Heading down the Shelf Road toward Cañon City, we spotted this little fox hunting on the other side of the creek.
There are many large signs proclaiming that the shelf road should only be attempted in a high clearance 4×4, that it is a one lane road where you will have to back up if you meet someone else, where there are huge steep nasty drop offs, and where there is a constant threat of flash flood. Only the last one of those statements is really true.
Old mill site.
Big mountains in the distance.
The road appears to get regular maintenance by the county. We drove on this road in my lowered Subaru Forester. I have about 5 inches of ground clearance, give or take. I didn’t scrape once.
The road is gorgeous, winding down the canyon.
There is a fair amount of traffic going down this road. There are also quite a few houses along the road.
Random pink house on a hillside.
Lots of cows eating the spring grass.
A really neat natural arch in the rock above the road.
There are some tight spots but as long as you go slow and keep watch for other cars, you’ll be fine.
As the host of the Photonic Inductions YouTube Channel says, “It’s naughty boy fun time!”
Coming out into an area where a big side canyon joins up with the main canyon. Lots of grass and pasture here.
Rim rock in the distance. The narrowest part of the road is ahead.
Getting down onto the more narrow part of the road with a bigger drop off on the side.
The shelf road winding its way down the canyon.
A few cars coming up the hill. There are plenty of places to pass.
Waiting for the other cars to pass us in a wide spot.
Onto the narrow part.
Out of the canyon and back onto pavement.
As long as you understand about driving on top of the humps rather than in the ruts, you should be able to get any normal sedan down the shelf road. Although I wouldn’t suggest doing the road for the first time in the dark or trying to drive it when it’s been raining or snowing. And as always, your mileage may vary. Don’t be an idiot.
