About This Guide
An independent resource for visitors exploring the Royal Gorge region of Colorado.
What Is This Site?
The Royal Gorge Region Guide is an independent visitor resource focused on the Royal Gorge area near Canon City, Colorado. We aim to provide practical information about attractions, activities, dining, lodging, and trip planning for visitors to the region.
What We Cover
Our guide covers the Royal Gorge corridor and surrounding areas, including:
- Royal Gorge Bridge & Park — One of the world's highest suspension bridges and its associated attractions
- Arkansas River — The whitewater rafting hub and riverside activities
- Canon City — The gateway town with dining, lodging, and local businesses
- Scenic Drives — Skyline Drive, the Gold Belt Tour, and other routes
- Surrounding Recreation — Hiking, biking, and outdoor adventures in the region
Our Approach
We strive to be a helpful, neutral resource. Information on this site is gathered from publicly available sources, official tourism resources, and direct observation. We try to include a variety of options across different categories so visitors can make informed choices.
All content includes source citations where applicable, and we make an effort to keep information current. However, hours, prices, and availability can change — we recommend confirming details directly with businesses and attractions before visiting.
Independence
This guide is independently operated and is not affiliated with any government entity, official tourism organization, or specific business. Editorial decisions about what to feature are made based on relevance to visitors and the quality of available information.
Image Credits
Images used on this site are sourced from public domain resources, Creative Commons licensed media, or are original photography. We maintain attribution records for all images and respect the licensing terms of each source.
Accuracy & Updates
We do our best to keep information accurate, but details can change. If you notice outdated or incorrect information, please contact us and we'll work to correct it.
Have a Question or Suggestion?
We welcome feedback to help improve this resource for visitors.
About the Royal Gorge Region
A brief overview of the area
The Royal Gorge is a canyon on the Arkansas River near Canon City, Colorado. At over 1,000 feet deep, it's one of the deepest canyons in Colorado. The area has been a tourist destination since the late 1800s, when the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad built a line through the gorge.
Today, the region draws visitors for whitewater rafting, scenic views, the Royal Gorge Bridge (built in 1929), and various outdoor activities. Canon City serves as the main hub for services, with a historic downtown and a variety of local businesses.
The Arkansas River through this section is considered one of the premier whitewater destinations in the United States, with rapids ranging from beginner-friendly Class II to challenging Class IV+ depending on the section and water levels.