June 2 - Colorado National Monument

We had stopped at the Colorado National Monument (near Grand Junction, Colorado) on our first trip back in 2006 -- and in our typical pattern, got there too late for the Visitor Center. When we surveyed the campground in 2006, we didn't think we were up for it (angled and ants all over the place).

This time we got to the Visitor's Center midday, and were very impressed by the displays (e.g. what makes the various rocks stick together and take on their various colors). We looked at the campground and thought it was great. So we are going to spend a day here.


The scenic area around the Visitor Center is compact and the scenery rivals some of the bigger places we have seen.


One of the things that is so interesting about this place is that you start on the valley floor near Grand Junction, and in a few miles of climbing a winding road, you are high above the valley. You can really appreciate the gain in elevation and striking difference in topography.

We took a couple of short hikes and the views were fantastic. As we settled in for dinner, those dark ominous thunderclouds appeared -- and boy did we get the rain and wind (fortunately no close lightening strikes)