--- id: "100013" name: Elevenmile Canyon Scenic & Historic Auto Tour distance: "9.88" duration: 1 hour to drive, 1 day to explore description: Elevenmile Canyon is managed by the USDA Forest Service to protect its rich natural resources and historic sites, and to provide public recreation. The focal point along this route is the South Platte River which begins high above Fairplay and flows in a southeasterly direction across South Park. Below Elevenmile Reservoir, the river turns northeast and cuts into the Pikes Peak batholith - a large mass of igneous rock. Originally called "Granite Canyon," the towering walls are composed of Pikes Peak granite that have been polished gray from years of weathering. In places the canyon rises dramatically 500 feet above the river. path: wg|lFdr`bSGDXl@n@z@d@f@f@Zh@Z\TVRT\^|@V~@t@vDPj@Nb@Td@R`@Xb@l@v@ZXXT^Pf@P`Bb@vATbC\p@NzJnCb@H^B^AXAb@ErCc@|G{@z@IxAFlANd@Db@VZXV\R\Pd@Nh@Hb@F`@Bf@@v@@n@Hr@NnATdAJl@Lf@Nl@Hj@Fb@?d@A\Eh@]nB{@pECb@@X@ZBXFZb@|@P`@f@|@v@hB`@bAT^Zd@d@h@b@b@nB~ApA`Ap@d@t@f@|A~@^\ZZXPx@b@vA^d@FZAZEVGZMnBo@f@MXEZDXJVNRNLVH\Jl@Hb@H^BDFNRTP^N`@n@pBBDxAnEv@nBVf@Vf@Xb@tArBhAdBv@lA??Z`APp@N|@Hv@B|@?~@Ct@Ej@Mp@SbAUtAi@tE]tCc@lD]xCCj@Ab@@^@d@HjAJz@H`@HZXdA@@??JZTf@Vd@VZZb@Z\`@RVJb@Dj@?d@Gz@]lAm@f@M^C\?\FbARn@Jb@@z@Ez@En@On@MXEV?TDVFVNbB|A\b@b@p@Zl@z@tBVt@`@z@Zb@XZd@T^Ld@F??D@f@BxETnDTx@Db@Ah@CZEVGb@QvAq@~Au@VKTCRCZBv@NHBVH??\J\N`@VnAlA`DvCdB|AzBnB`@^b@h@P\L^Hd@Bb@@lDB|F@nD?b@Cb@Cd@Et@WzBIt@Cl@Ap@IvI?f@Dh@Fj@H\N\n@~@b@d@dAl@fAt@l@v@~@|AvA|BZp@RXRN^PVJZDl@Ah@Cb@Ix@_@lAg@??pB{@`@KZAd@DvBn@B@VJ??j@RjA`@`CfAvAz@ZZRXHT??DLRt@XxALt@HdBLtAFlBDv@Hf@Nf@Rj@p@pAJG??KFbArBBDj@lAzApC|AvCPT??DFVNXJ`@HrAVv@H`@HXPXZZh@\|@Tt@Rz@p@hGFl@@j@Ab@E^If@Cn@An@@p@Bl@Db@H\Nh@Zr@l@pBJf@NZR^Nf@Dd@Dh@Bd@Dn@Bf@BX@PJxAHn@J`@Vf@Zf@n@p@NPTVPRp@x@^b@^p@Xh@Xj@b@jAVr@Pl@MD??LEv@rBj@dBPjADjAE~@Mv@A`@B\B|@@n@Ch@E~@?\Nt@RhAVj@b@Vl@HhAA\QZ]ZWbAWp@UpFaB`@Q`@C`@@^B\L\TJDNPZn@Pt@RhAL`ATpAv@hEH\JZXx@v@zBTr@Fb@@h@BrB@p@Hj@Hb@J`@P`@Vf@|BlEfAjCNh@Hl@@b@A`@Cp@O`AE`@@^D^Nr@`@jAZv@DV@XBd@Bj@D`@Fh@Ft@RpBF|@Hh@Fd@H\HZ^fAZ~@Nl@Hj@Fp@Dj@Fb@Px@Ll@Pf@Xp@Nf@FZFn@Dp@F~@JpB??Fz@JvCF~A??Bt@H`AJn@Lf@Tl@jBlEXr@Jf@Fl@`@bELj@J`@Rf@f@rAP^RZZZt@p@j@^r@X\Z`@d@d@n@nDbG\^VNf@Lh@Db@AXCTFTB\@\FTJPPZh@Vd@H\DXFTFNNT^x@`@v@Xh@V\XRbAr@fAr@bAl@hCvAZVRXX^V\R`@Nf@Lf@N`@??LXJ^Rf@Rf@`@nAn@fBTv@Jn@Hl@Db@Bd@??Af@C`@E^AR??MjBAJCL_@rEo@`K]pE?v@Fv@Ht@PbAVbA\n@V|@Pz@\vBd@tCN~@H\Rd@Lt@ThA organization: - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/eleven-mile-canyon-auto-tour name: Elevenmile Canyon Scenic & Historic Auto Tour - url: https://exploreparkcounty.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/elevenmile_brochure.pdf name: Trains, Tunnels & Trout websites: - url: https://www.backcountrychronic.com/post/exploring-eleven-mile-canyon-recreation-area-in-colorado name: BackCountry Chronic - url: https://mysticaltrekking.com/trail/eleven-mile-canyon-a-colorado-gem-worth-discovering/ name: Mystical Trekking - url: https://southparkheritage.org/ name: South Park National Heritage Area - url: https://www.uncovercolorado.com/activities/eleven-mile-canyon-recreation-area/ name: Uncover Colorado attractions: - url: https://www.summitpost.org/arch-rock/800533 name: Arch Rock - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/blue-mountain-campground name: Blue Mountain Campground - url: https://campalexandercolorado.org/ name: Camp Alexander - url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Midland_Railway name: Colorado Midland Railway Tunnel - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/cove-campground name: Cove Campground - url: https://damsoftheworld.com/usa/colorado/eleven-mile-canyon-dam/ name: Eleven Mile Dam - url: https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105745313/elevenmile-dome name: Elevenmile Dome - url: https://fliesontheline.com/eleven-mile-canyon/ name: Elevenmile Fishing Site - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/eleven-mile-picnic-area name: Elevenmile Picnic Area - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/idlewild-picnic-area name: Idlewild Picnic Site - url: https://www.uncovercolorado.com/towns/lake-george/ name: Lake George - url: https://www.uer.ca/forum_showthread.asp?threadid=122663 name: Lidderdale - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/messenger-gulch-picnic-area name: Messenger Gulch Picnic Site - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/obrien-gulch-picnic-area name: O'Brien Gulch Picnic Area - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/trails/overlook-trail-641 name: Overlook Trail - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/riverside-campground name: Riverside Campground - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/spillway-campground name: Spillway Campground - url: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/recreation/springer-gulch-campground name: Springer Gulch Campground - url: https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105746146/teale-tower name: Teale Tower - url: https://www.mountainproject.com/area/107219663/fortress-lower name: The Fortress - url: https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105760455/car-stud name: Turret Dome states: - CO ll: - -105.35734942647582 - 38.9799405626805 bounds: - - -105.47566365310901 - 38.90453968689687 - - -105.35731 - 38.98 --- Elevenmile Canyon is managed by the USDA Forest Service to protect its rich natural resources and historic sites, and to provide public recreation. The focal point along this route is the South Platte River which begins high above Fairplay and flows in a southeasterly direction across South Park. Below Elevenmile Reservoir, the river turns northeast and cuts into the Pikes Peak batholith - a large mass of igneous rock. Originally called "Granite Canyon," the towering walls are composed of Pikes Peak granite that have been polished gray from years of weathering. In places the canyon rises dramatically 500 feet above the river. Construction of the Colorado Midland Railway started in 1886 and ultimately spanned 261 miles between Colorado Springs and New Castle. The winding section through “Granite Canyon” was completed by April 1887. For thirty-two years the Midland hauled coal, livestock, hay, wool, lumber, produce, other goods, and passengers, before ending service in 1918. It is thought to be the largest abandoned rail project in the world. The description and points of interest have been adapted from The Elevenmile Canyon Heritage Tour brochure produced by the Park County Tourism Office with editorial copy provided by Laura Jarrow, USDA Forest Service, Pike National Forest. The road has not been officially designated as a state scenic byway.