Grand Junction and Colorado National Monument
The notebook of Grand Junction and Colorado National Monument
Choose the trail that leads to the great landscape.
Red Canyons, Vineyards and Desert of Colorado Plateau.
At your own pace
Identity summary
3 to 6 days
Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
Recommended car
Desert · Nature · City
Good accessibility
Sweet rhythm
General presentation
Grand Junction and Colorado National Monument
Red Canyons, Vineyards and Desert of Colorado Plateau.
Colorado National Monument, Rim Rock Drive and Museum of the West give the most telling landmarks of Grand Junction and Colorado National Monument. Together, they form a destination where desert areas, natural spaces and urban life meet, with atmospheres that change over the stages rather than just one uniform decor.
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For a stay of 3 to 6 days, a quiet rhythm works well. Also to be anticipated: conditions to be checked according to the season. A car is usually the easiest way to connect the different sectors. The main sites are generally easy to access.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Colorado National Monument
- Rim Rock Drive
- Museum of the West
Before you choose
- Car often useful
- Conditions to be checked by season
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
Place indismissible
Colorado National Monument
Colorado National Monument is a landscape of red canyons, sandstone needles and juniper-covered trays at the gates of Grand Junction. The gazebos dive on steep walls and isolated monoliths; in the morning or late morning, the rock takes on warmer shades than under the full sun.
Place indismissible
Rim Rock Drive
Rim Rock Drive follows the upper edge of Colorado National Monument, with a succession of turns, tunnels and stops over the canyons. The road gives access to the most clear views of the park without long walking, but each stop reveals a different angle on the monoliths, the ravines and the Grand Junction valley.
Museum
Museum of the West
The Museum of the West in Grand Junction tells the West of Colorado through Aboriginal peoples, pioneers, mines, railways and plateau life. The exhibitions give context to the surrounding landscapes, especially when you come back from canyons or cross the region between Utah and Rocky Mountains.
Place indismissible
Grand Mesa
Grand Mesa student above Grand Junction a large wooded plateau punctuated with lakes, meadows and fresh roads in summer. The contrast with the neighbouring red canyons is striking: in a short distance, you move from the juniper desert to a flat mountain suitable for walks, fishing and far-away views.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
Escaped to discover
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Colorado, 🇺🇸 United States of America
Discover this idea
Similar destinations
Same landscapes and the same pace of travel, elsewhere in the world.
