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COLORADO MONUMENT

Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. But this treasure is much more than a monument. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. You can experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep and soaring eagles. ~nps.gov

Colorado National Monument is a National Park Service unit near the city of Grand Junction, Colorado. The park hosts a wide range of wildlife, including red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, ravens, jays, desert bighorn sheep, and coyotes. There are scenic views from trails, Rim Rock Drive, which winds along the plateau, and the campground. Nearby are the Book Cliffs and the largest flat-topped mountain in the world, the Grand Mesa.

The monument’s feature attraction is Monument Canyon, which runs the width of the park and includes rock formations such as Independence Monument, the Kissing Couple, and Coke Ovens. The monument includes 20,500 acres (32 square miles), much of which has been recommended to Congress for designation as wilderness. – wikipedia

To say that Rim Rock Drive is a scenic road is an absolute understatement. The 23-mile drive follows the upper rim of a series of canyons, connecting points only eight miles apart in a straight line. The entire road has been designated a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. There are a number of points of interest along the way with areas to pull off and absorb the natural beauty that completely surrounds you here. The photo map below marks the spots highlighted below with galleries.

Colorado National Monument Map (pdf)

Colorado National Monument Photo Map (click to enlarge)