History of Tunnel Drive, written by Mike Robinson-Johnson and shared on his Facebook page November 13, 2025
From an Ill-fated Canal to a lifeline and scenic road line, and now just one of the local’s favorite past times.
Canon City’s Tunnel Drive has seen a few changes.
Cañon City’s Tunnel Drive Trailhead was initially started and dug in 1892 as part of a state funded project known as State Canal No. 1.
The purpose of the proposed canal was to supply Penrose, its orchards, and other small communities East of there with fresh water from the Arkansas River. The project was put on hold when the crew working the canal damaged homes and the St. Scholastic building resulting in multiple lawsuits.
The damages came from TNT blasts trying to punch a hole through skyline drive and the hogbacks, resulting in damaged foundations, and possessions falling off walls of nearby homes from the shockwaves.
In 1903 Cañon City local James H. Peabody became Governor of Colorado, and one of his first orders of business was signing an official order hauling and preventing any further work on State Canal No. 1. This officially ended the failed and disastrous projected canal system.
The ditch line, and canal sits abandoned until 1908 when it was proposed as a perfect fit for a new pipeline that would run to a new water treatment plant, and potential scenic road that would rival Skyline Drive.
Traction quickly caught on with locals and in April 1908 work officially began on the newly named Royal Gorge Boulevard, and the water system. Laying the pipeline down into the canal were 26 inmates from Territorial Prison who were brought in to also widen the ditch for the new metal pipes and expand the tunnels. Via inmate labor, they build the water system and new road.
In May 1910 work was completed on the water line and the first treated water flows into the Cañon City system. Attention quickly shifts to burying the metal pipe and then completing the new road. (Sometime during this project, the Royal Gorge Boulevard name is changed to Royal Gorge Tunnel Drive, and eventually just shortened to Tunnel Drive.)
The road is a huge hit, and water flows underneath until 1974 when an upgraded water treatment process warranted the pipeline be shut off. Vehicle traffic continued on the road however, leading to multiple collapses of the old pipeline, and increased wear and tear on the old bridges. Heavier vehicles combined with the end spot turning into an ‘out of town’ party spot in the 1980’s led to a full closure of the road in 1990.
In 1997 the trail was reopened as a foot and bike path only and had limited access to the first bridge. In 2000 Cañon received a grant and lottery funds allowing for repairs and reinforcement of the bridges and trail system and in 2001 the trail was opened fully to the public once again under foot and bike traffic only (no e-bikes).
Today it’s a popular spot for many locals to get out and enjoy some of Colorado’s natural beauty in their own backyard.
Read More About Tunnel Drive HERE
