Colorado National Monument

I have to admit that I had not heard of Colorado National Monument before I started planning this summer's trip... but after reading about it, we knew that we wanted to see it, and got up relatively early on Thursday to drive through and enjoy the national monument on our way down to Grand Junction to get some shopping done and pick up an Amazon package.

The "west" entrance to Colorado National Monument was only a couple of miles from our campground...

A map of the monument -- you might notice really squiggly road at the top side (which is actually west -- North points to the right side of the map) -- and another really squiggly road at the bottom (east) near Grand Junction. We'd be climbing quite a lot, going along at a relatively level elevation within the monument, and then descending down into Grand Junction.

The view of rocks right behind the map display

There were a couple of tunnels on the way up.

We drove through the Saddlehorn Campground -- I had looked at the potential of booking a site there, but the size limit for sites is 40' (40' for RV+toad, and Gracie is 40'9" all on her own). The sites are definitely more suited to tents and pop-ups.

Near the campground was Window Rock Trail which we decided to try -- it was supposed to be a 1/2 mile loop... 

It was a nice walk...

... though the trail was not very well marked...

... so whether we were on the trail or not, we weren't sure! That's Fruita in the valley below.

Looking back into the canyon of the national monument...

Looking south / east toward Grand Junction

Obligatory selfie!

We had looked up information about the national monument and two different individuals had recommended 4-5 overlooks by name, so we decided to stop at those...

From Independence Monument View we could appropriately see Independence Monument...

... evidently it is common for people (*some* people, not people like Carl and me) to climb it on 4th of July -- but we won't be around this area through then.

From Grand View, we had side view of Independence Monument -- it looks quite different from the side!

We could see various spires and monuments...

... with the valley beyond.

Valleys

These were called "Coke Ovens", not because they were, but because they looked like coke ovens to explorers who were the early viewers of these sites.

This is Red Canyon Overlook, with the hanging canyon looking down to Grand Junction. You can see a small indentation at the end of the valley which is where the stream has cut down.

My Carl!

Cold Shivers Point...

... with another view down into Grand Junction.

On the far side of this broad valley is another set of cliffs -- I thought that we heard that it is Grand Mesa, but when I look at a map, it appears Grand Mesa is south of this area.

Carl out getting pictures of the views!

We finished up our drive through the national monument, exiting the "east" exit near Grand Junction. We had planned to stop at an Indian buffet restaurant for lunch, but when we got there, they no longer have a buffet, so we headed to a soup and salad place (The Garden of Eat'n) that we enjoyed! We got grocery shopping done, picked up our Amazon package, and then headed back to Fruita.