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Colorado National Monument is a part of the U.S. National Park Service near the city of Grand Junction, Colorado, in the western part of the state. It is a semi-desert land hight on the Colorad Plateau. Pinyon pines and juniper trees, ravens and jays, desert bighorns and coyotes are all quite comforable there. There are many activities including hiking trails, horseback riding, mountain biking, or just a drive throuph the park. There are magnificent views from trails and the Rim Rock Drive, which winds along the plateau. Nearby are the purple-gray Book Cliffs, and the huge flat-topped mountain called Grand Mesa (the largest flat topped mountain in the world.)
Its feature attraction is Monument Canyon, which runs the length of the park, and includes rock formations such as Independence Monument, Window Rock, and Coke Ovens. The monument includes 20,500 acres, or 32 square miles, and much of it has been recommended to Congress for designation as wilderness.
Park History
The area was first explored by John Otto, a drifter who settled in Grand Junction in the early 20th century. Prior to Otto's arrival, many area residents believed the canyons to be inaccessible to humans. Otto began building trails on the plateau and into the canyons. As word spread about his work, the Chamber of Commerce of Grand Junction sent a delegation to see what he was doing. The delegation returned praising both Otto's work and the scenic beauty of the wilderness area. The local newspaper began lobbying to make it a National Park.
The area was established as Colorado National Monument on May 24, 1911. Otto was hired as the first park ranger, drawing a salary of $1 per month. For the next 16 years, he continued building and maintaining trails while living in a tent in the park.
External links
Grand Junction, Colorado | Mesa County, Colorado | Colorado Plateau | Landmarks in Colorado | National Monuments of the United States | Colorado National Monuments
"Colorado National Monument"