Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument, on the Uncompahgre Plateau above Grand Junction in western Colorado, preserves 23 square miles of one of the most striking and least-crowded canyon landscapes in the American West — sheer-walled red-sandstone monoliths (Independence Monument stands 450 feet tall — the tallest freestanding rock in Colorado), deep canyons, balanced rocks, arches and eroded buttes carved from the Precambrian granite and Mesozoic sandstone of the Uncompahgre Uplift, with the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive providing panoramic canyon overlooks accessible by car or bicycle.

Colorado National Monument is far less visited than nearby Arches or Canyonlands in Utah but offers comparable geological drama — a fact appreciated by the professional cycling peloton, which has raced the Rim Rock Drive as part of the USA Pro Challenge. The monument is a treasured geological icon of western Colorado.

Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) are the finest seasons — the canyon light is at its most dramatic (the red sandstone glows in the horizontal light of spring and fall), the temperatures are comfortable for cycling and hiking (55-75°F on the rim), and the monument wildflowers (desert paintbrush, cliffrose, prickly pear cactus flowers) are at their peak in May. Summer (June through August) is hot (90-100°F in the canyon bottoms) but the rim drive and cycling are manageable in the early morning; the monument is less crowded than Utah’s canyon parks even in summer. Fall for the canyon color contrast and winter for the snow-dusted monoliths are also beautiful. Spring and fall are the recommendations for cycling and hiking.

Colorado National Monument was established in 1911 by President William Howard Taft, largely due to the advocacy of John Otto — a self-described prospector and outdoorsman who arrived in Grand Junction in 1906, built the first trails in the canyons by hand, and campaigned tirelessly for the monument’s establishment. Otto served as the monument’s first custodian. The monument is the centerpiece of the Grand Junction area’s identity and tourism economy. The Rim Rock Drive was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, following Otto’s pioneering trail work. The monument was considered as a national park designation candidate but remains a monument under the National Park Service.

Colorado National Monument sits on the Uncompahgre Plateau — a broad, faulted uplift of Precambrian basement (1.7-billion-year-old granite and metamorphic rocks) that was exposed at the surface as the overlying Mesozoic sedimentary rocks eroded away. The canyon walls expose this Precambrian basement at the canyon floor, topped by a thin veneer of Triassic Chinle Formation (colorful badlands shales) and then Jurassic Wingate Sandstone (the sheer red-orange cliff walls). The canyon carved into the plateau by the Colorado River tributaries (Ute Canyon, Monument Canyon, No Thoroughfare Canyon) exploited the joint system in the sandstone to create the sheer walls and isolated monoliths. Independence Monument is a remnant of a former mesa that has been isolated by the erosion of the surrounding canyon. The Precambrian basement, the Wingate Sandstone cliffs, the joint-controlled erosion and the Uncompahgre Plateau uplift created the monument’s canyon landscape.

Colorado National Monument’s canyon and rim habitats support a diverse and often-seen wildlife community — desert bighorn sheep (a reintroduced herd of about 100 animals, commonly visible from the Rim Rock Drive and canyon trails, especially in the lower canyon areas in the morning and evening), mule deer (abundant on the rim and in the canyon bottoms), coyotes (often seen on the rim road), collared lizards (vivid green-and-orange; common on warm rocks), golden eagles and peregrine falcons (nesting on the canyon walls — sometimes visible soaring below the rim overlooks), and white-throated swifts (screaming above the canyon walls in formation). The bighorn sheep are the most spectacular wildlife encounter.

Colorado National Monument’s canyon and rim ecosystems span three ecological zones — the canyon bottom (riparian; cottonwood, willow and tamarisk along the streams), the canyon wall and intermediate slopes (pinyon-juniper woodland; the characteristic two-tree woodland of the Colorado Plateau), and the rim (high-desert shrubland; serviceberry, cliffrose, Utah juniper). The desert bighorn sheep reintroduction (the original herd was extirpated in the early 20th century; reintroduction began in the 1979) has been successful, with the herd now numbering approximately 100 animals. Protecting the bighorn sheep from disease transmission from domestic sheep (grazing on adjacent BLM land) is the primary wildlife conservation concern.

