Shelf Road Recreation Area
Summary
Shelf Road Recreation Area is best known for its world class sport climbing. People come from all over the world to test their crimping skills on Shelf's stellar limestone crags. This area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management's Royal Gorge Field Office in Canon City. In addition to climbing, the area offers hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, and horseback riding.
RMFI began working with the BLM in 1991 to address recreational imacts in the area. Since that time, RMFI has constructed a sustainable trail infrastructure linking climbing areas, parking lots, and campgrounds. Due to elevation gain and loss, trails in the area require a significant number of stabilizing structures such as steps, risers, and retaining walls. RMFI always strives to create trails that blend in with the environmental surroundings, and therefore, primarily uses material found onsite. Shelf's trails are characterized by limestone staircases and outslope retaining walls.
RMFI continues to host work weekends each spring and fall to maintain the area's trails.