Grand Junction

Sitting on the edge of the canyon with nothing below me was worth it for this photo.

I wasn’t planning on adventure last weekend when we set off for Grand Junction, Colorado. In fact, the sole purpose of the trip was to attend the wedding of a dear friend’s son. Lately I’ve been running around getting tasks done at home, so I didn’t spend any time researching or thinking about what we would do during our short visit. I’m sorry I didn’t.

Fortunately for me, the bride and groom had compiled a helpful list of possible activities, so I knew we could make a plan when we arrived. What I didn’t know was that the town of Grand Junction would be so pretty and that the location would offer easy access to so many areas of natural beauty.

Grand Junction

Grand Junction is a small town with much to offer. While not large, the downtown contains tree-lined streets with art installations dotting the sidewalks. Some towns just know how to use public art to encourage exploration, and Grand Junction is one of those towns.

The art on display is a mix of historical information and sculpture. We learned about the town’s redevelopment efforts and saw firsthand how successful those efforts were.

Shops along the street were primarily small and locally owned, with vendors selling everything from stylish western wear to decorative arts and antiques. There were coffee shops, restaurants, and bars to provide several days of sampling.

This large bowl of fresh ingredients was both satisfying and delicious.

For our one lunch there, we ate at Cafe Sol. I was craving a salad and got a massive bowl (served in a stainless steel mixing bowl) filled with salad greens, candied and spiced nuts, grilled chicken, beets, and goat cheese. But the best ingredient of all was the banana bread croutons on top. I could have consumed an entire bag of those sweet, crunchy bites.

Colorado National Monument

The lighting on this outcropping just begged to be photographed.

With only a few hours to spend exploring before the wedding, we got up and drove the short distance to Colorado National Monument. We started our drive through the park at the entrance closest to Grand Junction. Brian has a lifetime pass to the parks, so we didn’t have to pay a fee and just sailed right in.

This kind of view awaited us at almost every turn. And if we had time, we could have hiked down into the canyon.

Unlike other formation shapes these look more like beehives to me.

Immediately as you drive through the entrance, visitors are welcomed by a wide canyon with many different types of rock formations. Because we only had about three hours to see the entire park, we elected to forgo hiking and stop at every turnout instead.

Each area we stopped offered up photo worthy opportunities like this one.

The beauty we experienced in the park was similar to the feelings we had going through Bryce and Monument Valley some years ago. Large and small hoodoos, the angles of the striations, and the singular lack of any noise reminded me why I love making the trek across the country each year. Getting a chance to see up close all the United States has to offer is priceless.

As we moved through the park we saw evidence of fire damage and regrowth everytwhere.

This part of the US is what makes our country special. Sure, New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles are all beautiful and exciting and worthy of a visit. But coming to the inner part of our very large country, and exploring what was carved out by water and weather billions of years ago, makes your jaw drop.

In the distance you can see Grand Junction in the valley. What luck to have this park in your backyard.

If you have visited the Grand Canyon, just imagine sights many times more breathtaking, and that is what we saw at Colorado National Monument. I regretted that I had not thought through our trip more fully because we could have stayed for an additional day and made a day trip to Arches National Park in Utah as well.

No Dogs Allowed

Unlike our time in the UK, where dogs are allowed almost everywhere, dogs are not allowed on the trails in the park. In fact, don’t plan to bring your dogs hiking in any of the major national parks without first confirming that they are allowed.

"I promise I won't get into trouble"

At Colorado National Monument, dogs may only walk in car parks and at the rest stops. They are not allowed on any of the trails or in the buildings. While I understand that the rule is to protect and preserve wildlife and vegetation, it’s very limiting for anyone who travels with their dogs to hike these places.

But if you must travel with your dogs, don’t pass up an opportunity to at least drive through the park. We spent several hours driving slowly and stopping to get out and explore each scenic pullout. And your pups will be able to sniff out the other dogs who stopped there before them.

Wineries

Though we did not visit any wineries during our stay in Grand Junction, if you would like to try wine made in Colorado, there are several vineyards nearby. I can’t tell you about the varietals they grow or how they taste, but if wine tasting is something you enjoy, Grand Junction has it.

Plan Ahead

Interesting experiences can happen at any time and in any place. If you are going to a wedding or an event that allows you an extra day to explore the area, do some research before you go. Any travel can turn into a fun adventure with a little pre-planning.

A glimpse of where the wedding took place in Paradise, Colorado. It was a beautiful ceremony.