Long before the bridge, the Arkansas River spent millions of years cutting this gorge through ancient granite. The Ute people wintered in the gorge, and Plains tribes followed the buffalo into the meadows nearby.
In 1928, Texas businessman Lon Piper looked across the gorge and envisioned a crossing. Work started on June 5, 1929, and a crew of around 80 finished the job in a matter of months. The bridge first opened to visitors on December 8, 1929.
In June 2013, a wildfire swept through the park. Everyone got out safely, and the bridge came through with only about 100 planks lost. The park was rebuilt and reopened the following year with a new visitor center, aerial gondolas and more ways to explore.
Since November 1, 2026, Royal Gorge Bridge & Park has been operated by CMBH Partners under a long-term lease with Cañon City, which owns the bridge and the surrounding land.
The views, the attractions and the warm welcome stay the same. The Royal Gorge Bridge has been a part of Colorado history for nearly a century, but its future is even more exciting.
Walk the bridge, ride over the canyon and make some history of your own.
