Bighorn Sheep Canyon Tour
“Up the River” from Cañon City to Salida with a stop at the Overlook Deck of the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park.
Saturday, October 13, 2018; 8AM – 5PM
Tour Description: The Arkansas River flows in the Rio Grande Rift, a Graben or downfaulted block, from Leadville to Salida where it turns east and flows through the right Horst, or upfaulted block, and other geologic structures through the Royal Gorge and onto the Colorado Piedmont unit of the Great Plains. This tour will explain the complex geology visible from US-50 in the Bighorn Sheep Canyon of the Arkansas River. Parts of US-50 were once the 1874 stagecoach road from Cañon City to Leadville. It was replaced in 1915 by “The Rainbow Route” which was later renamed US-50.
Tour Leader: Bob Hickey is a Geologist and volunteer with the Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) Department and the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA). Among his areas of expertise are the geology of the Rio Grande Rift and Arkansas River. He has 40-years of experience in field Geology in Arizona and Colorado, has led many hikes and tours of the area and presented to geology groups in Salida, Lake George and Cañon City. He is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic presenter.
Geology Guidebook: A 20-page Geology Guidebook will be provided for trip participants to bring along that describes the Rio Grande Rift, Salida area geology, detailed geology of Bighorn Sheep Canyon and the Royal Gorge as well as a glossary of relevant geological terms. Participants will also receive a Western Fremont County Self-Guided Heritage Tour describing the area’s history.
Itinerary: Tour check-in will begin at 7:45 AM and the bus will depart from the parking lot at the PCC-Fremont Campus at 8:00 AM on Saturday, October 13th, 2018 as an event of Fremont Fall Heritage Days. Dress warmly, in layers, with good shoes since we will get on and off the bus at several locations. A hat, cushion, walking stick and water may also be desired. A step and hand rail is provided to assist boarding. We will be riding a former School Bus with a public address system, but not much heat. Sponsored by the Fremont County Historical Society, the tour will also bring awareness to the Crossroads Through Time Heritage Park project at the PCC-Fremont Campus.
The bus will stop at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park for a view and presentation on the Gorge from the Visitor Center’s observation deck, with the morning light on the gorge walls. The tour will introduce General Geology as the bus travels west to the Salida East Recreation Site at MP224 on US-50. After a presentation on Precambrian geology and the Great Unconformity visible there, the tour will depart east bound, pausing at over a dozen locations to view geologic features.
Lunch: Available about 1:00 PM at Barry’s Den at Texas Creek with more geology and history talk. A menu and order form will be distributed when the bus loads in Cañon City so the order form can be dropped off at the restaurant as the bus goes upriver and the food will be ready when we return. Hamburgers, sandwiches, salads, etc. have an average cost of $6 – $10 with beverage, paid to the restaurant. Participants may bring their own sack lunch and beverage.
