PLAY YOUR WAY Grand Junction is where vibrant music, farm-fresh cuisine and a lively art scene converge with countless outdoor adventures. Here, alpine terrain meets dramatic high desert. Powerful rivers course through verdant valleys, and opportunities for embracing the vast wilderness that surrounds Grand Junction are abundant in every season. Come follow your passions, indulge your senses and go where life leads. You’ll soon see that Mother Nature really does play favorites. NATURE’S TRIFECTA Grand Junction is the only place in the world where you can experience three extraordinary geological wonders known as “Nature’s Trifecta.” Colorado National Monument is a mini-Grand Canyon, affectionately known as “the heart of the world.” The Grand Mesa is bursting with over 300 alpine lakes. Rattlesnake Arches is the second-largest concentration of natural arches in the world. Nature did smile on Grand Junction a little bit more! GRAND MESA Standing tall in the eastern landscape of Grand Junction is the Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world. The Mesa has four distinct seasons of outdoor pursuits, making it a year-round outdoor recreation wonderland. Fishing, camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing are just some of the activities that are enjoyed on the Mesa. This unspoiled wilderness is flourishing with aspen groves and pine forests atop the lush plateau. COLORADO NATioNAL MONUMENT Just six miles from Downtown Grand Junction, Colorado’s secret national park towers over the city. The Monument is famous for scenic hiking, road biking, and its pristine sunrise and sunset views. Journey up Rim Rock Drive, pausing at convenient pullouts and majestic overlooks. Stop at Upper Ute Canyon View for the most amazing echo you’ve ever heard. At night, the clear desert sky shows off the magnificent Milky Way with shooting stars. ARCHES The McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area’s remote canyons slice through colorful sandstone layers to form cliffs, pinnacles, alcoves and arches. Rattlesnake Canyon surprises and excites hikers with over 35 natural arches, the most in the world outside of Arches National Park. All without the crowds!
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2026: Page 30
