|
On This Page
Attractions
Summer Weather
Event Schedule
Vacation Guides
Return to Summer Vacation Planner's Homepage
Visit the Royal Gorge Region
Guide's Homepage
Welcome to Royal Gorge Country! In 1929, the Royal Gorge Bridge was built, spanning the chasm over the Arkansas River. Towering 1,053 feet above the river. It is one of the highest suspension bridges in the world.
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 families and thrill-seekers alike. And don't miss the world's steepest incline railway built in 1930.
The Arkansas River is at the heart of Royal Gorge Country and has left and indelible mark upon the land and communities that reside along its banks.
The Arkansas River carves its way 315 miles through Colorado. The last and most spectacular geographic obstacle the river must traverse is the Royal Gorge, first discovered by Zebulon Pike in 1806. Before the Europeans ventured west, the Ute, Sioux, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Comanche and Arapahoe Indians all frequented this land know for its temperate winters. The Arkansas offered a convenient source of drinking water and a number of natural hot springs throughout the area offered relief from the cold.
In the 1870s, homesteaders, ranchers, traders, fur trappers, coal miners and gold and silver prospectors descended on the area. As the need to transport ores upstream grew, the Denver & Rio Grande and the Sante Fe railroads, each already having tracks in the Arkansas Valley, 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 Railroad which follows the most famous portion of the old line - 24 miles round trip - from Caņon City to Parkdale and back. It's one of the most scenic train rides in the world.
Attractions
Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
Dinosaur Depot
Skyline Drive
Museum of Colorado Prisons
Garden Park Fossil Area
Shelf Road Rock Climbing Area
Red Canyon Park
The Royal Gorge Route Railroad
Prison Museums
The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey
Whitewater Rafting
Helicopter Tours
Horseback Riding
The Gold Belt Tour, Historic Byway
Phantom Canyon Road
Historic Ghost Walk Tours
Weather
At 5,343 feet temperatures average 75°F with an average rainfall of 12.7 inches a year and 325 days of sunshine.
Event Schedule
January 2012
January 6 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
January 14 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
February 2012
February 3 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
February 11 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
February 11 10th Annual Chocolate Lovers' Walk, Downtown Caņon City, 11am-3pm. Sponsored by the Caņon City Music and Blossom Festival, 719-239-1743
March 2012
March 2 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
March 10 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
March 15, 22, 29 Spring Fling at the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey,4-7pm, 3011 E. US Hwy 50, 719-276-5191
April 2012
April 6 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
April 7 Egg Hunt, Pioneer Park, 10am, Florence; Rouse Park, Caņon City 719-784-3544
April 8 Easter Sunrise Service, South Rim of Royal Gorge,6:30-7:30am, 719-275-7507, royalgorgebridge.com
April 14 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
May 2012
May (Date TBD) VMCCA Car Show, The Abbey, 719-275-3561
May 1-31 Fremont County Appreciation Month & Military Appreciation Month, Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, 50% discount for Fremont County residents and active and retired military and their families with photo IDs, 719-275-7507
May 4 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
May 4-6 74th Annual Music & Blossom Festival, Caņon City,719-242-4506, ccblossomfestival.com 
May 4-5 140th Annual Royal Gorge CPRA Rodeo, 7pm, Fremont County Rodeo Grounds, 719-252-3707
May 5 Blossom Day 5k/5mi Race, starting at Centennial Park and running along The Arkansas Riverwalk, ccblossomfestival.com
May 5-6 Spring Arts & Crafts Show, Depot Park, 719-784-3126
May 12 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
May 13 Mother's Get in Free Day, Royal Gorge Bridge & Park,719-275-7507, royalgorgebridge.com
May 19 8th Annual Brew Ha-Ha, Veterans Park, 3-10pm,
719-275-2790, fremontarts.org
May 20 Car Show, Main Street, Florence, 719-784-3544
May 26-28 37th Annual Black Powder Shoot & Rendezvous, Florence Mountain Park, 719-598-5715 or 719-275-8724
June 2012
Tuesdays, June through August Entertainment in the Park, Veterans Park, Caņon City, 7-9pm
Wednesday Nights, June through August Entertainment in the Park, Pioneer Park, Florence, 7-8:30pm, 719-784-3544
Wednesdays, June through Oct. Caņon City Farmers' Market, near the Train Depot on 3rd St., www.ccfa.coop
Thursdays, June through Sept. Florence Farmers' Market, Pioneer Park, 719-784-3544
June 1 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
June 2-3 Annual Royal Gorge Holy Smoke BBQ Showdown, Abbey football field, 719-371-1202, holy-smoke-bbq.com
June 2 Street Dance, Louie's in Florence, Noon-Midnight, 719-784-3015
June 2 Artist Gallery, studio tour, Florence, 719-784-3544
June 2, Brain Freeze, Veterans Park, Canon City, CO, 5th Annual Brain Freeze homemade ice cream making contest . Held in in conjunction with The Holy Smoke BBQ contest at The Holly Cross Abbey Field on the east end of town on Highway 50 in Canon City, CO. Last years event had 4 ice cream makers, making 4 different flavors. $1100 dollars in prize money for ice cream contest
June 9 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
June 9-10 29th Annual Howard Chili Cook-Off, contests, motorcycle and car shows, craft show, flea market, auction, concessions. Howard Fire Station, 8274 Hwy. 50, 719-942-4213
June 9 Caņon Car Club Show, Centennial Park, 719-275-3842 canoncarclub@yahoo.com
June 17 Father's Get in Free Day, Royal Gorge Bridge & Park,719-275-7507
June 23-24 Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival, Whitewater Kayak & Recreation Park, two days of rafting and kayak races, games, music, food, microbrews and wine.
