A Unique Stunt at the Royal Gorge Bridge
Over the weekend, a group of thrill-seekers took their skills to new heights by balancing across a one-inch rope stretched high above the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park. They walked the line 60 feet above the iconic bridge, while amazed spectators watched from below. The event drew attention from visitors who were taken aback by the daring performance.
Trey Anderson, a visitor to the area over the weekend, shared his experience: “I looked up and there were these people just walking down this tight rope up above me. I was like, whoa, it’s pretty scary.” Another visitor, Barbara Manfield, said, “It was totally unexpected. Oh my gosh,” when she also saw the stunt.
For some, heights can be intimidating, but for Community Highlines, the group organizing the event, it’s not about fear. John Henning, the founder of Community Highlines, explained, “It’s cool because we don’t get nerves anymore, but that’s a little bit of the fun.”
While most people prefer to stay grounded, the group spent the weekend looking down on the Royal Gorge Canyon. Steve Bushey, who watched the stunt, remarked, “Got to be an amazing view from up there. It takes a lot of courage to do that, but it’s great entertainment for us.”
The group experienced a different perspective of a Colorado gem. Henning noted, “It’s all about focus and staying calm, which becomes a challenge when you’ve got people cheering down below.”
Believe it or not, they’re not even afraid of falling. Henning asked, “Hey, Brendan, would you be all right with falling in the next 10 seconds?” They do it all for the crowd, even performing tricks. Henning shared, “I like to tease, my favorite trick is I’ll bounce the line really big, and I’ll dive off the line of the crowd and try to give someone a high five. We’re obviously way too high to actually give a high five, but it’s just fun.”
Henning also mentioned playing games like rock, paper scissors. “You can bounce up and down about like 20 feet so you can dive off the line off the top, and you fall like 20 feet, and the crowd thinks you’re coming towards and of course, you’re not,” he said.
Through all the games and tricks, the group completed the walk across the bridge in six minutes and forty seconds, covering a thousand feet. Henning expressed his long-standing desire to high line across the Royal Gorge bridge, stating, “It feels like my backyard.”
Despite the excitement, not everyone was eager to take part. Mansfield said, “Get up there on a high wire, are you kidding me? It’s fun. It looks like fun, but no, I’m not going to do that.”
Highlining differs from tightrope walking because they use a looser cable made of plastic rather than steel. However, these daredevils still have fears like most people. Henning revealed his biggest fear is “spiders.”
The group plans to return to the Royal Gorge in 2026 on the fourth of July, hoping to walk across the canyon once again. Their performances continue to captivate audiences, offering a unique blend of skill, courage, and entertainment.
