Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument protects a high desert canyon landscape of steep-walled canyons, monoliths and sculpted sandstone near Grand Junction, Colorado. The monument showcases red- and tan-colored rock formations cut by tributaries of the Colorado River.

A paved scenic drive along the canyon rim provides multiple overlooks and trail access to view the rock towers and canyons, while a network of trails reaches down into side canyons and across the rim. The park is used for hiking, climbing and scenic driving.

The most recognizable feature is a tall sandstone tower known as Independence Monument, which rises above the canyon floor and is a common subject for photographs and climbing. The monument’s geology records uplift and erosion of Colorado Plateau rocks over millions of years.

The monument lies on the Colorado Plateau on the western edge of Colorado, just south of the city of Grand Junction and near the town of Fruita. The area consists of canyon rims, mesas and high desert vegetation.

• Scenic drive access: Scenic Rim Rock Drive provides vehicle access to many of the monument's overlooks and is the most efficient way to see the canyon panoramas within a single visit.
• Signature formation: Independence Monument is the monument's signature sandstone tower and a focal point for photography and climbing along the canyon rim.

What to See #

• Rim Rock Drive: A scenic east-west roadway with multiple overlooks and pullouts that traverses the rim of the monument's canyons and provides primary vehicle access to viewpoints and trailheads.
• Independence Monument: A dramatic sandstone tower and local landmark rising above the canyon floor that is one of the monument's most photographed features and a popular climbing objective.
• Monument Canyon viewpoints: A series of canyon viewpoints and trail systems that access monument rims, slot canyons, and geological features formed in the Colorado Plateau landscape.
• Visitor contact: A visitor contact station offering maps, route information and permits for backcountry travel and climbing in the monument.