CENTRAL COLORADO, ROYAL GORGE

We're trying not to feel guilty about being in cool Colorado while it's so hot in Virginia.  We resupply in Salida and head down the Arkansas River.  We stop at a put-in for the dogs.  This is a popular whitewater (class 2-3) river.  We follow it to the Royal Gorge where it is continuous class 4 at higher water levels.  Today the level is very low but raft trips are still running.

We visit the Royal Gorge Bridge and all 5 of us walk across in a high wind.  This is the worlds highest suspension bridge at 956 ft. and it really sways in the wind.  We mingle with the tourists and Peggy rides the merry-go-round before we walk back across; 1,270 ft across.  We cruise through Canyon City and take a campsite at the Golden Eagle Ranch just outside Colorado Springs.  The air is thick with smoke from the nearby Waldo Canyon forest fire.

Arkansas River

View of mountains surrounding the Arkansas River.

Elk (wapiti)

Elk at the Royal Gorge

Royal Gorge bridge.  The world's highest suspension bridge at 956 ft.

Looking down from the bridge on the Arkansas river.

Rafters enjoying the Arkansas river.

The family visiting the Royal Gorge

'Hummingbird moth' aka Whitelined Sphinx feeding on flowers at the Royal Gorge.

The merry-go-round brings back childhood memories.

2,200 foot tram at the Royal Gorge going down to the Arkansas River

Each cable  weighs 300 tons and contain 2,100 strands of No. 9 galvanized wire.