| Colorado is home to so many natural wonders | | | | Other rides that you will find here are the |
| that it is difficult to find a place to begin when | | | | skycoaster, wagon rides, burrough rides and |
| trying to describe what your next adventure | | | | horse rides. |
| should be. One of the things that strikes me | | | | If all of the rides don't excite you, then you may |
| about Colorado is that when traveling from the | | | | wish to simply walk across the Royal Gorge |
| East to the West, there is a huge expanse of | | | | Bridge. It spans 2,200 feet and is 18.5 feet wide. |
| Colorado that is flatland. Growing up, I always | | | | It is a walking bridge so you don't need to worry |
| thought of Colorado to be a mountainous state. | | | | about vehicles. The view of the gorge in both |
| Not the case for a large portion. Rising into the | | | | directions is one that won't be forgotten anytime |
| sky are the Rocky Mountains with Pikes Peak | | | | soon. |
| visible above the rest. It almost seems that you | | | | Royal Gorge is just to the west of Canon City, |
| can see from the northern edge of the state | | | | Colorado. If you are flying into Denver, Colorado, |
| clear to the southern edge of Colorado heading | | | | then the drive is only about 120 miles each way. |
| West. | | | | Not too bad if you have a day to spare. The |
| When you visit the south central region of | | | | scenery is beautiful and the drive should be |
| Colorado, there are two sites that cannot be | | | | peaceful. |
| missed. One is the Mesa Verde National Park and | | | | Canon City, Colorado has a number of lodging |
| the other is the Royal Gorge. | | | | possibilities and there are choices for camping as |
| Mesa Verde National Monument | | | | well. At the Royal Gorge Bridge, the Bighorn |
| With more than 52,000 acres of land in the Mesa | | | | Mountaintop Lodge is available to rent. It is about |
| Verde National Park, you will feel like you are in | | | | 3000 square feet and would be ideal for |
| the middle of nowhere. The park was created in | | | | corporate functions and small overnight gatherings. |
| 1906 to protect the more than 4,000 dwellings | | | | There are three rooms and two baths with |
| from the pre-Columbian Indians. Six hundred of | | | | kitchen facilities. The view would be surreal as it |
| these are cliff dwellers. It is truly amazing to look | | | | looks out over the gorge. What a view to wake |
| out at these cliff dwellings and understand how | | | | up to in the morning. |
| these people farmed and protected themselves. | | | | Pikes Peak |
| In order to protect the structures in Mesa Verde, | | | | If we head towards the center of Colorado, you |
| park rangers must be present if you enter any | | | | will find one of the most visited peaks in the |
| cliff dwelling structure. I am sure that you have | | | | continental United States, Pikes Peak. Officially, it is |
| witnessed the litter and minor destruction of | | | | 14,110 feet at its summit. At this height, it is still |
| these sites that are unattended. There are about | | | | only the 31st highest peak in Colorado. But, it is |
| twenty locations that can be visited on self-guided | | | | the farthest East in the Rocky Mountains. |
| tours throughout the park. Some locations are | | | | To give an idea how times have changed. When I |
| closed in the winter, so be aware. | | | | was a boy, we drove to the top of Pikes Peak in |
| One of my favorite views in this country is in | | | | a motorhome. It was definitely possible, but there |
| early Spring with the brilliant red rock with the | | | | were no warning signs, no toll on the road and no |
| green Junipers dotting the terrain and a touch of | | | | restaurant at the summit. We were also the only |
| white snow. The stark differences in color burns | | | | people at the summit, except for the one person |
| an image in your mind that doens't leave. When I | | | | manning the radar station. Now, you can anticipate |
| was young, it seemed that a visit to Mesa Verde | | | | 2,000 visitors a day visiting the summit, a |
| National Park was at least a yearly occurrence. | | | | restaurant and the road is open year round with |
| Today, it is not quite that often, but the yearning | | | | the weather permitting. There is also a $10 per |
| is still there. | | | | person toll to visit the summit. How times have |
| There is an interesting graph on the Mesa Verde | | | | changed! (And, I am not that old.) |
| website that shows a whopping 27 visitors in | | | | A trip to the top of Pikes Peak is worth the two |
| 1906. In 2005 (last year shown), there were just | | | | or three hours it might take. How many 14,000 |
| under 520,000 visitors to the park. You won't be | | | | foot peaks can you drive to? Most every other |
| alone. However, there are other parks that see | | | | peak that I know of calls for that little four letter |
| many more visitors in a years' time (Zion National | | | | word ... hike. |
| Park is about 2.2 million yearly visitors.) | | | | Pikes Peak is just under 100 miles from Denver, |
| The best way to get to Mesa Verde National | | | | Colorado. If you find yourself in Denver or |
| Park is to drive unless you have a pilots license. | | | | Colorado Springs, Colorado for an extra day, this |
| Mesa Verde is located about 380 miles from | | | | would be a great option. Definitely, a change from |
| Denver, Colorado. Three hundred eighty miles | | | | the random mall in which many of us have killed a |
| from Salt Lake City, Utah and 280 miles from | | | | few hours. |
| Albuquerque, New Mexico. The trip makes for an | | | | One of the events that takes place every year is |
| interesting ride through country that ranges from | | | | the PPIHC (Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.) The |
| high desert to mountains, depending on which | | | | cars race 12.42 miles to the summit with the |
| route you decide to travel. | | | | record time of 10:01 in 2007 (that's 10 minutes). |
| The Far View Lodge is available inside the park | | | | If you take the time to smell the roses, you will |
| and is the only lodge that is located in the park. | | | | find abundant wildlife around Pikes Peak. From the |
| There is also a camping area that is inside the | | | | squirrels to the Bighorn Sheep to the Black Bear, |
| park. Reservations are suggested for both. The | | | | you can find them all in this area. |
| camping area (Morefield Village and Campground) | | | | There are some camping facilities in the area, but |
| has more than 400 campsites which include | | | | the majority of the lodging facilities are in the |
| everything from full hook-up sites for | | | | Colorado Springs area where you can find just |
| motorhomes and campers to tent sites. | | | | about anything from the Motel 6 to the |
| The Royal Gorge | | | | Broadmoor. Whatever suits your tastes, you will |
| Are you afraid of heights? This may not be for | | | | find it near. |
| you. It is not that you climb high into the sky, but | | | | These are just a few of the possibilities in |
| you look down into a gorge that is more than | | | | Colorado. It seems that once you hit the Rocky |
| 1,000 feet deep! The Royal Gorge Bridge is 1,053 | | | | Mountains of Colorado, there is a myriad of places |
| feet above the Arkansas River below. It is the | | | | and activities to see and go. From the National |
| highest suspension bridge in the world. Not only will | | | | Parks in the north to the winding mountain roads |
| you experience a natural wonder, but you will find | | | | of central Colorado and the red rock of the four |
| some of the original rides at Royal Gorge like the | | | | corners area, there is more to explore. Accept |
| incline railway which takes you to the river at a | | | | my invitation to get up off your chair and begin |
| 45 degree angle and the aerial tram which | | | | your adventure. For my part, I am excited to get |
| transports you to the opposite side of the canyon | | | | out and explore the new and the old of the |
| at 1,178 feet above the itsy-bitsy Arkansas River. | | | | Rocky Mountains. |