The 5 best grand junction hiking trails with photos. After a couple of miles there is a large parking lot. Grand junction and fruita are only a few miles apart, so you dont even have to choose. There are 33 moderate trails in grand junction ranging from 0. See more ideas about colorado national monument, colorado and grand junction colorado. This is a somewhat rigorous hike i am age 66 yet the scenery is spectacular. In grand junction, they define the regions impressive skyline and offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun and recreation.
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. Rather, the bluffs and basins bend around and against themselves, revealing steep ravines and canyons cut by rivers long ago. From saddlehorn visitor center, turn left onto rim rock drive and proceed 3. Powderhorn mountain resort is a familyfriendly ski resort with majestic views of the book cliffs mountain range. Grand junction is the states largest western city, offering visitors a surprisingly wide range of activities and dining options for a unique colorado family vacation.
Proceed forward and park in the large pullout on the left. The escarpment that rises to the south of grand junction and creates the landscape of the colorado national monument part of the uncompahgre uplift, which is part of the colorado plateau is created by a fault line running east and west at the northern edge of that. All trips begin and end in grand junction, colorado. The drive would be lonely but for a constant companion. The most popular trails are mount garfield, mesa lakes and lost lake trail and water dog reservoir to twin basin reservoir trail. Winding for 250 miles across utah and colorado, it is the longest continuous escarpment in the world. No wonder then that each of our seven communities has a robust hiking club, for the outdoors is simply part of our nature. The three mile section of trail that runs from 29 road past the wildlife area and onto corn lake is managed by colorado parks and wildlife and is open to all users from 5 a. Little book cliffs area 22 big wash round trip distance. 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. Twenty minutes west of grand junction, offroad lovers can also rip around the north fruita desert. Colorado national monument is the eastern gateway to the canyon country of the colorado plateaua land of red rock, deep chasms, and towering monoliths carved by water, wind, and time. Some areas such as grand junction, colorado and moab. Tucked in under timeworn cliffs at mesa verde national park are the crumbling cliff dwellings of the ancestral pueblo, an entirely evocative place that is readily explored on foot.
Just before entering debeque canyon, this hike is one of my favorites. If these spaces are full, continue north around the bend to the window rock trail parking area and use the window rock trail to connect down to the canyon rim trail. Your guide to the grand junction bookcliffs rmhp blog. Grand junction hiking and backpacking trails grand. Just minutes from the cliffs gates are table rock, devils fork, keoweetoxaway, and paris mountain state parks. The trail is located off of exit 46 on i70, the cameo exit east of grand junction and palisade. These rolling dunes at the base of the book cliffs are perfect for anyone looking to kick up dirt. Event participants must park in the saddlehorn picnic parking lot. There we saw the upcoming trail from coal canyon, which is an old trail and should not always be passable. Hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, horseback riding, wine country tours, and float trips are just a few of the adventures available in the area. Jun 14, 2015 there are many lines up the book cliffs in grand junction, co.
Dupont state recreational forest and the pisgah national forest are. Grand junction hiking and backpacking trails grand junction. Book cliffs, sego canyon funtreks offroading trails. Trails branch off in every direction as far as the eye can see. Book cliffsdesolation canyon region between price, utah and grand junction, colorado, highway 6 and interstate 70 cross 170 miles of barren and windswept terrain. The employee essentially directed me north from grand junction on graveldirt roads until the trails stopped and public land was available. The book cliffs are these incredible sand and stone cliffs rising on the north side of the grand valley, north of grand junction.
Mountain bike the book cliffs, north fruita desert campground. Crag crest national recreation trail discover a wonderland of sparkling lakes, rolling meadows and spiny ridges on this 9. After a couple of miles there is a large parking lot with trailhead signs for hiking. Best trails in little book cliffs wilderness study area. In the book cliffs, you dont follow a set trail like almost everywhere else instead, you choose a basic direction northwest, for example and just keep picking one of the three or four trails branching off of the one youre on for 90 minutes, then reverse your direction go southeast to get back to the parking area. Just a few minutes north of horizon drive lies one of grand junction s ohv areas. Digging into the pocket of a nodule in the book cliffs area, working hard trying not to damage any crystals. Grand junction parks and recreation department trail system. Book cliffs to grand junction 2 ways to travel via taxi. Other mountain bike trails in the area are kokopelli loops and tabeguache pronounced tabbywash and known as the lunch loops by people who cant pronounce it. The seep ridge road is the result of an old idea to link vernal to i70 in grand county. Book cliffs overlook, located near moab, utah is a 5. The viewing platform is right in front of a small pulloff parking area for the book cliffs view. Book cliffs overlook is a mountain biking adventure located in or near moab, ut.
The following five are the best dogfriendly hikes to check out this spring. A hidden gem hubby and i were looking for a nice easy hike since we spent a whole day on the top of the. Includes trail notes, maps, gps coordinates, photos and user comments for each trail. Beginning in the floor of the valley the trail follows a route that leads to the top of the little books cliffs near corcoran point. The book cliffs frame the grand valley on the north. Little book cliffs wilderness study area trail system. Included are points of interest, archaeological sites, national parks and monuments. Friends of the mustang friends of the mustang is a very active and sociable group of horsemen. The desert mountains and cliffs that make up the bookcliffs also sometimes spelled book cliffs stretch almost 200 miles across western colorado and eastern utah. The best grand junction hikes colorado mountain club pack. The first hill is steep, until the fence with a gate you can easily bypass. Last year we did this trail on the bookcliffs first level, starting from green river, ut and going up via tusher canyon. Grand junction with a mecca of outdoor activities within minutes, there are dozens of excellent hiking areas available to locals.
