A Grand Junction indeed (Grand Junction)

Member Name: Waikie

Product:	Grand Junction
Date:	04/04/01 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stunning scenery

Disadvantages: 5 Hours from Denver or Salt Lake City

Forget the popular image of Colorado - snow-capped mountains - which actually only cover 40% of the state.

Grand Junction is situated near the western border with Utah - and is on the high plain that runs to the Sierra Nevada in California. We're talking semi-arid desert - mountainous in places, and really really remote - except for the interstate!

Grand Junction is a small yet thriving town, that happens to be just 4 miles east of the Colorado National Monument. This is a park, too small to be a National Park (scratch head) - yet still many many square miles.

Bounded by the Purple Book Cliffs in the distance and not too far from Table Mesa either, the monument is a mini-Grand Canyon, formed by weather erosion over countless centuries.

Great twisting canyons, with a single road through the top ridge, numerous walking paths and viewpoints from which to gaze in awe at the drops and beautiful rock formations below - this is not to be missed.

It was very warm when I went, 40C, and at 4000ft+ or so elevation it's wise to take plenty of water and be sensible about how far you walk.

I got in some ace hikes, brilliant pictures and a bit of climbing on gnarly boulders in the car park!

Far less publicised than a National Park - the Colorado National Monument is just the sort of place you should go visit - it's like a little secret you can keep to remind yourself of how beautiful the Earth can be.

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