Royal Gorge Bridge Tours: Frequently Asked Questions

General admission to Royal Gorge Bridge & Park is $35 per adult, valid for two days from first use. It covers the bridge, unlimited gondola rides, the Plaza Theater show and the children's playland. The Zip Line, Skycoaster and Via Ferrata cost extra.

Not anymore. It was the world's highest bridge for about 75 years after 1929, and today it is the highest suspension bridge in the United States, with its deck about 956 feet above the Arkansas River.

The bridge walk, unlimited aerial gondola rides when the gondola is running, the Plaza Theater show and the playland. The three thrill attractions – the Cloudscraper Zip Line, the Royal Rush Skycoaster and the Via Ferrata – are separate, extra-fee experiences.

The park is at 4218 Co Rd 3A, Cañon City, about 45 minutes west of Colorado Springs and roughly two hours from Denver. Most visitors drive, and parking at the park is free.

No. The gondola and the rim rides run weather permitting and can close for safety. The Cloudscraper Zip Line and Royal Rush Skycoaster also close in the deep winter for annual inspection, so check before a winter trip.

For the classic self-guided visit, book the park entry ticket. To ride over the bridge with a guide, book the half-day jeep tour. For whitewater in the gorge, book a rafting trip. For a relaxed ride along the canyon floor, book the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.

Yes. Guided trips run Class III to V whitewater through the gorge on the Arkansas River, from half-day to full-day, with most departing from Cañon City. Operators provide life jackets and helmets, and some include wetsuits and lunch.

Yes, the park is open every day of the year, with hours that vary by season and rides that run weather permitting. Confirm the current day's hours on the official park website before you set out.

Most visitors spend two to four hours at the park. Families who ride the gondola, watch the theater show and let children play often stay much longer, and the two-day ticket lets you split a visit across two days.

The gondola and theater are accessible. The south gondola platform has no ramp, so wheelchair users generally ride the gondola round trip. Some rim trails are steep, and the thrill rides carry age, weight and ability restrictions.

Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome walking the park, though not on most rides or inside restaurants. Kennels are available near the entrance if you need to leave a dog while you ride.

The bridge deck sits about 956 feet above the Arkansas River, which runs along the floor of the canyon. That made it the highest bridge in the world for more than half a century, and it is still the highest suspension bridge in the United States. The drop is what the gondola's glass-floor cabin is for.

In 1929. A crew of about 80 workers built it in roughly seven months, and it was dedicated in December of that year.

The Royal Gorge Fire destroyed most of the park's buildings and about 90 percent of the grounds. The steel bridge survived with only about a hundred planks scorched, and the park reopened after a roughly $30 million rebuild in 2015.

Visitors walk across or take a golf-cart shuttle. The guided jeep tours are among the few that take vehicles across the bridge and into the park's south entrance.

A guided climb on iron rungs and cables set into the canyon wall, for ages 12 and up with a minimum weight. It is an extra-fee experience, and the fee includes park admission.

One of the three gondola cabins has a glass floor for a straight-down view. It has its own, slower line, so many visitors ride a standard cabin one way and the glass-floor cabin on the return.

The half-day jeep tour spends only around ten minutes at the bridge itself. Its value is the guided off-road loop and the exclusive south-rim viewpoints most visitors never see.

Some do. The full-day trips and several half-day trips include a riverside or barbecue lunch, while others do not. Check each trip's inclusions before booking.

Quick-drying, synthetic layers and footwear that straps securely to your feet. Operators supply life jackets and helmets, and some include wetsuits; bring a dry set of clothes for afterward.

No. The railroad is a separate scenic train that rides the canyon floor along the Arkansas River, passing below the bridge. It departs from the Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City, not from the bridge.

Yes. It is about a two-hour drive each way. A private full-day tour from Denver is available, or you can self-drive and buy a park ticket on arrival.

Most tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. A few are non-refundable, and one jeep tour states its policy inconsistently, so always confirm the cancellation terms at the time of booking.

Yes, with a little planning. The gondola, theater and playland suit families, while the Zip Line, Skycoaster and Via Ferrata have age and weight limits that rule out younger children.

Near Cañon City in Fremont County, southern Colorado, where the Arkansas River has cut a deep, narrow canyon through ancient granite. It is about 45 minutes west of Colorado Springs and roughly two hours from Denver. The bridge and park sit on the rim; the river and the scenic railroad run along the floor.

Yes. Several places to eat sit on site, including a café above the canyon and a barbecue spot, plus seasonal snack stands. You may also bring your own food to the picnic areas.

Recurring seasonal events include Boo at the Bridge in the fall and the Bridge of Lights over the holidays, plus live entertainment through the summer. Confirm current dates on the official park site.

The canyon's granite and gneiss are dated to roughly 1.7 billion years. The gorge itself is far younger: the Arkansas River has been cutting down through that rock for around three million years. What you are looking at from the deck is the cross-section that cutting exposed.

For the park entry ticket you can often buy on the day, but buying online saves time at the gate on busy summer weekends. Guided tours and rafting trips fill up in peak season and are best reserved ahead.

The park restricts weapons, drones, and alcohol and drugs. Rules can change, so review the current park policies before you go, especially if you plan to bring a dog.

It moves gently and has gaps between some planks that show the river far below, which can feel unnerving at first. Most visitors find it settles quickly, and there is a golf-cart shuttle for anyone who would rather ride across.