Discover Fremont: Royal Gorge, Trails and Museums

Fremont County offers a wide range of themes to consider when planning your trip: Royal Gorge, the Arkansas River, trails, art, and regional history. When looking for a hotel in Fremont, you can start by considering which activities you want to shape your stay. The bridge and railroad, riverside paths, climbing routes, and museums each offer a different perspective on the region.

Royal Gorge: Bridge, Climbing, and Railroad History

The Royal Gorge Bridge hangs 956 feet above the Arkansas River and opened in 1929. If you are interested in climbing, Royal Gorge Bridge & Park offers a guided via ferrata climbing experience on the granite walls of Royal Gorge. The guided tour and the bridge are distinct highlights to consider when planning your outing.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad departs daily from the historic Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City. Check the schedule before your trip. The history of the bridge and railroad also features in the Historical Expo at the Plaza Theater at Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, where artifacts and historical photographs document the Royal Gorge Railroad War and the construction of the bridge. The exhibit thus brings together two specific topics in local history, while the railroad offers a separate excursion option.

Paths, Trails, and River Access

The Arkansas Riverwalk is a seven-mile path along the Arkansas River that runs through Cañon City and beyond. The South Cañon Trails connect to the Riverwalk and extend access for walkers, hikers, and cyclists. In addition, Fremont County has four major trail systems, each spanning more than twelve miles: Hogbacks Open Space and Recreation Area, Royal Gorge Trails, South Cañon Trails, and Oil Well Flats. The Riverwalk and the longer trail systems offer different scales for planning time outdoors.

A shorter route with specific directions starts at the parking lot on County Road 3A and leads to the historic railroad bridges at Point Alta Vista, returning along the same path. The easy route is 1.1 miles long. Since trail conditions can change, check them before your outing. Allow about an hour for the self-guided heritage tour on Skyline Drive, and check local conditions before driving.

You can also explore river access at several locations: Parkdale Recreation Site provides public access before the Arkansas River enters Royal Gorge. Rincon, Point Barr, Vallie Bridge, and Five Points are also Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area locations in Fremont County.

Climbing Routes and Campgrounds on Shelf Road

Shelf Road has nearly 1,000 sport climbing routes on pocketed limestone; most are bolted. Shelf Road also has two campgrounds: Sand Gulch, with 14 sites, and The Banks, with 33 sites. The different site counts help distinguish between the two named locations.

Art and History in Fremont

Founded in 1947, the Fremont Center for the Arts is the oldest continuously operating nonprofit arts center west of the Mississippi. The Museum of Colorado Prisons displays the office furnishings of prison director Roy Best, along with documentation on the 1929 and 1947 prison riots. The two locations offer different perspectives: art at one, and the history of the corrections system at the other.

The Royal Gorge Regional Museum and History Center features exhibits and provides research materials on the history of the region and its people. One exhibit is also devoted to the history of the film industry in Fremont County. The cultural offerings thus range from art and the history of the corrections system to regional topics and film history—a selection you can include in your trip plans independently of outdoor activities.

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