Colorado National Monument in Pictures
Colorado National Monument in far Western Colorado was created in 1911 to protect and preserve one of the most picturesque landscapes on the Colorado Plateau.
The most popular activity here is driving the historic Rim Rock Road through the park, where you’ll have several opportunities to pull off and look down into the canyon at some of its most striking features, like Independence Monument, the Kissing Couple, and Coke Ovens. If you visit in the evening, the setting sun catching the canyon walls is spectacular.
Other activities at the park include hiking, camping, cycling, and rock climbing.
Colorado National Monument is open all year, but may close due to inclement weather, so be sure to check before you head to the park.
We visited Colorado National Monument as part of a larger trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, and Rocky Mountain National Parks. We only spent a half-day here, but we were blown away by the beauty. If you’re in the area, don’t pass up the opportunity to visit!
Things to see and do
- Definitely take a drive through the park on Historic Rim Rock Drive. It’s gorgeous!
- Hop out every once in a while and take a short hike out to some of the overlooks.
- Camping
- Rock Climbing
- Picnicking
- Photography
- Bicycling
- Wildlife spotting
Getting Here
Colorado National Monument is located between Fruita and Grand Junction, Colorado, and is only a few minutes’ drive from either town.
Colorado National Monument Park Stats
Date created: 1911
Annual Visitors: 397,032 in 2019
Fun Fact: Parts of the exposed canyon are from the Precambrian period and date back to 1.7-1.5 billion years old!
Visitor Centers and Passport Stamps
The Saddlehorn Visitor Center is open every day except for Christmas Day and is located four miles from the Fruita entrance to the park. The bookstore is run by the Colorado National Monument Association.
Other Nearby Parks
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, and Dinosaur National Monument.
Click here for a complete list of Colorado National Parks.
Have you visited Colorado National Monument?
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- New Mexico: Visiting White Sands National Park
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