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Skyline Drive (Colorado)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Skyline Drive
Map
Route information
Length3 mi (4.8 km)
Existed1905–present
RestrictionsOne-way traffic
Major junctions
North end US 50 in Cañon City
South end5th Street in Cañon City
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
Highway system
  • Colorado State Highway System

Skyline Drive is a scenic roadway in Cañon City, Colorado. It was built by inmate labor in 1905.[1] The road starts from U.S. Highway 50 and gradually inclines up the side of a ridge. When the road crests, it winds, climbs, and falls like a roller coaster until near its end, where a scenic outlook overlooks both the city to the east and the highway to the west.

Skyline Drive, looking towards the south

The single-lane, one-way road rises about 800 feet (240 meters) above the surrounding terrain. There are no guardrails despite sharp drop-offs, and the drive is about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) long.[1]

The road ends in a residential neighborhood, and becomes a residential street that intersects with 5th Street, where signs point south toward US 50 and "Historic Downtown Cañon City," allowing drivers to head downtown and return to the highway.

Geology

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The drive sits on the top of Skyline Ridge, a hogback composed of upturned Dakota sandstone. Outcrops of the Morrison and the Fountain formations can also be seen. Along the drive is the "Dinosaur trackway," a fenced-off area along the road adjacent to some exposed strata, which showcases the fossilized footprints of ankylosaurs walking towards the west.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Spencer, DC (2016-02-15). "Why we love Fremont County: Skyline Drive one of Cañon City's premier natural wonders". Cañon City Daily Record. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  2. ^ "Self-guided tour: Skyline Drive" (PDF). Fremont County Heritage Commission. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
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Skyline Video