Colorado National Monument holds a treasured place among the canyon landscapes of the Colorado Plateau — one of the most spectacular canyon parks in the American West, with comparable geological drama to Arches and Canyonlands but far fewer visitors; the finest canyon cycling route in Colorado (the Rim Rock Drive); the dramatic backdrop of the Grand Junction valley; and the legacy of John Otto, one of the most colorful and dedicated advocates in the history of American public lands. Its combination of canyon grandeur, cycling culture and accessibility makes it exceptional. Colorado National Monument is a cherished natural icon of western Colorado.

Colorado National Monument has two entrance stations: the east entrance (near Fruita, off CO-340, about 4 miles west of Grand Junction via I-70 exit 19) and the west entrance (on Monument Road, south of Grand Junction, via South Camp Road). Both entrances are accessible by passenger car. Grand Junction (adjacent to the east entrance) has full resort services (hotels, restaurants, gear shops). An NPS entrance fee applies (America the Beautiful Pass accepted). The Saddlehorn Campground (near the west entrance) is the primary campground (first-come, first-served; reserve at recreation.gov in peak season). Check NPS for current conditions, fees and campground availability before visiting.

The National Park Service manages Colorado National Monument. The desert bighorn sheep are the most critical wildlife conservation feature; visitors help by maintaining distance from the sheep (do not approach bighorn sheep for photographs — they will often allow close approach but human habituation and disease transmission are risks; maintain 75+ yards) and reporting any bighorn sheep showing signs of illness to the park. Stay on designated trails to protect the cryptobiotic soil crust (present throughout the monument — the black, knobby crust is alive; never walk on it). The Rim Rock Drive can be icy in winter; drive carefully. Pack out all trash.

The Rim Rock Drive has unprotected canyon-edge sections where the drop is hundreds of feet; maintain safe distances from the edge at all times, especially at overlooks. Canyon hiking requires adequate water (the desert is hot and dry; carry 2+ liters per person), appropriate footwear (the sandstone trail can be sandy and loose), and navigation (carry a map; cell service is unreliable in the canyons). Summer temperatures in the canyon bottom exceed 100°F; hike in early morning. Rock climbing: independent climbing requires knowledge of the monument’s specific regulations (permits not required but check NPS for any seasonal closures for peregrine falcon nesting). Respect the canyon rim, the summer heat and the rock-climbing regulations.

NPS entrance fee (America the Beautiful Pass accepted). Camping at Saddlehorn Campground (check recreation.gov for availability). Rock climbing: check NPS for any seasonal closures (peregrine falcon nesting areas are closed spring-summer). No off-trail vehicles. Pets on leash; not allowed on hiking trails (they may be walked on the Rim Rock Drive shoulder). No collecting of rocks or geological materials. Pack out all trash. Check NPS for current rules, road conditions (the Rim Rock Drive can be closed in winter for snow or ice) and campground availability before visiting.

Grand Junction, Colorado (adjacent to the east entrance — western Colorado’s largest city, with the Museum of Western Colorado, the downtown Main Street, excellent fruit orchards and wine region — the Grand Valley is one of Colorado’s finest wine-growing regions), Fruita (4 miles west of the east entrance — the western gateway, famous for the 18 Road mountain-bike trail system, one of the premier desert mountain-bike destinations in Colorado), the Kokopelli Trail (a 142-mile singletrack mountain-bike route connecting Fruita to Moab — the most ambitious desert mountain-bike traverse in the American West), Arches National Park (100 miles southwest via I-70 west and US-191 south), and the Book Cliffs define the region. Colorado National Monument anchors the Grand Junction area outdoor experience.

Cycle the Rim Rock Drive from the Fruita/east entrance early in the morning (the peloton of the USA Pro Challenge used this as a stage finish for a reason — the canyon views while climbing the 23-mile rim road are extraordinary), starting at first light to be on the rim overlooks at sunrise when the red canyon walls glow. Drive to the Grand View overlook at the monument’s high point for the panoramic view of the Grand Valley (the Colorado River valley below, the Bookcliffs to the north, and the La Sal Mountains in Utah to the southwest on clear days). Hike the Monument Canyon Trail to Independence Monument’s base — the 450-foot freestanding sandstone column visible from the Rim Rock Drive is even more impressive from below.