The largest city on Colorado's Western Slope, Grand Junction sprawls across the Grand Valley, perfectly situated for exploring the wonders of the Colorado North Western Region - and wonders certainly abound.
To the east is the Grand Mesa, with lakes and forests (and terrific fall color displays). To the west is the Colorado National Monument, a little Grand Canyon of rock formations, steep drop-offs, and high vantage points, including the 23-mile Rimrock Drive.
To the south is the lush Western Slope agricultural oasis, fostering everything from sweet corn to cherries that feed local farmers' markets. To the north are the Little Bookcliffs, sheer rippled walls of stone that descend from the mesa top to the valley floor.
The great Colorado River flows from the Rocky Mountains down through the city and into Utah. Here, it's wide and slow enough for leisurely float trips. Nearby Rattlesnake Canyon is worth a trip to see the red sandstone arches that echo those not far west in Utah's Arches National Park.
If you're looking for a downtown experience, you can find it in Grand Junction, too. The North Seventh Avenue Historic District brims with lovely architecture, great little shops and restaurants.
Because Grand Junction often has milder weather than the rest of Colorado, several fine local golf courses brag that you can play almost all winter.
The mild winters played a large role in persuading those who would become the first permanent settlers to stay here in the 1880s. To learn about Grand Junction's beginnings, visit the Museum of Western Colorado, which includes a dinosaur museum (there have been several major digs locally).
Summer celebrations include the Country Jam USA Music Festival and Dinosaur Days.
Grand Junction Visitors & Convention Bureau
740 Horizon Drive
Grand Junction, CO 81506
800-962-2547 |