July 2012
July 4 Fourth of July Celebration, fireworks, Skyline Drive, 9pm
July 4 Celebration, Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, live entertainment, 719-275-7507
July 6 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
July 14 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
July 14 Harvest Fest Art Competition Showing at Abbey Winery, 3011 E. US Hwy 50, 719-276-5191
July 27-29 22nd Fiddlers Along the Arkansas, Veterans Park, sponsored by Loaves and Fishes, fiddlersalongthearkansas.com
July 28-Aug 5 Fremont County Fair, County Fairgrounds,719-276-7390, fremontcountyfair.com
August 2012
Wednesdays, June through Oct. Caņon City Farmers' Market, near the Train Depot on 3rd St., www.ccfa.coop
Thursdays, June through Sept. Florence Farmers' Market, Pioneer Park, 719-784-3544
Aug. 3 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery;wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
Aug. 4 Fit N Fun 5K/10K Run, Pioneer Park, Florence, 719-784-3544
Aug. 11 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists atwork, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
Aug. 18-19 CPRA Rodeo, Fremont County Rodeo Grounds,719-252-3707
September 2012
Sept. (Date TBD) Skyline Drive 10k Run, 719-275-1578, ccrec.org
Sept. (Date TBD) 8th Annual Skyline Drive Open, 719-275-2331
Sept. 7 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
Sept. 7-8 Holy Cow Moosic Festival, Caņon City, benefit for Fremont County non-profits, 719-371-1202
Sept. 8 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
Sept. 14-15 Junktique Open Aire Antique Affair street market, Florence, 719-784-3544
Sept. 15 Florence Pioneer Day Celebration, parade at 10am, craft booths, food vendors, 719-784-3544
Sept. 15 Evening Street Dance, Florence, Main & Santa Fe Ave., Noon-Midnight, 719-784-3544
Sept. 21 Winemakers' Dinner, Winery at Holy Cross Abbey, 719-276-5191
Sept. 22-23 Harvest Festival on Winery Grounds, celebration of wine, food, arts and music, Winery at Holy Cross Abbey, 719-276-5191
October-December 2012
Oct. 5 First Fridays, The Artists' Gallery, Meet the artists, peruse the gallery; wine, hors d'oeuvres. 5-8pm, 416 Main St., 719-345-4070
Oct. 6 Rim to Rim Royal Gorge Run 10k/5k Run, Royal Gorge Bridge, Info & registration online at rimtorim.net
Oct. 6 Penrose Apple Day Parade, 719-372-3994
Oct. 12-13 Octoberfest, Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, German bands,food and fun, 719-275-7507
Oct. 13 Second Saturdays, Wander the shops, enjoy music and watch artists at work, refreshments served. 3-5pm, Florence
Oct. 13 Ghost Walk, streets of Florence, 719-784-3544
Oct. 20-21 Paint The Town 8th Annual Plein-Aire Festival, Florence,719-784-3544
Oct. 20-21 Eureka Days, 4rd Annual (Kick in the Butt BBQ), Florence, 719-784-6895
Oct. 31 Halloween Trick or Treat, Florence and Caņon City Downtown Merchants, 5-7pm, 719-784-3544
Nov. 26 Florence Christmas Light Illumination Celebration, 719-784-3544
Mid-Nov.-Dec. 26 Santa Express, Royal Gorge Route Railroad, every Friday and Saturday at 6:30pm from mid-Nov. through Dec. 26
Dec. 1 Christmas Parade of Lights, downtown Caņon City, 719-275-2331
Event schedule subject to change. Contact the Caņon City Chamber of Commerce at (719) 275-2331 or visit www.royalgorgetravel.com for more info.
Click Here for more Colorado Events.
|
