Grand Junction Official Visitor Guide - Grand Junction Adventure Guide
A DIFFERENT SIDE OF COLORADO
2022-03-09 08:10:56
After living on the Front Range of Colorado for 25 years, I thought I knew Colorado inside and out. From adventuring in Rocky Mountain National Park to rafting the Arkansas River, climbing 14’ers to crawling up the Incline, hanging out at countless festivals to fine dining and craft beverage tasting – this and so much more is the Colorado we all know.
So, when I found myself moving to Grand Junction for a new gig, I certainly didn’t think it would offer much of anything I hadn’t experienced already. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Here are just a few of the pleasant surprises that make me feel incredibly blessed to now call this special place home.
First off, Colorado National Monument blew my mind. Why isn’t this breathtaking place a national park? I’ve never seen such striking landscapes. Seeing millions of years of the Earth’s history in plain view in the exposed canyons provides me much-needed perspective. And finally, I get to experience night skies just a few minutes’ drive outside of Downtown. Hello world!
I can hike on a ton of trails in plain ol’ sneakers year-round. Grand Junction is high desert, which provides for mild climate all year, yet there are still four beautiful and unique seasons. Growing up on the East Coast, I like my seasons separate and distinct.
With so much public land and plenty of wide-open spaces, it’s easy to adventure outdoors and not see a soul. It gets more and more difficult to recreate in other parts of Colorado and escape the crowds, but not in Grand Junction! It feels so roomy out here on this side of the Divide. I heard this when I arrived here and I am pretty convinced - Mother Nature really does play favorites.
No traffic and plenty of parking. You don’t believe me, do you? It’s true! It’s so easy to get around Grand Junction, and parking downtown is a breeze. The parking meters are only 50 cents per hour and free after 4 pm, including free weekends and holidays! Am I in Mayberry?
Agriculture! Farmland, pastures, vineyards and orchards weave through the area providing the sweetest produce I’ve ever tasted. I can pick my own or enjoy the area’s fresh ingredients at the locally owned restaurants. There is a strong network of chefs in town who build their menus around locally sourced ingredients.
Grand Mesa is incredible. How have I not heard of this place? It’s the largest flat-top mountain in the world, and covered in hundreds of lakes. Name any outdoor activity and you can pretty much do it here. Winter offers every snow sport from skiing to ice fishing. Spring flowers are abundant with gushing waterfalls nearby. Summer offers the perfect playground for water sports without the crowds. And Fall colors shower the Mesa in a kaleidoscope of bright hues.
There is so much more to write about, it’s difficult to stop here; but I’ll close with sharing that the authentic western hospitality culture is alive and well in Junction. Whether you walk downtown or are in the grocery store, locals look you in the eye, smile and say hi! Overall, my only regret is not relocating here sooner. I feel like it’s the Colorado I moved to so many years ago; but with all the changes in the state, I thought my quintessential Colorado was long gone. I’m so happy “the Colorado you expect” is alive and well in Grand Junction!
- Colorado Mountain Gal
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Check out some of my other musings at VisitGrandJunction.com/blog. I love sharing local favorites, unique itineraries and trails less traveled.
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