Colorado National Monument
Located on the western side of Colorado, this national monument sits 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the towns of Fruita and Grand Junction offering towering sandstone monoliths, incredible views, and multiple rock canyons. And if you’re lucky, you may spot a Bighorn Sheep or a Bald Eagle.
Saddlehorn Visitor Center
Once we’ve checked into the campground and set up, we realize we have a few hours until the Visitor Center closes, so we hop in the Jeep and head up the hill. Of course, we can’t resist stopping at the first overlook and snapping a few pictures of Canyon Rim Road down into the valley below.
Redland View
Once at the Visitor Center we obtain our park passport stamp, check out the museum, watch the park film, find out what the week’s ranger programs are, and go out the back for a view from the Canyon Rim Overlook.
Canyon Rim Overlook
Devil’s Kitchen Trailhead
After last nights storm we decide to head to the complete opposite end of the park and try our luck at the Devil’s Kitchen Trailhead with the No Thoroughfare Canyon Trail which supposedly has views of a small pool and a waterfall within 2 miles of the trailhead. These are typically dry in the mid summer (now) but could potentially have some residual storm-water runoff.
Thoroughfare Canyon Trail
The trail starts out walking along a a very easy clean path but quickly turns into a rocky wash. We follow that for a while taking pictures of the canyon walls around us until we find the small pool or at least where it should be. Unfortunately it’s completely dried up.
So instead of continuing on we decide to turn back and visit Devil’s Kitchen instead.
Devil’s Kitchen Trail
This trail begins the same as the previous one. A wide, flat, smooth path that abruptly terminates in hard sandstone that we have to traverse at a sharp angle upward while trying to keep sight of the trail markers along the path.
Once we reach the top, we find a large space in the middle of the unique sandstone deposits.
And the views from up here are both incredible and unique as some of them come from peeking through windows in the rock.
It’s not quite lunchtime yet so once we get back to the Jeep, we decide to take Scenic Rim Rock Drive and stop at several of the viewpoints / overlooks.
Scenic Rim Rock Drive – Viewpoints/Overlooks
It’s been a long hot day (100F) and we’re out of water, so we’re going to call it quits here and visit the rest of the overlooks another day.
Ranger Led Rim Rock Tour
This morning we get up early to join a Ranger for a 8am guided tour along the Rim Rock Trail. Ranger Charlie meets us at the Visitor Center and instantly leads us to the overlook where he proceeds to tell us about the flora, fauna, geology, and history of the park. All with a fun, upbeat attitude and a sense of humor.
Once the guided tour is over at Book Cliffs View, Ranger Charlie encourages us to continue along the trail and visit Window Rock which we choose to do.
Alcove Nature Trail
After walking back to the Visitor Center we stop by the Jeep for some water then head across the street to Alcove Nature Trail. This short trail leads out to an overlook just above Rim Rock Road with a view of Wedding Canyon.
At the overlook we opt to continue the trail to box canyon which as the name suggests abruptly ends in a vertical rock wall with no way out.
We spend the rest of the day at the campground dodging rain as we take advantage of the onsite laundry facilities. And for our efforts we’re rewarded with a double rainbow.
Scenic Rim Rock Drive Overlooks Continued
After yesterday’s rain we head back into the park to complete Rim Rock Drive and its various overlooks. On the way, we see this beautiful boy along the road.
We begin our Rim Rock Road Overlook tour where we left off the other day at Artist’s Point. This time we head to the lower level to get a look at the Coke Ovens.
Lunch Visitor
We stop at the Visitor Center picnic area for lunch and discover a Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay watching to see if we drop anything. We didn’t!
Views along the Road
Along the way we spot a juvenile Golden Eagle circling overhead and snap a few pictures of the roadway tunnels.
Colorado Riverfront Trail
Our last few days in the area we bike the 28-mile (one-way) Colorado Riverfront Trail. Touted as “…running through Colorado’s scenic Grand Valley, this route provides an unparalleled biking and walking experience in Mesa County.”
The path travels through the campground so we didn’t have to drive anywhere to get on the trail and it’s very smooth. But most of it parallels the interstate and we find it so unremarkable that we don’t stop to take pictures either day. All we can say is that the weather was good and we enjoyed the exercise.
James M Robb Colorado River State Park – Fruita, CO
Sitting on the eastern bank of the Colorado River and the Riverfront Multipurpose Trail, this state park makes a fantastic base camp for exploring the monument and the surrounding area.
Rainbow in the Storm
On our first night here, I look out the window and see the sun setting on the monument high above.
Heading out to get a better picture, I see a rainbow mixed in with the sunset and a rapidly moving storm coming our way.
In the next few days we get the normal pictures of the campground.
Next stop… Exploring Glenwood Springs to Basalt, CO