Top of the castlegate sandstone, sagers canyon, book cliffs, eastern utah. The temperatures arent too hot yet, the air feels crisp, and theres usually no snow on the trails. The book cliffs extend all the way from price canyon near helper, utah, all the way to the grand valley near palisade, colorado. Uintah county says they only want to pave to the county line. The bike trails can be accessed from either 18 rd or 16 rd just north of the town of fruita. The little book cliffs wild horse area grand junction. Grand junction, home to the colorado national monument, has a solid network of trails. Hiking the cliffs private luxury communities in south. This easy and graded trail meanders around the book cliffs between crescent junction and thompson springs. Each post includes a short description with enough pictures and a slideshow to give an idea of what can be expected on the hike.
Stretch your legs on this easy outandback off the colorado national monuments rim rock road. Jeep trail on the bookcliffs start from coal canyon. The book cliffs trail system consists of five interconnecting trails chutes, edge loop, frontside, prime ribjoes ridge, and zippity on both single and double track. Compared to the front range gvc is average, but for grand junction this is all weve got so it is better than nothing.
They are so named because the cliffs of cretaceous sandstone that cap many of the southfacing buttes appear similar to a shelf of books. Complete hiking information for grand junction, colorado with maps, photos, trail descriptions, guides and outfitters, and more. Views of the verdant palisade vineyards and orchards are in stark contrast to colorados barren sandstone cliffs. Hiking trails around grand junction grand junction, co aarp in your city. Cross over the colorado river and continue on the dirt road good for all cars. Explore the parks many hiking trails, or enjoy sweeping views from the scenic rim rock drive. Start checking them out and youll be out on the trail in no time. Some of them look like a shelf of books, which is how they got t. Mount garfield, the highest point along the cliffs, challenges lungs and legs with a 2,000ft. Book cliffs loop is a offhighway drives adventure located in or near green river, ut. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah, in the western united states. Youll also find some great local park options, like connected lakes state park or little book cliffs wilderness study area. Arizona 6 colorado 947 new mexico 45 utah 532 nevada 27 wildflowers.
Grand junction, colorado hiking trails, parks, hiking guides, outfitters. Hiking around grand junction where to go hiking near. Make sure to visit the lunch loops the next time you come to camp in fruita. Due to the escalation of the coronavirus outbreak, many events in the community are being rescheduled. Gave some amazing views and got my heart pumping coming down. Grand valley climbing grand junction 2020 all you need. Easy access to the breathtaking colorado national monument, the little book cliffs wild horse range, and the largest flattop mountain in the world, the grand mesa, where over 300 lakes beckon. Both stegosaurus and allosaurus bones have also been uncovered at this paleontology hot spot.
With this handy pack guide you will explore dinosaur digs and petroglyphs, or hike beside the mesmerizing 500foottall redrock monoliths in the colorado national monument or in the foothills of. Bookcliff is a doubletrack mountain bike trail in grand junction, colorado. Depending on the number of guests, you can have both rooms or pick one or the other. The top 5 best dogfriendly hikes of the grand valley gjmole. Book cliffs view, fruita, colorado hiking trail maps.
Best trails near grand junction, colorado alltrails. That original plan would have meant a very expensive descent into one of the canyons of the book cliffs. A private sanctuary in redlands close to the downtown grand junction, hiking and biking trails, colorado national monument, colorado river sate park connected lakes section, etc. The elevations listed above are a little deceiving.
There are many lines up the book cliffs in grand junction, co. Its generally accepted this area begins in the west on the wasatch plateau near the town of price and comes to a gradual conclusion out east in the arid canyons just north of grand junction, co. Visit grand junction for a unique colorado family vacation. Hiking trails provide the opportunity to leave the river.
Maps and brochures for the book cliffs and mcinnis canyons areas are available at the grand junction blm field office, 2815 h road, 9702443000. The book cliffs appear mostly along the southern and western edge of the tavaputs plateau. Hiking, camping, and wild horses near grand junction. The tellerico trail is located in the little book cliffs wild horse range north of grand junction, colorado. Little book cliffs wilderness study area has 17 trails in the vicinity, including 16 hiking trails, for trail running and 14 for other activities. A nodule where a pocket of barite and calcite crystals may have been found, in the book cliffs area. Select an option below to see stepbystep directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in rome2rios travel planner. This small area is known as the, little book cliffs and includes the western slopes famous peak, mt. See description on map fruita grand junction colorado trails recreation topo map latitude 40 degrees. Hiking trails in the grand junction, colorado and surrounding area. We get about 20 feet from a horse until we return to the trail. Either way, this rugged landscape will leave you thirsting for.
Bookcliff mountain bike trail in grand junction, colorado. Between price, utah and grand junction, colorado, highway 6 and interstate 70 cross 170 miles of barren and windswept terrain. For outdoor enthusiasts, there may be no better place to call home than these carolina mountains. There are 2 ways to get from book cliffs to grand junction by taxi, bus or car. This geological wonder cuts through beautiful desert terrain and parallels steep canyons and raging rivers, making it a yearround destination for. Find groups in grand junction, colorado about hiking and meet people in your local community who share your interests. For those with an extra day, be sure to check out nearby colorado national monument, where you can camp and hike and look back towards the book cliffs for excellent views. Colorado national monument adjoins mcinnis canyons to the east and provides additional hiking trails. The longest trail in little book cliffs wilderness study area is ute a wellknown trail measuring 11. Riggs hill dinosaur hiking trails, 462 ute ave grand junction mailing address. The most wellknown trails, called the lunch loops, are challenging, and endlessly fun. The trailhead is on the right look for the bulletin board. The best grand junction hikes will take you from atop the worlds largest flattop mesa to the depths of black canyon national park of the gunnison. Explore the mountains, plains and foothills around grand junction, colorado with this guide.