Over the years, we’d been through Grand Junction at least 4 times, but had never stopped there or visited any of the local attractions. After this trip, Colorado National Monument will certainly be a place we would like to visit again.
Colorado National Monument, established May 24, 1911, is located just to the west of Grand Junction. Part of the larger Colorado Plateau, the monument features canyons that cut deep into sandstone and even granite formation. It is high desert country, with elevation in the park ranging from 4000 feet to nearly 7000 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures are usually very hot, while nighttime winter temperatures can be extremely cold. Precipitation is limited, with an annual average of just over 10 inches..
The monument has a lot of hiking trails, with varying length and difficulty – we took two moderately long hikes during our visit, managing to wander off of the Devil’s Kitchen trail into and unmarked area. We also took the Monument Canyon Trail from the upper trailhead to the Coke Ovens overlook and back. The lower portion of the train from the lower trailhead to Independence Monument and back is highly recommended for visitors looking to do only one hike. It’s a 2.5 mile hike that follows the base of sandstone cliffs, offering views of towering rock formations and, in the fall, it’s the best trail to see desert bighorn sheep.
Photos from Colorado National Monument have been published on the Exit78 facebook page in the “Colorado National Monument” album.
Selected Information Resources:
Karen’s Post – Colorado National Monument
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I love that drive that goes from Denver to Moab, through Grand Junction. You go from ice-covered Rockies, to semi-desert scrubland, to red-rock country in less than a day. I remember driving that stretch of road from Grand Junction to Moab following the Colorado River. It was the first time I had ever seen the real desert and the scenery blew my mind!
The first time we were on that stretch of I70 was in abt. 1986 and I70 wasn’t finished through Glenwood Canyon. It was early summer and the Colorado River was running heavy and fast with water lapping right up to the edge of the highway in places.
We saw plenty of desert this trip. Much of the next month was spent in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.
Mike are your hikes circular or out and back over the same territory? I don’t think I would be up to the very long ones these days, I am very much out of condition, I had to give up a rambling group a few years ago due to health reasons.
A lot of the time, they are out and back, usually on trails where the length for any loop is just too far to go. Those at Colorado National Monument were of that variety. However, we were fortunate to have some good loop trails on this trip as well. I was not in as good a condition as I would have liked at the start of the trip, but improved as we went along.
Hi Mike .. lovely video showing us the sites – it’s staggeringly beautiful … loved the flowers, views, geckos .. and I’d love to see the desert bighorn sheep close to … great trip – congratulations … Hilary
Thanks. I’m really enjoying putting together these videos. It seems to help keep the memory fresher.