For about 200 miles this escarpment extends from where the colorado river descends south through debeque to price canyon near price, utah. Access there is one paved road through colorado national monument, beginning south of grand junction just 4 miles from the town center, this flat city street broadway, later monument road crosses the colorado river, passes the entrance gate and becomes steep and twisting, round many 15 mph corners and through one tunnel, as it ascends the towering red cliffs. Hundreds of miles of worldclass mountain biking trails such as the kokopelli trail. The saddlehorn campground is open yearround and features both firstcome, firstserve sites, as well as reservable sites. The book cliffs view offers an intimate setting to have a wedding ceremony. The book cliffs are a small remnant of an ancient seabed, thrust upward with the uncompahgre uplift that also created colorado national monument. This is a great place to hike, especially in the spring and fall when the weather is mild and the horses are readily seen.
These isolated cliffs are uniquely beautiful and a worldrenowned. And with the exception of a few privately held parcels of land, almost 96% of the 2. The little book cliffs wild horse area grand junction. Then we descended into san arroyo canyon and followed the road along bitter creek out of the book cliffs where we met up with the old highway near mack, colorado to complete the loop. Sep 27, 2017 the monument is home to pinyon pine and juniper, ravens and jays, desert bighorns and coyotes. This view does not include use of the book cliffs shelter. Serpents trail is known as the crookedest road in the world. The little book cliffs wild horse area, grand junction. The first part of the hike into little book cliffs is. View grand junctions wild horses visit grand junction.
In the particularly impressive fruita, wedding, and monument canyons near the west end of the park the cliffs are made up mostly of triassic and jurassic sediments. The hike sits on the 36,1acre little book cliffs wild horse range that provides free roaming and protection over herds of wild horses. Book cliffs and grand junction from colorado national monu. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah, in the western united states. Monument mesa e c h o c a n y o n west entrance to grand junction 12mi 19km dead mans curve tunnels half tunnel window rock trail canyon rim trail coke ovens trail alcove nature trail to fruita and exit 19 2mi 4km historic trails view redlands view balanced rock view book cliffs view grand view independence monument view monument canyon view. Driving through colorado national monument was very easy and gorgeous.
The most remarkable formations we found were these groups of oddly shaped rocks. Colorado national monument is known for its cliffs, monoliths and rock formations mostly made of 200 million year old sandstones. The book cliffs have been displaced considerably from the valley bottom, but in comparison to the colorado plateau uplift, the book cliff uplift was minimal. Every lookout has a spot to park and you can just jump out and photograph the book cliffs and canyons.
The colorado river used to be called the grand river, hence the name of the town. Garfield and the book cliffs in the distance colorado fruita to the left, grand junction in the middle and palisades to the right, under mt. Bochen chen before paved roads were a possibility in colorado national monument, the aptlynamed serpents trail was it. Official colorado national monument map pdf my colorado. Colorado national monument colorado scenic drives on. Frame 4 shows the cliffs in the distance north of the east entrance to colorado national monument. Book cliffs and grand junction from colorado national monument a view of grand junction, colorado from the national monument.
These colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf outthere. This is an area of desert land high on the colorado plateau, with pinyon and juniper forests on the plateau. As we approached the east grand junction entrance to the colorado national monument, we left behind the book cliffs, here seen rising in the distance to the ne in the 1st frame. The colorado national monument is located at the northern edge of the uncompahgre plateau. The book cliffs are an enormous area that spans two states. Colorado national monument, grand junction, colorado. Exhilarating outdoor adventures including hiking, camping or skiing on the grand mesa. The drive from the highway was about 23 miles but took well over an hour. Frame 3 shows the cliffs at far left over the base of the great monocline at colorado national monument. The monument borders kaibab national forest to the west and glen canyon national recreation area to the east. This lookout is one of the best in the national monument and the perfect spot to take in the surrounding area and all it has to offer. We drove to the little book cliffs wild horse area.
Sheerwalled canyons cut deep into sandstone and granitegneissschist rock formations. This is an area of desert land high on the colorado plateau. The viewing platform is right in front of a small pulloff parking area for the book cliffs view. Incredible whitewater rafting on the colorado river.
