Visited: May 2014
Nearby city: Grand Junction, CO
"I came here last year and found these canyons, and they feel like the heart of the world to me. I'm going to stay and build trails and promote this place, because it should be a national park."
-John Otto, trailbuilder and explorer, 1907
Just off I-70 at Grand Junction, CO is a beautiful high desert plateau full of incredible views of red rock canyons and pinion-juniper forests. This wonderland has been preserved as a National Monument since 1911, and there have been a number of efforts to "upgrade" the region to a National Park. Maybe some day in the future.
There's lots of hiking and camping opportunities at the Monument. If you don't have time for that, make sure you take the Rim Rock Drive. This 23-mile scenic drive is the main attraction of the park. It has a plethora of overlooks and you can see all the highlights and incredible rock formations along the road. If you find yourself in this area of western Colorado, make sure you take this detour to experience this beautiful area.
We entered the park at the East (or Grand Junction) Entrance. The road quickly climbs to the top of the plateau. Our first stop was Red Canyon Overlook.
Continue on the road, you'll pass the highest point on the Rim Rock Drive (6,640 ft). Our next stop was Fallen Rock Overlook. Here, a large chunk of rock separated from the canyon wall and came to rest in a partially collapsed state.
Our next stop was the Coke Canyons Overlook. The mountains here take on the appearance of a beehive coke oven.
Next up is Grand View, from here you can see rock formations such as Kissing Couple and the triumphant Independence Monument. If you only have time for one overlook, make it this one.
Independence Monument has a romantic history. John Otto, the "founder" and first Park Ranger of Colorado National Monument, married Boston artist Beatrice Farnham in June 1911 at the base of Independence Monument in a highly publicized ceremony. The marriage did not last long. Beatrice left John after only a few weeks, commenting "I tried hard to live his way, but I could not do it. I could not live with a man to whom even a cabin was an encumbrance." The canyon is named Wedding Canyon, and to this day many couples arrange to exchange their vows here.
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| The prominent formation at the extreme left is known as Kissing Couple. It's hard to see from this angle, but the formation separates into two columns that connect together again at the top. |
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| The rock formation in the center of the photo is Independence Monument |
Our final stop was Book Cliffs View. This is where you will find the Visitor Center, the main campgrounds, and the Window Rock Trail and Book Cliffs formation.
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| Notice me on the upper left, behind me are the Book Cliffs |
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| Window Rock |
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| Independence Monument from Book Cliffs View, in the foreground is Sentinel Spire |
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| Book Cliffs |
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| Overlooking the small town of Fruita |
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