Royal Gorge, Canon City, Colorado

The Royal Gorge bridge is one of the world's highest suspension bridges in the world.  Built in 1929 for $350,000, the bridge was a legendary feet of engineering for the time.  The bridge was built for no other reason than to see if it could be done.  It took 7 months to build and the project was funded by a group of investors.  Kinda of the bridge to no where.  Now the bridge is part of an amusement attraction.

For those who enjoy conquering a vertical challenge, there is an incline railway which travels at a 45 degree angle from the top to the canyon floor.  It is one of the steepest and most difficult structures ever built.  There is also a skycoaster which is a free fall tower sweeping you 50 mph to hang momentarily 1,300 feet above the Arkansas River.  Many feel that it is the scariest skycoaster in the world.  We passed on trying out these and settled for merely walking across the bridge.  You can't believe the wind gusts that high up!  The bridge is made of wooden slats with spaces that allow you to look through to the canyon floor a million feet down (seriously, that's how far it seems) and the bridge moves with the wind gusts.  Scary for those of us who don't care for heights.

 

Arkansas River - Canyon Floor Approx. 1,500 Feet Below

Bridge

 

Incline Railway