Towering 955 feet above the Arkansas River, it held the record for being the highest suspension bridge in the world until it was bested by China's Beipanjiang River Bridge in 2003. Even if you make it out of the winding mountain roads, once you get near Cañon City on Highway 82, there's a trek across the soaring, 1,260-foot-long Royal Gorge Bridge. For these reasons, the Colorado Department of Transportation closes down the route through Independence Pass each winter. Not only is it the highest paved lane in Colorado-12,100 feet above sea level at Independence Pass in the Rocky Mountains-it's also full of steep drop-offs, tight curves, and narrow stretches that can fit only one car at a time. Risk Factor: The road from Aspen is not for those who fear heights.
