Royal Gorge Park celebrates success as fire anniversary nears

About 1,000 people enjoyed food, drink and the new look at the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park west of Caon City.

The park previously was open on a limited basis after practically being destroyed by a wildfire in June 2013. On Friday, the public saw a new, expanded visitors center and restaurant for the first time.

The park also features updated versions of old favorites like a water clock, and zip lines that many tourists find exciting and could increase attendance.

In fact, local leaders said the park already is on pace to equal its record annual attendance of 500,000. Attendance had dropped to about 250,000 in recent years.

Mike Bandera, the park’s general manager, said the changes allow the park to increase its daily capacity from 5,000 to 8,000 people.

Thick fog, cool temperatures and rain sent a chill through the crowd sitting under an outdoor tent to hear opening remarks during Friday’s ceremony, but skies cleared just before noon and gave spectators a better view of the park’s changes.

Among the dignitaries was Beth Fisher, of Houston. She’s the granddaughter of George Cole, the chief engineer for the bridge, which was built in 1929.

“He would be thrilled,” Fisher said. “He was a visionary and somewhat of an engineering genius, and he would be so incredibly grateful and pleased.”

Local leaders said the total cost of rebuilding the park will be around $30 million when work is finished by 2018. A children’s play area, an amphitheater and nightime bridge lighting will be other new attractions.

“The irony is without the fire we never could have afforded to build this,” said Caon City Mayor Tony Greer. “It’s bigger and better.”

Greer said the vision for the park is a compilation of ideas from a dozen planners who disagreed and at times argued about what changes should be made.

Megan McCarter, a native of the area, said she has mixed feelings about seeing the new park replace the old park burned in the fire.

“Losing the nostalgia of the old Royal Gorge is certainly sad for those of us who have grown up in Fremont County and Caon City,” McCarter said. “But seeing what our community rebuilt, and the fact that we didn’t let this tragic fire bring us down, is something to be said of our community and the people of Caon City.”

And Eli Plowman, a tourist from Missouri, showed why the park retains its magic.

“My wife has never seen mountains before,” Plowman said. “When we pulled into the parking lot, it took her breath away.”