Colorado National Monument

66 Pictures: 1-20 , 20-40 , 40-60 , 60-66

Colorado National Monument sits just to the south of Grand Junction, Colorado on the northern tip of the Uncompahgre Plateau. The park encompasses 23,000 acres.

Due largely to the tireless efforts of John Otto, Colorado National Monument was designated as a National Monument in 1911. The 23 mile Rim Rock Road was build through the park in the 1930s. The drive gives sightseers a wonderful view of grand sandstone towers and cliffs, as well as inspiring views of the Grand Valley below.

Colorado National Monument is open year round. In the summer months they pump water from the valley up to the campggrounds. They close off water to the campground in the winter; So you will need to bring your own water.

These are pictures that we took of Colorado National Monument in September 2002. We drove the Rim Rock Road from the east entrance from Grand Junction to the west entrance at Fruita, camping one night at the Saddlehorn Campground.

Standstone Formations in The
Colorado National Monument
FormationEraAgeNote
Mancos ShaleLate Cretaceous80MSlippery when wet
Dakota Sandstone   
Burro CanyonEarly Cretaceous115M 
Morrison FormationLate Jurassic150MDinosaur Bones
SummervilleMid Jurassic170M 
Entrada  Arches
NavajoMissing
Kayenta  Hard surfaced Rim Rock
WingateLate Triassic210MThe large cliffs
Chinle FormationTriassic Bottom of cliffs
UncoformityMissing
Precambrian  Old, extremely hard

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Context: Desert