There are many recreation opportunities available from hiking, horseback riding, rafting, ohv, mountain biking, and much more. Looking for a great trail near grand junction, colorado. The distinctive formations offer plenty of hiking, camping and more. Nestled between the book cliffs and the colorado national monument, grand junction is the largest city between denver and salt lake city. They are so named because the cliffs of cretaceous sandstone that cap many of the southfacing buttes appear similar to a shelf of books. The little book cliffs wild horse area, grand junction. Nestled in the book cliffs above grand junction is the little book cliffs. With the colorado river, grand mesa, the little book cliffs, and the colorado national monument, grand junction is a haven for the outdoor enthusiast. Other wildlife, such as elk, deer, and desert bighorn sheep, can also be seen here. Ive lived in the area for a little while, done a fair amount of hiking around the monument and mcinnis canyon areas.
Between price, utah and grand junction, colorado, highway 6 and interstate 70. Redlands 360 we invite you to join our information registry. The little book cliffs wild horse range is located in northwest colorado, about 8 miles northeast of grand junction. Grand junction and fruita are only a few miles apart, so you dont even have to choose. Palisade, colorado wine country and nothing better than palisade. The trail begins at a gas well near round mountain where it makes a somewhat gradual descent into main canyon and comes to an end at a junction with the main canyon and cottonwood canyon trails.
The area encompasses 36,000acres and is accessible for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Coal canyon is a wellmaintained gravel road and is. The elevations listed above are a little deceiving. Offroad 4x4 tours grand junction, glenwood springs, co. There are really nice views of the cliffs that extend north from mt. From grand junction to reach this unique trip to the days of the old west, take interstate 70 east from grand junction and take exit 46 cameo exit. Little book cliffs wild horse area hma bureau of land. Little book cliffs wild horse range palisade, co blm land. It encompasses 36,1 acres of rugged canyons and plateaus in the book cliffs about eight miles north of grand junction. Beginning at the coal canyon trailhead the main canyon trail follows jerry creek up the canyon to round mountain where the trail splits into the cottonwood canyon and round mountain trails.
Make sure to visit the lunch loops the next time you come to camp in fruita. The book cliffs palisade, colorado the photography blog. Garfield as the highest point of the book cliffs, north of grand junction, and overlooking the town of palisade. This geological wonder cuts through beautiful desert terrain and parallels steep canyons and raging rivers, making it a yearround destination for scenic viewing, hiking, camping and rafting below. The city of grand junction is located in the grand valley at the confluence of the gunnison and colorado rivers. Just eight miles northeast of grand junction, the little book cliffs wild horse area encompasses more than 36,000 acres of rugged canyons and plateaus. They begin on the wasatch plateau known for mining in the west near the town of price and come to a gradual conclusion in the canyons just north of grand junction in an area known as, the little book cliffs. Mar 07, 2017 stretching 200 miles from grand junction, colorado to central utah, the book cliffs are the worlds largest continuous escarpment. Oct 26, 2020 the little book cliffs wild horse area. There are two hiking trails that you can use to ascend the mountain.
Arizona 6 colorado 978 new mexico 45 utah 575 nevada 27 wildflowers. Explore the slickrock, spires and giant alcoves of pollock, mee, devils, jones, and knowles canyons. Big wash is a, well, big wash in the book cliffs east of grand junction. Activities include hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, and photography. It is the peak of the book cliffs with plenty of things to see like petroglyphs and an old coal mine, along with outstanding views of the grand valley, from palisade to.
These colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf outthere. This section of book cliffs is specifically designated for wild horses. May 29, 2019 near grand junction, the book cliffs are an intrinsic part of the landscape and a wonderful place to take a day trip. Located on the north side of grand junction is the book cliffs mountain range and the mount garfield hiking trails. Home to wild horses, theres always something new to see or do in the bookcliffs. The bureau of land management is looking at a plan to reduce wild horse numbers in herds north and east of grand junction. Your grand junction bucket list visit grand junction, colorado. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah, in the western. Hiking trails in the grand junction, colorado and surrounding area. The trail begins at an abandoned ranch site on private property at the mouth of adobe canyon and climbs to the top of the little book cliffs where hikers can connect up.
Alltrails has 57 great hiking trails, mountain biking trails, trail running trails and. Found along colorados western slope, grand junction offers everything for your colorado adventures. At an altitude of 4,586 feet, warm summers and moderate spring, fall and winter seasons allow for yearround golf, hiking and biking. The north soda trail is located in the little book cliff mountains north of grand junction and fruita, colorado. Cross the colorado river and drive past the public service power plant. Your guide to the grand junction bookcliffs rmhp blog. Your grand junction bucket list visit grand junction. It works its way up the face of mount garfield on the book cliffs and ends with panoramic views in all directions. It starts pretty and gets prettier the further you hike. Even if you dont spot any, a hike or horseback ride through either coal. This part of the bookcliffs can be seen from every vantage point surrounding the city and everyone know mt. Nestled near 11,000foot grand mesa and the 7,500foot book cliffs, grand junction is the largest city in western colorado. Desolation canyon, providing an 80mile trip for adventurous riders or hike. Distract yourself from the difficulty by keeping an eye out for fossils.
Garfield, as well as an overlook into grand junction, colorado. Its not the altitude itself that gets you, its the elevation gain. Grand junction, colorado campground grand junction koa. In grand junction, they define the regions impressive skyline and offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun and recreation. The round mountain trail is located in the blm little book cliffs wild horse area near grand junction, colorado. Garfield is the highpoint of the book cliffs, just north of grand junction, and overlooking the town of palisade.