Baryte and calcite found in concretions ranging from a half an inch to over 6 feet with some concretions in a linear configuration, up to the size of a sedansaloon. Directions located on the colorado plateau in northern arizona, vermilion cliffs national monument includes the paria canyonvermilion cliffs wilderness. Colorado national monument balanced rock pipe organ independence monument coke ovens white rocks squaw fingers ottos bathtub liberty cap mushroom rock window rock sentinel spire saddlehorn. Spectacular canyons cut deep into sandstone, and even granitegneissschist, rock formations. Jan 03, 20 the book cliffs are one of the most recognizable landforms in western colorado and eastern utah. The story of how colorado national monument came into being is as colorful as the canyons and cliffs themselves. These isolated cliffs are uniquely beautiful and a worldrenowned hunting destination and outdoor recreation area. Digging into the pocket of a nodule in the book cliffs area, working hard trying not to damage any crystals. Books cliff view overlook, colorado national monument. Magnificent views from highland trails and rim rock drive include colorful sheerwalled canyons and fascinating rock sculptures, the distant colorado river valley, book cliffs, and the huge flat topped mountain called grand mesa. Head to this breathtaking viewpoint in the early hours of the day to watch the sunrise over the westfacing walls of the island and the valley floors of wedding and monument canyons. Vermilion cliffs national monument bureau of land management.
I stopped at almost all of the lookouts and they are all breathtaking. This is an area of desert land high on the colorado plateau, with pinion and juniper forests on the plateau. Monument canyon colorado national monument locally referred to as the monument is a national park service unit near the city of grand junction, colorado. Colorado national monument the good, the bad and the rv. The fantastic canyon country had a magical attraction for john otto who, in 1906, camped near the northeastern mouth of monument canyon and began building trails into the canyons and onto the mesasthe high tablelands that separate the deep canyons.
Today, the precursor to rim rock drive nicknamed the crookedest road in the world is a popular destination for many locals. Event participants must park in the saddlehorn picnic parking lot. The colorado plateau in the area of the colorado national monument has been raised an additional 6,700 feet higher than the book cliffs across the valley. If youd like to extend your visit to colorado national monument overnight, there is one campground that operates within the monument.
Colorado national monument, located in the western part of the state, is a tribute to both the land and the man who recognized its value. A nodule where a pocket of barite and calcite crystals may have been found, in the book cliffs area. Now for a closer look taken along i70 just east of grand junction. The book cliffs shelter viewed from the canyon rim trail. They are so named because the cliffs of cretaceous sandstone that cap many of the southfacing buttes appear similar to a shelf of books.
Once in the park we saw five horses but they were very far. This section of colorado and utah is filled with dramatic scenery and offers a treasure trove of natural wonders illustrated by this remarkable view of mount garfield. Wedding and monument canyons, colorado national monument. Just off the saddlehorn loop, this pulloff is truly a mustsee. Sitting more than 2,000 feet above the colorado river, the plateau rose once, completely eroded, and rose again over the last 2 billion years. Just eight miles northeast of grand junction, the little book cliffs wild horse area encompasses more than 36,000 acres of rugged canyons and plateaus. The geologic story of colorado national monument, by s. Mar 07, 2018 youll find the best scenery in grand junction at colorado national monument, overlooking the valley and the western front of the colorado rockies. A drive through colorado national monument youtube. The book cliffs view shelter offers a panoramic view of wedding and monument canyons, as well as views of fruita and grand junction, the book cliffs, and the grand mesa. Colorado national monument sheerwalled canyons, monoliths, colorful formations, bighorn sheep, soaring eagles and a spectacular road.
Teens fall at colorado national monument may have been. Nov 26, 2019 download colorado national monument map pdf 1 mb download the official map to find your way around colorado national monument including rim rock road the parks main road, trails, and visitor center. Aug 18, 20 independence monument photographed 080420 at colorado national monument near grand junction, colorado. Sites are suitable for recreational vehicles as well as tents. From the same vantage, the 2nd frame looks up and sw into the heart of the uncompahgre plateau, where the thin, hard triassic kayenta formation caps massive cliffs of triassic wingate sandstone. Colorado national monument locally referred to as the monument is a national park service unit near the city of grand junction, colorado. Book cliffs viewpoint, colorado national monument amid the monuments countless orangeandbrown cliffs and rock formations, these cliffs attract the lions share of attention, calling to mind the image of a mighty giant who would deposit his treasured volumes on the worlds largest bookshelf. Grand junction, colorado and mount garfield as seen from the colorado national monument on a sunny november day. On the way up mount garfield, be on the lookout for wild horses.