about Royal Gorge
“The Royal Gorge is a spectacular canyon along the Arkansas River near Cañon City in south-central Colorado. With a narrowest width of just 30 feet at the bottom of the canyon and a depth exceeding 1,200 feet in some places, the nearly ten-mile-long canyon is considered a world wonder of geology. With its iconic red granite formations and extreme height, the Royal Gorge was dubbed the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River by the first American explorers to see it. As an ancient wintering location for Ute Native Americans, as the site of intense and sometimes violent feuds between corporations, and now as a popular location for tourists, Colorado’s Royal Gorge stands as an iconic piece of the state’s history.” (Royal Gorge, Colorado Encyclopedia)