Shelf Road, once a stage route that delivered people, goods and ore to and from Cripple Creek and Cañon City, is a 4 wheel drive route - rough, rugged, back country, mountainous drive.  This area is for the adventuresome familiar with Colorado's unpredictable, ever changing climate.  The 13-mile road provides access to an important rock-climbing area and the renowned Garden Park Fossil Area and parallels the stream of Cripple Creek.  The lower half of the road near Cañon City is literally carved out of the sheer canyon wall, thus the name "Shelf."
--excerpts from goldbeltbyway.com

North end by Cripple Creek.