Another stop we made on our summer road trip this year was Colorado National Monument. I’m not sure if we ever visited this park when I was a kid, but I know I’ve heard of it before and never realized exactly what it was … or how amazing it would be to visit as an adult.
Located near the Colorado/Utah border, the closest city is Grand Junction, Colorado. I also did not realize it was part of the National Park Service, but was really happy when we showed up and could use our National Park pass to get in free.
This area was first explored by John Otto who settled in Grand Junction in the early 20th century. In 1907 he said: “I came here last year and found these canyons, and they felt like the heart of the world to me. I’m going to stay and promote this place because it should be a National Park.”
Thank you, Mr. Otto! We really enjoyed visiting, the girls loved being Junior Park Rangers and we had fun exploring and hiking around. The views are absolutely breathtaking and I left there with a feeling I will never forget.
I just absolutely love nature, mountains, and National Parks. I love their beauty. I absolutely hate bugs, snakes, etc. but am willing to come face to face with them so that I can feel the energy of these parks. Being outdoors renews me, makes me feel energized and ready to tackle the world. I just love it and am so happy we stopped!
If you’re ever driving along I-70 and happen to be close, I definitely recommend a short detour. Or if you love to bike, it’s a great place to bike. We saw more cyclists than cars. This is another place I would love to spend more time exploring; there are plenty of hiking trails and more beauty to find! Two thumbs up.
My feelings definitely mirror those of Aristotle: “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”
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