more stats
3.4 miles
Distance
326 ft
Climb
-1,905 ft
Descent
00:44:34
Avg time
-1,580 ft
Altitude change
5,470 ft
Altitude min
7,121 ft
Altitude max
7,050 ft
Altitude start
5,469 ft
Altitude end
-8.8%
Grade
-49.7%
Grade max
35%
Grade min
3,681 ft
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
1,719 ft
Distance flat
00:44:34
Avg time

Royal Cascade Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Royal Gorge Park
    Cañon City, Colorado
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Local Popularity
    60 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 75 in Trail Running
    • 85 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #113783 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #68516 in Trail Running
    • #46526 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T1 Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Year Opened
    2021
  • Land Owner
    City of Cañon City

Spectacular and steep trail that connects Tunnel Drive with Fremont Peak and the Royal Gorge Park trail system. Expect and respect climbing and descending, foot and bicycle users. Do not cut switchbacks. Beware abrupt corners and areas of exposure. Be safe and a responsible human. Please note the 'steep' verbiage above - climbing this trail on a bike may not be your cup of tea.

Access Info

For the portion of trail between Tunnel Drive and Sheep Shooter Point (i.e. BLM lands):
Wildlife closure: closed to all access 24/7 June and July.
Hunting closure: closed to non-hunting public from 5pm to 9am September and October.
Open to all allowed uses at all other times.

Trail Supporters
  • BLM
    BLM
    Land Manager
  • City of Canon City
    Land Manager
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 2 rides
  • 29 miles avg distance
All
  • 46 rides
  • Last: Sep 13, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Royal Cascade Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Aug 6, 2026 @ 1:36pm (America/Denver)
Aug 6, 2026
 reporter Trail open following bighorn sheep lambing season. Evening and morning closure hours start September 1 for bighorn sheep shooting season.
Jun 2, 2026 @ 9:45am (America/Denver)
Jun 2, 2026
 reporter Closed June and July for bighorn sheep lambing season. Will re-open August 1st.
Aug 1, 2025 @ 12:28pm
Aug 1, 2025
 reporter Trail open following bighorn sheep lambing season. Evening and morning closure hours start September 1 for bighorn sheep shooting season.
Jun 10, 2025 @ 3:03pm
Jun 10, 2025
 reporter Closed June and July for bighorn sheep lambing season. Will re-open August 1st.
Jan 7, 2025 @ 6:35am
Jan 7, 2025
 reporter 3-5 inches of snow
more »
Status:
on Aug 6, 2026
Dry
Avg: 3.86 (4 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to royal-cascade trailhead (38.450280, -105.283570)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      4 more »
      mtb
      165 |
      Apr 15, 2024 @ 7:01am
      Apr 15, 2024
      mtb
      369 |
      Aug 21, 2022 @ 6:43am
      Aug 21, 2022
      mtb
      466 |
      Apr 8, 2022 @ 9:53pm
      Apr 8, 2022
      mtb
      414 |
      Apr 8, 2022 @ 9:53pm
      Apr 8, 2022

      Videos

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      Technical Trail Features (TTF)

      Routes with this trail

      16
      Royal Loop
      ★ 5.0 • 34 miles • 4,272 ft • 8 • Loop •
      30+ mile loop starting and ending in Cañon City which utilizes the Royal Gorge Bridge. Additional...
      4.0 ★★★★★
      4 Ratings
      5 ★ 50%
      4 ★ 25%
      3 ★
      2 ★ 25%
      1 ★

      3 Reviews & Comments

      AmosSv9sAL
      Very tough climb unless which I wouldn’t recommend unless you have a high level of fitness. The descent is fun although some of the tight and steep hairpins required dismount for me. It is fully exposed and the sun can be punishing. It is quite beautiful particularly at the top with the views.
      Rherwehe
      Great views. A bit of a hike a bike to the top of Fremont Peak. A few really tight hairpins in the steep sections that may require a dismount (i did). Other than those few spots really rideable
      Grunk Grunk
      Rides like a bike park trail in an incredible setting. The black rating comes from some tight/steep switchbacks and mild exposure. The majority of the trail is wide flowy blue terrain. Expect some hike-a-bike to get the actual top. Drop a vehicle at the bottom, drive back to Royal Gorge, spend the day riding there and use this as the finale.

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Royal Cascade located?
      Royal Cascade is located in Royal Gorge Park, Cañon City, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Royal Gorge Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 38.45028, -105.28357.
      ▼ How hard is Royal Cascade?
      Royal Cascade is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The average grade is 8.8%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Royal Cascade?
      Royal Cascade has 326 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,905 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 5,470 ft to 7,121 ft.
      ▼ Is Royal Cascade a point to point trail?
      Royal Cascade is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Royal Cascade?
      Royal Cascade is 3.4 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Royal Cascade?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Royal Cascade. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Royal Cascade? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Royal Cascade are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Royal Cascade?
      The estimated time to ride Royal Cascade is approximately 45 minutes. The trail is 3.4 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace.
      ▼ How busy is Royal Cascade?
      Royal Cascade is a moderately popular trail. There have been 196 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 199 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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