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. Digging into the pocket of a nodule in the book cliffs area, working hard trying not to damage any crystals. If youd like to extend your visit to colorado national monument overnight, there is one campground that operates within the monument. On the way up mount garfield, be on the lookout for wild horses.
They are so named because the cliffs of cretaceous sandstone that cap many of the southfacing buttes appear similar to a shelf of books. This is an area of desert land high on the colorado plateau, with pinyon and juniper forests on the plateau. Spectacular canyons cut deep into sandstone, and even granitegneissschist, rock formations. The colorado river flows through the valley between the book cliffs and the national monument. 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. Book cliffs view grand junction, colorado landmark. The geologic story of colorado national monument, by s. Sheerwalled canyons cut deep into sandstone and granitegneissschist rock formations. Teens fall at colorado national monument may have been caused by wind.
Colorado national monument, grand junction, colorado. 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. The colorado national monument is located at the northern edge of the uncompahgre plateau. The book cliffs stretch for almost 200 miles from eastern utah into western colorado. 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. The viewing platform is right in front of a small pulloff parking area for the book cliffs view. These isolated cliffs are uniquely beautiful and a worldrenowned hunting destination and outdoor recreation area. I stopped at almost all of the lookouts and they are all breathtaking. 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.
The story of how colorado national monument came into being is as colorful as the canyons and cliffs themselves. Hundreds of miles of worldclass mountain biking trails such as the kokopelli trail. Colorado national monument the good, the bad and the rv. I came here last year and found these canyons, and they felt like the heart of the world to me, john otto wrote in 1907. Colorado national monument is known for its cliffs, monoliths and rock formations mostly made of 200 million year old sandstones. Monument canyon colorado national monument locally referred to as the monument is a national park service unit near the city of grand junction, colorado. Exhilarating outdoor adventures including hiking, camping or skiing on the grand mesa. Aweinspiring natural beauty and the dramatic red rock landscape of the colorado national monument. A nodule where a pocket of barite and calcite crystals may have been found, in the book cliffs area. The hike sits on the 36,1acre little book cliffs wild horse range that provides free roaming and protection over herds of wild horses. Incredible whitewater rafting on the colorado river. Official colorado national monument map pdf my colorado. 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. A drive through colorado national monument youtube.
Driving through colorado national monument was very easy and gorgeous. Book cliffs and grand junction from colorado national monu. The monument borders kaibab national forest to the west and glen canyon national recreation area to the east. Book cliffs view grand view independence monument view monument canyon view coke ovens overlook artists point highland view fallen rock overlook upper. 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.
Jan 03, 20 the book cliffs are one of the most recognizable landforms in western colorado and eastern utah. The little book cliffs wild horse area grand junction. The book cliffs shelter viewed from the canyon rim trail. The monument canyon trail is a relatively long route, 6 miles, through the most spectacular scenery in colorado national monument, from the narrow ravine below the coke ovens, down the central drainage, past the isolated butte of independence monument and out beyond the lower edge of the cliffs to the flat lands of the colorado river valley. 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. Now for a closer look taken along i70 just east of grand junction. Independence monument, the city of grand junction, and the. 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. This is an area of desert land high on the colorado plateau, with pinion and juniper forests on the plateau. 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. Just off the saddlehorn loop, this pulloff is truly a mustsee.
This view does not include use of the book cliffs shelter. The drive from the highway was about 23 miles but took well over an hour. 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. 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. 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.
The book cliffs are an enormous area that spans two states. This is an area of desert land high on the colorado 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 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.
The book cliffs are a small remnant of an ancient seabed, thrust upward with the uncompahgre uplift that also created colorado national monument. The little book cliffs wild horse area, grand junction. 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. Independence monument, the city of grand junction, and the book cliffs from the colorado national monument. The first part of the hike into little book cliffs is. Wedding and monument canyons, colorado national monument. 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. 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. The most remarkable formations we found were these groups of oddly shaped rocks. Today, the precursor to rim rock drive nicknamed the crookedest road in the world is a popular destination for many locals.
Frame 4 shows the cliffs in the distance north of the east entrance to colorado national monument. Bochen chen before paved roads were a possibility in colorado national monument, the aptlynamed serpents trail was it. View grand junctions wild horses visit grand junction. Book cliffs and grand junction from colorado national monument a view of grand junction, colorado from the national monument. Aug 18, 20 independence monument photographed 080420 at colorado national monument near grand junction, colorado. Frame 3 shows the cliffs at far left over the base of the great monocline at colorado national monument. Event participants must park in the saddlehorn picnic parking lot. 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. The colorado river used to be called the grand river, hence the name of the town. Books cliff view overlook, colorado national monument.
The saddlehorn campground is open yearround and features both firstcome, firstserve sites, as well as reservable sites. 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. These colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf outthere. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah, in the western united states. Colorado national monument colorado scenic drives on. We drove to the little book cliffs wild horse area. 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. Once in the park we saw five horses but they were very far. These isolated cliffs are uniquely beautiful and a worldrenowned. The book cliffs view offers an intimate setting to have a wedding ceremony.
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. Grand junction, colorado and mount garfield as seen from the colorado national monument on a sunny november day. And with the exception of a few privately held parcels of land, almost 96% of the 2. Serpents trail is known as the crookedest road in the world. Vermilion cliffs national monument bureau of land management. Colorado grand junction from colorado national monument with mt. For about 200 miles this escarpment extends from where the colorado river descends south through debeque to price canyon near price, utah. Colorado national monument sheerwalled canyons, monoliths, colorful formations, bighorn sheep, soaring eagles and a spectacular road.
Colorado national monument locally referred to as the monument is a national park service unit near the city of grand junction, colorado. Sites are suitable for recreational vehicles as well as tents. Sep 27, 2017 the monument is home to pinyon pine and juniper, ravens and jays, desert bighorns and coyotes. 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.
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