missouri, see
802:. 2014-08-29. Archived from
207:Grand Canyon of the Arkansas
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357:between the two companies.
91:50 feet (15 m) (base)
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593:. Boulder: Johnson Books.
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412:Royal Gorge Bridge Company
410:-based company called the
390:Royal Gorge Route Railroad
93:300 feet (91 m) (top)
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735:"The Royal Grudge Bridge"
682:Osterwald, Doris (2003).
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558:Looking east from bridge
546:Train and Hanging Bridge
351:Royal Gorge Railroad War
877:National Park Service:
712:CaƱon City Daily Record
379:Denver & Rio Grande
229:The wall of Royal Gorge
101:1,250 feet (380 m)
487:In the summer months,
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149:38.45694Ā°N 105.31722Ā°W
21:Royal Gorge (Missouri)
916:Landmarks in Colorado
591:Colorado Scenic Guide
589:Gregory, Lee (1996).
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366:transcontinental rail
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83:6 miles (9.7 km)
684:Rails Thru the Gorge
302:used Royal Gorge on
154:38.45694; -105.31722
714:. November 25, 2019
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872:Royal Gorge Bridge
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447:Broderick Crawford
423:Sensations of 1945
404:Royal Gorge Bridge
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857:978-0-393-06126-0
442:Big House, U.S.A.
434:Canon City (film)
355:guerrilla warfare
213:formations below
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308:South Park Basin
280:Native Americans
254:years. Over the
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459:William Talman
455:Lon Chaney Jr.
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808:. Retrieved
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743:. Retrieved
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637:. Retrieved
633:the original
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512:GoFast Games
511:
500:BASE jumping
498:
486:
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467:Felicia Farr
451:Ralph Meeker
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427:Bird Millman
420:
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397:Guy U. Hardy
394:
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328:Zebulon Pike
316:conquistador
314:claims, and
278:settlement,
273:
264:Grand Canyon
248:
215:Fremont Peak
206:
178:
176:
879:Royal Gorge
770:November 9,
718:February 3,
445:, starring
320:fur traders
199:Grape Creek
179:Royal Gorge
152: /
140:105Ā°19ā²02ā³W
127:Coordinates
62:Royal Gorge
29:Royal Gorge
890:Categories
810:2016-01-18
745:2016-01-21
639:2008-07-23
576:References
484:30, 2014.
335:CaƱon City
284:Ute people
191:CaƱon City
137:38Ā°27ā²25ā³N
70:CaƱon City
882:(archive)
339:Leadville
326:of 1806.
256:millennia
121:Geography
842:(2011).
395:In 1906
381:and the
345:and the
300:Cheyenne
288:Comanche
276:European
195:Colorado
765:tcm.com
521:Gallery
489:rafting
359:Federal
333:Nearby
312:Spanish
304:buffalo
282:of the
274:Before
260:channel
211:granite
185:of the
161:
106:Geology
854:
690:
597:
408:Dallas
183:canyon
166:Rivers
115:canyon
80:Length
296:Sioux
292:Kiowa
181:is a
98:Depth
88:Width
68:near
852:ISBN
772:2015
720:2020
688:ISBN
595:ISBN
506:and
465:and
388:The
298:and
177:The
111:Type
477:ISS
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603:.
23:.
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