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Exploring West Colorado

  • Writer: Chris Cotton
    Chris Cotton
  • Aug 11, 2024
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jun 9

I recently returned from an adventure out west to Colorado and Utah, and over the next few weeks I'll be eager to share many of the photos and stories I captured while I was there. To kick it off, I'm starting with the first destination of our trip, and one of my all time favorite places in America, Grand Junction, CO!

Mt. Garfield at sunset - Grand Junction, CO
Mt. Garfield at sunset - Grand Junction, CO

All the way on the western edge of Colorado, where the Rocky Mountains give way to a land of red rocks and badlands, we landed in the picturesque town of Grand Junction. 11 years ago I set foot in this town on my very first trip out west and I was excited to get another chance to capture some photos in the place that made me first fall in love with photography.

The first stop of our adventure was in the Grand Mesa National Forest, right outside of Grand Junction. The Grand Mesa looms over the town at an elevation of over 10,000'. In fact, it's the largest "tabletop" mountain in the whole world! My wife and I explored a few of the 500 square miles on top of the mountain, brimming with tall evergreen trees and fields of blooming flowers.

Fields of wildflowers atop Grand Mesa - Grand Mesa National Forest
Fields of wildflowers atop Grand Mesa - Grand Mesa National Forest

Needing a respite after the thin air on top of Grand Mesa, we made our way back into town. With a few hours before we picked up the rest of our camping party, we explored the Book Cliffs on the outskirts of Grand Junction. The sun was now low on the horizon and casting a lovely golden light across the many ridges of the cliffs. With most of the outskirts being BLM land, we were free to roam among the hills! We ended up camping ourselves at the base of Mt. Garfield, the most striking formation along the cliffs, for sunset. Below are a few of my favorite shots from that location!

The setting sun cast a warm light across the Book Cliffs - Grand Junction, CO
The setting sun cast a warm light across the Book Cliffs - Grand Junction, CO
Mt. Garfield at sunset - Grand Junction, CO
Mt. Garfield at sunset - Grand Junction, CO

After picking up the last of our camping group, well past midnight, we headed into Colorado National Monument to set up camp. Located within a 15 minute drive from Grand Junction, it is one of the most accessible and, in my opinion, underrated parks in the country. With a late start to our next day and temperature forecast to be in the 100's, we opted for the shorter trails that the park had to offer. Following the 23-mile long Rim Rock Drive, we stopped at many overlooks that viewed into the canyon below. Standing in the middle of the canyon is the large Independence Monument, or as my camping group called it: "Miss Independent." The 450 ft tall monument is the most prominent feature in the park and can be viewed from many of the parks overlooks as well as parts of Grand Junction surrounding the park.

Independence Monument at Sunset - Colorado National Monument
Independence Monument at Sunset - Colorado National Monument

We finished our stay at the National Monument by going on one of my favorite hikes for sunset, the Devil's Kitchen Trail. This simple trail takes you up to a natural red rock auditorium with plenty of rock scrambling and climbing opportunities. In the heat of summer, the tall rock walls offered some much needed shade. We watched as the sun set in the distance, slowly dragging the sunlight out of the canyon. It was at this point that most of the desert creatures began their days, with many Desert Cottontails and Canyon Wrens joining us on the trail back to our car.

Devils Kitchen trail in Colorado National Monument
The Devils Kitchen Trail - Colorado National Monument
Sun setting against canyon walls near Devil's Kitchen - Colorado National Monument

More to Come!


There are plenty more photos where these came from! Next time, we'll make our way into Utah to explore a few of the epic National Parks there! Hopefully you enjoyed these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them! As always, please feel free to share this with anyone who might enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by!


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