Wine & Adventure Country / COME TO LIFE Jet Boat Colorado operates its fast ride on the Colorado River, Get Air at the Silo has a trampoline, cave climb and other adventures, the new Imondi Wake Zone is the state’s first ever cable wake-boarding park, Grand Junction Stand Up Paddle now offers river tours (those 300-plus lakes also give you plenty of SUP options). West of Grand Junction, the stunning red-rock canyonlands of Colorado National Monument will fill up a digital camera’s memory card in a blink. Drive the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive or take a ranger-led tour that explores ev-erything from geology to wildlife. In the summer, hook up with the Western Colorado Astronomy Club to see the Milky Way above the canyons. For a glimpse into life during the Jurassic period, visit The Trail Through Time , a relatively easy 1.5-mile hike in the Rabbit Valley that leads past an active dinosaur quarry and provides the opportunity to see real dinosaur tracks and bones that are 140-million-years-old. The serious biker will want to add another day to the itinerary in order to explore the mountain-biking trails around nearby Fruita , arguably the best network of singletrack in Colorado. The town is also a popular destination for ATVers who love desert trails, and rock crawlers find vast and varied terrain in the North Fruita Desert (1) area. Plan to see the Rim Rock Rodeo , which takes place every summer Tuesday, and then stop into downtown’s Cavalcade , an intimate performance venue in Fruita’s growing downtown, where you can relax and listen to some music. @kelseyhoisingtonphotography GRAND JUNCTION, @KELSEYHOISINGTONPHOTOGRAPHY. 2 Find Colorado crops at their source: Get your hands dirty with Sage Creations Organic Lavender Farm ’s u-pick experience, and several orchards also offer pick-your-own ops, including Fruit Basket Orchards , Green Barn Fruit Company , B2 Orchards Tree Farm , Palisade Peach Ranch and Bolton’s Orchards & Farm Market (call ahead to confirm availabili-ty), in addition to the fresh-produce stands found throughout the region. DAY 2 Start your morning in downtown Grand Junction (2) , where locally owned brunch hotspots’ outdoor seating areas let you bask in the morning air. Work off the hash browns by strolling walkable streets lined with galleries, sculp-tures and gift shops, as well as a Thursday farmers’ market. Those looking to get their heart rates up have a few new options: STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Clifton , Collbran , Fruita (page 198), Grand Junction (page 199), Loma , Mesa (page 202), Palisade (page 202), Parachute , Rangely (page 203) SHOP | DINE | STAY | PLAY | ENJOY MARRIOTT.COM/GJTSH GRANDJUNCTION.HAMPTONINN.COM OPENING MAY 2019 MARRIOTT.COM/GJTFI COLORADO.COM / 159
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2019: Page 159
