Top Bridges in Colorado

The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park

The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park is located in Southern Colorado near Canon City. It is a massive suspension bridge that crosses nearly 1,000 feet (292 m) above the crashing rapids of the Arkansas River. It was once the highest suspension bridge in the world and it is still the highest suspension bridge in America. 

The Royal Gorge Bridge is primarily a pedestrian crossing. The park does allow motor vehicles to drive on the bridge during special events, such as the Bridge of Lights holiday celebration that runs in November and December. The lack of traffic creates incredible photo opportunities. Visitors can capture views of the river below, the bridge itself or the sweeping views that surround the park. The length of the bridge is longer than the height of the canyon it crosses — 1,260 feet (384 m). That’s a lot of opportunity to capture unforgettable, Instagram-worthy photos. 

In addition to the sights, the Royal Gorge Park offers entertainment, thrill rides and a lot of family fun. Thrill rides include the Royal Rush Skycoaster, which sends riders flying over the side of the canyon at speeds up to 50 miles per hour. The views, if you can open your eyes to enjoy them, are beautiful. You can also zipline from one side of the canyon to the other. Outdoor enthusiasts can even scale the side of the Gorge during a guided Via Ferrata tour! All of these features make the Royal Gorge Bridge one of the most entertaining bridges in Colorado and a great place for families. 

Visitors who are more cautious can also ride across the canyon while safely enclosed in a gondola. The Aerial Gondolas are very comfortable and they are free to ride with your paid park admission. The ride is so safe you can bring your (leashed) dog! 

In the park itself, you will find a children’s play area, visitor center, plaza theater and multiple places to dine. The park does allow you to bring your own food and provides multiple picnic areas for a relaxing lunch. 

Seven Bridges Trail

Seven Bridges Trail is a popular hike that really does cross seven different bridges along the way. Located in North Cheyenne Canyon, the trail is 3.5 miles out and back, with a steady climb that is moderately challenging. The hike begins near Helen Hunt Falls at the intersection between High Drive and Lower Gold Camp Road. The Manitou Springs visitor website recommends that hikers follow the railroad bed to where it crosses the creek and to look for Trail 622 on the right to get started. 

The trail runs alongside North Cheyenne Creek, weaving through the trees and keeping hikers fairly cool as they travel. The bridges vary in length and style, but all of them offer lovely views of the water and surrounding terrain. The shady nature of the trail also makes it a great hike for bringing along your dog as leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.

Make sure you bring plenty of drinking water and wear appropriate shoes for steeper inclines. 

Rainbow Falls Bridge in Manitou Springs

Rainbow Falls Bridge is located in Manitou Springs along Serpentine Drive en route to Highway 24. The bridge and falls are part of the Rainbow Falls Historic Site, a five-acre park that includes picnic tables and interpretive signage, as well as the trailhead to the falls.

The hike to Rainbow Falls and the Rainbow Falls Bridge is brief and fairly easy. Visitors can enjoy well-maintained trails all the way to the bridge overarching a crashing waterfall. The bridge is impressive, with huge arches. You can feel its strength as heavy cars pass above. The bridge was built back in 1932. Fountain Creek runs between the pillars, flowing down from Pikes Peak into Colorado Springs and all the way to the same Arkansas River that runs through the Royal Gorge.

Rainbow Falls Bridge has long been a popular spot for locals. In recent years, flooding and rockslides have caused some damage to areas around the park, making parking more difficult. Check the Rainbow Falls website before you go to get the latest updates about parking and exploring. 

The Many Bridges of Seven Falls

Seven Falls is a famous attraction on the west side of Colorado Springs. It features an impressive series of waterfalls that pour down through a granite box canyon, with scenic trails, stairs and, of course, amazing bridges. In fact, there is an entire park nestled in the canyon and it is highly entertaining. But first, let’s talk about the many cool crossings.

Seven Falls is fed by South Cheyenne Creek, which, like Fountain Creek, comes from America’s Mountain – Pikes Peak. In order to allow visitors to experience the full extent of this massive water feature, Seven Falls has developed two different hiking trails. The Scenic Overlook trail is the easier of the two, with multiple bridge crossings as you make your way to the viewpoint. 

The Seven Falls Trail is the more challenging hike of the two and the bridge crossings provide epic, close-up views of the falls. You will climb a series of steep staircases as you make your way to the top. It is not the place to be if you are afraid of heights. Check out a video walkthrough of the park here. 

The most impressive bridges near Seven Falls can only be reached by signing up for the Fins Course Zipline offered by Broadmoor Outfitters. It is an adrenalizing experience that includes five ziplines and two enormous suspension bridges. The intensity of these bridges cannot be understated. They are narrow and made up of rope and wood. In order to cross, visitors must be attached to a safety harness. Think of every bridge in your favorite adventure movie and you’ll get an idea of just how neat this experience will be. As a final fun bonus, riders get to rappel 180 feet to the floor of the canyon. 

Red Cliff Bridge

Let’s take a step back from rappelling and hiking and thrill rides to focus on a more laid back bridge experience in Colorado. Red Cliff Bridge is located along Highway 24. It is part of the spectacular Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway, which begins just past Granite near Twin Lakes Reservoir. Your drive begins in Colorado Springs, but winds west through Woodland Park, Buena Vista and Leadville before eventually meeting up with the bridge. 

The trip to Red Cliff Bridge from Colorado Springs takes about three hours. However, we guarantee you won’t notice the time with the constant views of forests, mountains, rivers and canyons. Plus, there are all those great towns to stop into along the drive. 

Red Cliff Bridge is often referred to as the Green Bridge due to its vibrant green beams and arches. It is one of two steel arch bridges in Colorado. It’s also on the National Register of Historic Places.

The best view of the bridge’s iconic green arch is the Green Bridge Overlook. From there, you can get the full view of the bridge as it crosses over Eagle River.

D & RG Narrow Gauge Trestle

While we are on the topic of historic bridges, we can’t leave out the D & RG Narrow Gauge Trestle. Like Red Cliff Bridge, the trestle is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Only a small segment of the bridge remains today, but it represents the tenacity and determination of early Colorado pioneers. After all, building a railroad in the towering Rocky Mountains was no easy feat, especially in the 1800s. As is the case with many bridges in Colorado, it took a fearless, tireless crew to battle altitude, rapids and weather to create this track. 

During the peak of its operation, the trestle helped bring travelers and freight from Gunnison to Montrose and back. The bridge was built over Cimarron River, which flows from its starting point in the Uncompahgre National Forest. It is the only trestle that still exists from the route through Black Canyon

You can find the trestle along Highway 50 heading west out of Gunnison. It’s a fairly long drive out of Colorado Springs (about 5 hours), so plan to make a weekend out of your trip and explore some of the other cool sights and attractions in the area.

Cross that Bridge When You Come to It!