Cañon City’s Tunnel Drive Trail - 03/27/21
Back in the late 1800’s a water pipeline was built, partially out of redwood staves, that brought water for irrigation and use for Cañon City from the Royal Gorge area of the Arkansas River. Back in the day Cañon City produced apples, plums, pears, peaches and grapes. Lots of em’. The pipeline passed through three tunnels cut out of the granite cliff on the north side of the Arkansas River. A hiking trail is now the site of the old pipeline, much of which is buried underneath the finely crushed and packed rock path that parallels and overlooks the Arkansas River. It’s about 4 miles out and back. The old pipeline continues up into the Royal Gorge. A lotta hard work went into this endeavor.