Skyline Drive — Local services in Cañon City

Since we were in the area, we decided to go check out Skyline Drive. It’s a scenic roadway in Cañon City, Colorado that was built by inmate labor in 1905. The road starts from Hwy 50, with a gradual incline up the side of a ridge. When the road crests, it winds, climbs and falls like a roller coaster. The 3 mile single-lane, one-way road rises about 800 feet above the surrounding terrain with no guardrails despite sharp drop offs. After a couple switchbacks, the road ends in a neighborhood. It then becomes a residential street that intersects with 5th Street, where signs point south toward Hwy 50 and "Historic Downtown Cañon City," allowing drivers to head downtown or to return back to the highway. It may be short & sweet, but definitely worth adding to...

There is a thrill driving this road because of its altitude and riding on the hogback. If you also have an interest in geology, there are some fascinating sedimentary features you can easily examine.

About the road. 1 lane, 1 way. With exception of the entrance at the beginning and the couple of easy switchbacks at the end going into town, the road is relatively straight. There are several pullovers to allow for some very good photographic opportunities. A couple of thoughts would be catching the train leaving town, sunsets, as well as sunrises.

Also, ‘No Stopping’ signs are frequent for those sight seeing. Never saw more than 5 cars on the road, so don’t feel rushed.

This a road that I’m definitely going to traverse again should I return...

It is a beautiful view but it is not for the faint of heart. There are no shoulders, it is a single road and extremely narrow. Once you begin, the only way out is through and if you have a hard time with heights, you might want to avoid this one. My husband is an expert driver and has thousands upon thousands of miles under his belt since we traveled for a living for 20 years and even he was a little taken back at the height with no safety rails. I am sure others would say it was no big deal but if you are like me and have any issues at all, you might want to watch this on YouTube and leave the drive to others. All that to say, it was beautiful, if only I could have enjoyed it instead of white-knuckling it up...