Phan Quoc Vinh
Located in Colorado in the United States, the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge is described as “impressive” and “scary”. This bridge made me feel lost and tiny in majestic nature.
The bridge’s history
The suspension bridge is located in Royal Gorge National Park near Cañon city, a two-hour drive from Denver, Colorado. The bridge spans a gorge of the same name.
“Built in 1929 within seven months, Royal Gorge was the highest suspension bridge until 2003. It rises 321m above the Arkansas River, similar to the height of the Eiffel Tower. Its length and width are 384m and 5m with the deck made of 1,292 wooden planks,” explained Peggy Gair, Public Relations Manager of Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, introducing this tourist attraction to me, a visitor from far-flung Vietnam.
Based on fossilized remains found by archaeologists 3km from the Royal Gorge Bridge, dinosaurs wandered this area over 100 million years ago.
Many centuries later, the Native Americans arrived, hunted and camped in the region. The Ute tribe, who lived in the mountains of Colorado, wintered in Royal Gorge, since it offered a milder climate and protection from the wind. In warmer months, the Sioux, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Blackfeet, and Comanche, who lived in the plains, drove wild buffalo herds to the gorge’s meadows.
“In the past, the Royal Gorge was not as peaceful as it is now. In 1877, there was a furious fight over the road along the Arkansas River between the Rio Grande Railroad and the Santa Fe Railway. A lot of blood was shed. In the end, after six months taking each other to court, the Rio Grande Railroad was the winner,” said Ms. Gair excitedly, explaining the history of the bridge. She pointed to where the Royal Gorge train still runs daily, operated by the Rio Grande Railroad. This route provides passengers with intriguing experiences as they pass through high and dangerous but majestic granite cliffs.
