3 Grand Junction, Palisade, Fruita / COME TO LIFE Cameo Shooting and Education Complex , designed for shooting competitions and a place where kids can learn about the safe use of firearms. West of Grand Junction, the stunning red-rock canyonlands of Colorado National Monument (1) 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. Over the Edge Sports and Colorado Backcountry Biker are two shops that can set you up with maps and information on the best trails for your taste. 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 area. Adrenaline Driven Adventures can set you up with side-by-sides and tours. Plan to see the Rimrock 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. JET BOAT COLORADO, BARTON GLASSER. 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 options: Jet Boat Colorado (3) operates its fast ride on the Colorado River; Get Air Trampoline Park has a trampoline, cave climb and other adventures; the Imondi Wake Zone is the state’s first ever cable wakeboarding park; Grand Junction Stand Up Paddle now offers river tours (those 300-plus lakes also give you plenty of SUP options); and Colorado Flight Center now has scenic air tours that highlight “the best of the West,” including incredible per-spective on Colorado National Monument. The area is also home to Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Clifton , Collbran , Fruita (page 198), Grand Junction (page 200), Loma , Mesa , Palisade (page 203), Para-chute , Rangely (page 203) COLORADO.COM / 163
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2020: Page 163
