Reaching New Heights at the Royal Gorge Bridge

A Unique Experience at the Royal Gorge Bridge

Over the weekend, a group of adventurous individuals took on an extraordinary challenge by walking across a tightrope that was only one inch thick, suspended high above the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park. The daring feat took place 60 feet above the famous bridge, with spectators below watching in awe as the participants balanced their way across.

Trey Anderson, who visited the area over the weekend, described the experience as astonishing. “I looked up and there were these people just walking down this tight rope up above me. I was like, whoa, it’s pretty scary,” he said. Another visitor, Barbara Manfield, expressed her surprise at the stunt. “It was totally unexpected. Oh my gosh,” she added.

For the group known as Community Highlines, the event was not about fear but about pushing boundaries. John Henning, the founder of Community Highlines, shared his perspective. “It’s cool because we don’t get nerves anymore, but that’s a little bit of the fun,” he said. While some people may find heights intimidating, for this group, it's all about the thrill and the challenge.

Steve Bushey, another spectator, commented on the view from above. “Got to be an amazing view from up there. It takes a lot of courage to do that, but it’s great entertainment for us,” he said. Watching from below, the crowd witnessed a different perspective of Colorado's natural beauty.

Henning explained that the activity requires focus and calmness, which can be challenging when surrounded by cheering spectators. “It becomes a challenge when you’ve got people cheering down below,” he noted. Despite the excitement, the group isn’t afraid of falling. Henning even joked about the possibility, asking, “Hey, Brendan, would you be all right with falling in the next 10 seconds?”

The group also enjoys performing tricks to entertain the audience. “I like to tease, my favorite trick is I’ll bounce the line really big, and I’ll dive off the line of the crowd and try to give someone a high five. We’re obviously way too high to actually give a high five, but it’s just fun,” Henning said. He also mentioned playing games like rock, paper scissors during the performance. “You can bounce up and down about like 20 feet so you can dive off the line off the top, and you fall like 20 feet, and the crowd thinks you’re coming towards and of course, you’re not,” he added.

Despite the excitement, the entire walk across the bridge took only six minutes and forty seconds, covering a distance of a thousand feet. Henning has always wanted to highline across the Royal Gorge Bridge, considering it his backyard. “Get up there on a high wire, are you kidding me? It’s fun. It looks like fun, but no, I’m not going to do that,” said Mansfield, highlighting the contrast between the performers and the observers.

Highlining differs from tightrope walking because it uses a looser cable made of plastic rather than steel. However, the daredevils still have fears, with Henning admitting his biggest fear is spiders. The group plans to return to the Royal Gorge in 2026 on the Fourth of July, hoping to walk across the canyon again.