Slackliners will take to the sky over the Royal Gorge next week, featuring the first ever highline crossings of the Royal Gorge. Gap the Gorge will be a three-day celebration taking place July 3–5 at Royal Gorge Bridge & Park as part of Colorado’s sesquisemiquincentennial festivities.
“We are stoked to highline the Royal Gorge because it is an iconic Colorado location,” says Logan Henning, one of the event’s organizers with Community Highlines. “This is also a special place for me because the very first highline I ever got on was nearby overlooking the Royal Gorge. It’s not often that we are able to highline in dramatic, natural places and in front of people, so this is a unique mix of getting to share our passion and experience a beautiful location.”
If you’re unfamiliar, highlining is slacklining at greater heights and often longer distances to span canyons or buildings — in this case the 1,250-foot deep Royal Gorge.
“The biggest challenge is learning to balance up on a line like this when the wind blows the whole line to the side,” Henning says. “Every time you move, the line moves a little bit with you. It’s like relearning how to walk all over again.”
Gap the Gorge will feature two lines where athletes will perform. One will be above the Royal Gorge Bridge, where Henning says guests can see the action close-up. The other will be suspended across the open Gorge near the gondola.
“It will feel a lot more extreme being 1,000 feet above the Royal Gorge floor,” Henning says. “I will be out there with my team from Community Highlines: Brandon Proffitt, Sean Englund, Mateo Powell, Isaac Leighninger and Bali Fitzpatrick. This team has some of the best highliners in the world.”
That’s not an exaggeration. Henning, a Colorado Springs resident, has held multiple highlining world records, including the longest at 4 km. Yes, you read that right: 4 km, as in 2.5 miles!
That feat was accomplished near Moab, Utah, in 2025. Henning is excited to share the sport with other people close to home.
“We will have a slackline park set up so anyone who sees the performance can come and get lessons from our slackline athletes to try out the sport,” he says. “These will, of course, be very short and close to the ground, so it’ll be safe for anyone to try.”
Don’t worry, even the highliners over the Gorge will be wearing climbing harnesses tethered to safety lines to catch them if they fall.
Henning says the team will attempt to set a world record for the longest distance walked in 24 hours from July 3 to 4. There will also be performances on the line over the bridge twice a day, with athlete meet-and-greet and poster-signing sessions after each. Highline films will be screened at 5 p.m. each day in the park. And visitors can complete free cards in the Gap the Gorge Bingo Challenge for a chance to win a slackline kit to take home.
“One of our favorite things is when people are excited to try out slackline for themselves,” Henning says. “So come see us at the Slackline Park!”
Gap the Gorge is included with park admission and will take place during regular park hours from July 3 through July 5. Guests are encouraged to arrive early for the best viewing opportunities and to take advantage of the full schedule of activities throughout the day.
For more information and details, visit royalgorgebridge.com.
