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The Arkansas River, Gateway to Adventure
by Ken Wajda

The Arkansas River is at the heart of Royal Gorge Country and has left an indelible mark upon the land and communities that reside along its banks. In addition to the abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery, the Arkansas is the most popular river for whitewater rafting in the United States, offering a suitable experience for both families and thrill seekers alike.

THE ARKANSAS BEGINS in Colorado's highest mountains, carving through 315 miles of Colorado. The last and most spectacular geographic obstacle the river must traverse is the famous Royal Gorge, first discovered by Zebulon Pike in 1806. Before Europeans ventured west, the Ute, Sioux, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Comanche and Arapahoe Indians all frequented this land. The Arkansas offered a convenient source of drinking water, and the area was known for its temperate winters. As an added bonus, a number of natural hot springs throughout the area offered relief from the cold.

In the 1870's, homesteaders, ranchers, traders, fur trappers, coal miners and gold and silver prospectors descended on the area. The need to transport ores upstream grew. The Denver & Rio Grande and the Santa Fe railroads already had tracks in the Arkansas valley and fought (literally) to have the right to lay tracks through the Royal Gorge. Eventually, after a lengthy legal fight and considerable violence, the Denver & Rio Grande won. Nowadays, visitors can ride the Royal Gorge Route which follows the most famous portion of the old line-24 miles round-trip-from Cañon City to Parkdale and back. It's been called one of the most scenic train rides in the world.

In 1929, the Royal Gorge Bridge was built, spanning the chasm over the Arkansas River. This remarkable structure was completed without the loss of a single life. Towering an amazing 1,053 feet above the river, it reigns as the highest suspension bridge in the world.

Fresh off their success in building the bridge, construction crews began on the world's steepest incline railway, another engineering marvel. Built in 1930 and completed in 1931 along a canyon wall just north of the bridge, it traverses the rocks at a 45-degree angle to the river below. At the river level, you can expect to hear the whoops and yells from the passing whitewater rafters as they crash through the rapids in the canyon.

The Class-V rapids through the Royal Gorge draw whitewater enthusiasts from around the globe. The swiftly flowing water, as it passes through the narrow canyon, provides one wild trip that's not for the faint of heart. There are also mild rafting trips available on stretches of the river through Bighorn Sheep Canyon.

Fly fishing is also popular along the full stretch of the river. Here, anglers come to work their lines among views of the towering surrounding mountains and beneath the vertical canyon walls west of Cañon City. The river through this area averages 85-feet wide with many boulders, bends and deep cracks that foster a prosperous trout habitat. It contains many pools, pocket water, runs and riffles and carries a strong population of browns and rainbows.

Opportunities abound on both sides of the Arkansas for hiking and mountain biking. At Coaldale, there's the Hayden Creek access road to the Rainbow Trail. The trail runs along the base of the 14,000 ft. Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains. From this point, you can give your heart a healthy workout as you climb the Bushnell Lakes Trail to Bushnell Lake at 11,500 ft. Bushnell Peak towers above at 13,105 ft.

Another wonderful hiking trail, the Stout Creek Trail, (also off the Rainbow Trail but closer to Coaldale), offers a trek up to the Stout Creek Falls. These waterfalls are considered some of the best in the state. Lower Stout Creek Falls is an impressive 100' horsetail that pours down over granite and gneissic rocks. It's surrounded by limestone cliffs and groves of Quaking Aspens. Upper Stout Creek Falls, another broad horsetail about 40-feet high, are just above the lower falls through the tundra. (See page 30 for a map of hiking trails).

Phantom Canyon Road is now part of the Gold Belt Tour, only one of Colorado's many scenic drives. During the 1890's, (the beginning of Colorado's Gold Rush) it began as a railroad grade to Cripple Creek.

A short walk with magnificent river views is Cañon City's Tunnel Drive, a road that was originally built to service a redwood water main from the Arkansas River to Cañon City. Now a two-mile walking trail with three tunnels, it overlooks the river and is a place where you might see fox, mule deer, black bears and other wildlife.

Wildlife enthusiasts will also enjoy exploring Bighorn Sheep Canyon between Parkdale and Cotopaxi. Herds of bighorn sheep, mountain goats and mule deer are abundant here. Bald eagles are often seen perched on the trees alongside the river.

Ten miles north of Cañon City lies Red Canyon Park, a 600-acre park that has a number of amazing red rock formations and vertical spires. Mountain biking, hiking, camping and picnicking are all popular at this undiscovered gem.

Just north of Red Canyon Park is the Shelf Road Climbing Area, walls of limestone that attract climbers from around the world. They come here year-round as it is a place that can be climbed into winter.

Because Fremont County is nestled in a valley surrounded by the Wet Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo Range, it averages 325 days of sunshine and enjoys mild winters. The area is also known as Colorado's "banana belt".

The Arkansas River is a lifeline for much of Fremont County and offers many recreational opportunities, so much to do and so much to see that it often can't all fit into the space of a week's vacation. Whatever your vacation pursuits, wherever you find your tranquility...whether it's in waders, snapping your fly rod at sunrise, napping in the cool breeze next to a mountain lake, getting splashed in the face while bouncing through rapids or just relaxing in town with a good cup of coffee, you're certain to find a place to do it here.