Colorado National Monument, Palisade and the Grand Mesa

Route description

From Grand Junction, enter Colorado National Monument at the east entrance and drive Rim Rock Drive, 37 km along the edge of red canyons with many viewpoints. The road has three tunnels, two on the west side and one on the east, with only 10 ft 6 in clearance at the edges, so tall RVs should check before entering. Saddlehorn Campground near the visitor center is open all year and has sites for smaller RVs.

Rim Rock Drive exits at Fruita, a small town known for mountain biking and the Dinosaur Journey museum. Return east on I-70 through Grand Junction to Palisade, about 40 km away, where peach orchards and vineyards line the Colorado River. The Fruit and Wine Byway loops through the farms; the peach harvest runs from late July to September, with farm stands everywhere.

East of Palisade, leave I-70 at exit 49 and take CO-65 through Plateau Canyon to Mesa and then up the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway. The road climbs about 1,600 m with switchbacks to lakes and spruce forests at over 3,000 m. Stop at the Grand Mesa Visitor Center and walk to one of the lakes; the gravel Lands End Road leads to a viewpoint on the western edge.

CO-65 then descends through aspen forests to Cedaredge, surrounded by orchards, and on to Delta, known for its murals. From Delta, US-50 runs southeast to Montrose, about 35 km away. Just south of town on US-550, the Ute Indian Museum tells the story of the Ute people, on land once farmed by Chief Ouray and Chipeta. Montrose is the gateway to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.