Canon City Climbing

If you are climbing at Shelf Road, there is plenty of camping available; however it can get pretty cold during the winter. If you want a real bed to sleep in check out these options:

Budget Host Royal Gorge Inn

217 N. Raynolds Ave.

Cañon City, CO 81212

719-269-1100

It is located on US 50 by Burger King, right at the turnoff to Shelf Road. It's a nice, clean motel with refrigerators in the rooms, HBO on TV, and an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna. In March, rates were $65/night for a room with 2 queen beds ($60 for AAA members).

There are lots of other motels in town (Super 8, Best Western, etc.)

Beer: you can buy beer and wine at Gateway Liquors located at, 3055 E US Highway 50 #A. They are situated across from Wal-Mart, about 2 blocks from the Budget Host Motel.

Breakfast places: try the Waffle Wagon, a local place that's only open for breakfast and lunch. They are at 1310 Royal Gorge Blvd (US 50). Also good is the Bufmack Cafe at 325 Main Street. Both places are decent, local breakfast places with good prices for egg, pancake, and waffle breakfasts. Just the sort of thing to stock up on before heading to Shelf Road and a day of pulling pockets! Try out Bean Peddler on Main Street for a morning coffee and some breakfast pastries or tacos. They also are connected to a bike shop that also sells a few climbing products. 

Dinner places: try the Wild West Steak House, at 3245 E US 50. They have good beer on tap, and free salted peanuts in the shell in a metal bucket; you throw the shells on the floor. Good for steak, prime rib, ribs, shrimp dishes. Has a salad bar.

Pizza Madness has good pizza, but it is limited for beer. Domino's Pizza is always an option as well.

There are good Mexican (El Caporal) and Italian (Merlino's Belvedere) restaurants in town. See the new Shelf Road guidebook;q=39 for info.

Check out Julian's for a quick local Mexican eat, Nirvana Culinary Paradise, and Yummy Thai, all on Main St for some great local options.

Ice Cream: there is still a Baskin Robbins on US 50. You Scream Treat Emporium between US 50 and Main near downtown may be the best local ice cream around. 

See a bat on a route, give a shout. Climbers for Bat Conservation is working with climbers to understand bat ecology and why bats choose certain cracks and flakes. If you see bats, and want to tell them, here is their email (climbersforbats@colostate.edu) and their website ( climbersforbats.colostate.edu/).

Climbers for Bat Conservation is a collaboration between climbers, bat biologists, and land managers to understand where bats roost and where large populations may reside. They are interested in finding bats because a new disease, called white-nose syndrome ( whitenosesyndrome.org/), has killed millions of bats in North America. This collaboration has identified bat roosts throughout the U.S., and as far away as Norway and Bulgaria. CBC was developed by biologists who climb and they are advocates for climbing access and bat conservation. If you see bats while climbing, please let them know by emailing them at climbersforbats@colostate.edu, or visiting their website to learn more ( climbersforbats.colostate.edu/).

Rob Schorr

Zoologist, Colorado Natural Heritage Program ( sites.warnercnr.colostate.e…)

Director, Climbers for Bat Conservation

Robert.schorr@colostate.edu