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Gold Belt

 Gold Belt Tour

Running from Canon City to Cripple Creek, the Gold Belt Tour is a scenic touring and four-wheeling byway that traverses alongside historic gold mining and wagon routes.  Also, there are three different road grades as a part of this Gold Belt Tour: one paved, one suitable for ordinary vehicles, and one four-wheel drive recommended. 

Discover the beauty and history of these roads as you reconnect to older times, when gold miners and roving marauders made their ways through the rocky crags of these hillsides. Great views of Shelf Rock and Pike’s Peak are also an added bonus to the glory of this scenic byway.

Enjoy a trip through time and the communities of Cripple Creek, Victor, Florissant, Canon City, and Florence.

Recreation Areas

Tips for Travelers 

For your  comfort and safety while driving the tour, please consider these tips:
  • Trailers and motorhomes are not recommended on Phantom Canyon and Shelf Road as these are narrow, winding, one-lane mountain roads.
  • Be sure to have enough gas, water, and other necessities to make it from one Byway community to another.
  • Know the weather forecast for the day and be prepared for sudden changes. You may experience elevation changes of 5,000 feet during the tour.
  • Steep canyons along the Byway are subject to flash flooding from heavy rainfall. If you are caught in a flash flood, climb to high ground to stay dry.
  • Do not enter abandoned mine sites. They contain loose rocks, rotting timbers and deep shafts.
  • To avoid injury and illegal trespass, stay away from active mining sites.
  • Pull completely off the road when you stop to take pictures, view wildlife, or enjoy the scenery.

   
Last updated: 06-19-2012