Western Trip 2023 – Colorado

Montrose, Colorado

June 23-30

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Our next leg of this trip was through southwest Colorado, heading to Montrose.   On our way there we took the mountain highway in order to view the scenery. This highway took us up above 8300 feet altitude. Such a beautiful drive, we viewed the amazing natural sights along the way. We stayed at a very nice RV park which was convenient to the nearby natural wonders to explore. Since we had never been in this area of Colorado, we were surprised to find so many amazing natural outdoor activities that we never knew about.

We drove to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison N.P.  Stopped at the Visitor Center to find out more about the canyon’s creation and the Gunnison River that carved it. It surrounds part of a deep, steep-walled gorge carved through Precambrian rock by the Gunnison River. Roads and trails along the north and south rims provide views of the Black Canyon's dramatic drops and the striated Painted Wall cliff. We drove all the scenic routes to view different parts of the canyon. Along with the drive there were several observation areas where we could hike down to get a better view.

While in this area, we took a day trip south to Ouray, CO. It’s an amazing small town wedged into a narrow canyon surrounded by beautiful steep mountains. The views from the mountains are spectacular and the whole area is a wonderland of outdoor activities.

Grand Junction

July 1 - 15

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We stayed in this area at a Colorado State Park, where the Colorado River flows along the shores of the campground. In our searches around Grand Junction, we discovered another natural wonder. The Colorado National Monument! Wow never knew this existed. This 31-square mile unit of the National Park System boasts a concentrated version of Colorado's red rock expanses, deep canyons, and sandstone towers, drawing tourists and adventure seekers to this bold and scenic landscape. Best of all, it's easy to have most of the monument to yourself if you're looking for solitude and quiet.

Sheer-walled canyons cut deep into red sandstone and granite–gneiss–schist rock formations. This is an area of desert land high on the Colorado Plateau, with pinyon and juniper forests on the plateau. We drove through the 23 miles, with entry points on each end. Along the drive there are many overlook areas with spectacular views. Most of the overlooks included a hike down into a portion of the canyon. 

We enjoyed the ride and the dogs went with us. It’s amazing how many wonders like this exist and most of us don’t even know about them until we get to see them. Colorado National Monument was worth the drive from Grand Junction. 

Grand Mesa, another amazing natural wonder to explore, is a large mesa in western Colorado in the United States. It is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. It has an area of about 500 square miles and stretches for about 40 miles east of Grand Junction between the Colorado River and the Gunnison River. It is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. It has an area of about 500 square miles and stretches for about 40 miles east of Grand Junction between the Colorado River and the Gunnison River, its tributary to the south. The Grand Mesa byway leads through old-growth forests, aspens, meadows and so many lakes. Such a beautiful drive, with many short hikes along the way.