The majority of the propertys upper mesa also provides enough elevation to overlook the city of grand junction and to see the city lights at night, as well as. Getting to the little book cliffs join the locals hiking into coal canyon. The wild horse area is characterized by four major canyon systems falling to gentle sloping plateaus covered in sagebrush and pinon juniper. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah in the western united states. The 5 best grand junction hiking trails with photos. The 10mile circular trip winds through colorado alpine forests to a ridgetop path with panoramic views of the san juan mountains, the book cliffs and even.
From grand junction take i70 east to the cameo exit. Cultural values of the fremont culture are found here, as well as several natural bridges and hoodoos. Grand junction riverfront trails 9 grand mesa national forest 64 grand mesa nordic trails 32 highline lake state park 7 kokopelli trail 7 little book cliffs area 24 lunch loop trails system 31 north fruita desert18 road 18 tabeguache trail 12 third flats 14 whitewater area 7. The topography and vegetation create a setting which supports excellent opportunities for solitude and unconfined recreation. The bookcliffs define the skyline of grand junction.
It covers over 36,000 acres of rugged canyons and plateaus. The mountain was named after president james garfield a year after garfields death. Take a hike through coal creek canyon to see wild horses in the little bookcliff area. Hiking, camping, and wild horses near grand junction the desert mountains and cliffs that make up the bookcliffs also sometimes spelled book cliffs stretch almost 200 miles across western colorado and eastern utah. My favorite trail is coal canyon that is a relatively flat hike of 452 feet over 6 miles. Peak 6100 and hike into main canyon combine nicely together and use the same trailhead. This geologic formation runs some 200 miles through utah and colorado and, with the right light, can yield some interesting forms and textures for. Little book cliffs wilderness study area this desolate little slice of grand junction is actually home to the wild horses that call the book cliffs home. View grand junctions wild horses visit grand junction. The grand junction field office manages more than one million acres of public lands surrounding the western slopes largest population center. The trail begins at an abandoned ranch site on private property at the mouth of adobe canyon and climbs to the top of the little book cliffs where hikers can connect up with the ute and tellerico trails.
The tellerico trail is located in the little book cliffs wild horse range north of grand junction, colorado. The book cliffsdesolation canyon wilderness is a merging of three different. The bike trails can be accessed from either 18 rd or 16 rd just north of the town of fruita. The little bookcliffs wild horse area is one of only three areas in the. The wild horse area is characterized by four major canyon systems falling to gentle sloping plateaus covered in. These trails take you to view some of the most breathtaking views within the grand valley. The little book cliffs wild horse area is located in grand junction. The mount garfield trail is two miles long with an elevation climb of 2,000 feet. Grand junction, home to the colorado national monument, has a solid network of trails. Both involve steep, rocky ascents at the base of the grand mesa. Top things to do in grand junction, co uncover colorado. Part of the southern edge of this wsa is dominated by the 2,000foothigh face of the book cliffs. Colorado national monument adjoins mcinnis canyons to the east and provides additional hiking trails.
Grand junction, colorado campground grand junction koa holiday. The most wellknown trails, called the lunch loops, are challenging, and endlessly fun. Exploring grand junction s north desert trails will suit skills of all different levels of riding, from beginner to extreme trails. Explore colorado national monument, youre new favorite park. The book cliffs palisade, colorado the photography. If you like challenging hikes, these trails are for you.
It is the peak of the book cliffs with plenty of things to see like petroglyphs and an old coal mine, along with outstanding views of the grand valley, from palisade to loma. Round mountain can be combined with other trails in the area to create various routes. Even if you dont spot any, a hike or horseback ride through either coal canyon or main canyon is still a fun adventure. Sep 24, 2020 more hikes in grand junction, colorado. There are markers for the little book cliffs wild horse range as you enter coal canyon road.
There are two routes to access the little bookcliffs wsa. Hiking, camping, and wild horses near grand junction. Beginning in the floor of the valley the trail follows a route that leads to the top of the little books cliffs near corcoran point. The desert mountains and cliffs that make up the bookcliffs also sometimes spelled book cliffs stretch. Hiking mount garfield in book cliffs blm, colorado stav is lost. The little book cliffs wsa is located in mesa county, approximately 10 miles northeast of grand junction. Dec 05, 20 after a road trip to visit family in california, im finally back at the computer. Main canyon is located in the blms wild horse area of the little book cliffs near grand junction, colorado. Use our grand junction trip site to visit the little book cliffs wild horse area on your trip to grand junction, and learn what else travelers and our writers recommend seeing nearby. Little book cliffs area 24 big wash round trip distance. Maps and brochures for the book cliffs and mcinnis canyons areas are available at the grand junction blm field office, 2815 h road, 9702443000. The name comes from many southfacing buttes that appear similar to a. The desert mountains and cliffs that make up the bookcliffs also sometimes spelled book cliffs stretch almost 200 miles across western colorado and eastern utah.
This is a great place to hike, especially in the spring and fall when the weather is mild and the horses are readily seen. Grand junction field office bureau of land management. Although there is never any guarantee that youll see the wild horses, one of the best places to look is the little book cliffs wild horse range, located just kilometers northeast of grand junction. If you have ever passed through the grand junction palisade area of colorado on i70 you surely noticed the colorful book cliffs on the north side of the highway. Garfield, the book cliffs, colorado national monument and the grand mesa. Baryte and calcite found in concretions ranging from a half an inch to over 6 feet with some concretions in a linear configuration, up to the size of a sedansaloon. The mountain was named after president james garfield after his death. But ive always wanted to explore the book cliffs, especially the more western parts, north of fruita. The book cliffs trail system consists of five interconnecting trails chutes, edge loop, frontside, prime ribjoes ridge, and zippity on both single and double track. The little book cliffs wild horse range is one of only three ranges in the usa set aside specifically to protect wild and free roaming horses.
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