Colorado What To Do›Regions›Western Slope
Things To Do On The Western Slope
West of the Continental Divide, the mountains give way to red rock canyons, orchards and a mesa covered in lakes. It is warmer, drier and much less crowded than the high country.
What is there to do on Colorado's Western Slope?
The Western Slope's highlights include Rim Rock Drive through Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction, the orchards and wineries of Palisade, Grand Mesa's lakes and forest, the sheer walls of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Montrose, mountain biking around Fruita, and the hot springs, caverns and canyon trails of Glenwood Springs.
Coloradans use "the Western Slope" for everything west of the Continental Divide, but for visitors it mostly means the Grand Valley around Grand Junction and the canyon country around it.
Grand Junction sits at about 4,600 feet, more than half a mile lower than Denver, where the Colorado and Gunnison rivers meet. The climate is high desert: hot summers, mild springs and autumns, and far less snow than the mountains. That makes the Western Slope the best Colorado region for the shoulder seasons. When the high country is muddy in May or closing up in late October, the canyons here are at their best.
Grand Junction
Colorado National Monument And Grand Junction
Colorado National Monument rises right behind Grand Junction and Fruita. Rim Rock Drive winds along the canyon edge between the two towns with overlooks into red sandstone canyons and monoliths such as Independence Monument. It is one of the most spectacular drives in the state and takes a couple of hours with stops. Short trails such as the Canyon Rim and Window Rock walks start near the visitor center. Bighorn sheep live in the monument, and summer heat is serious: hike early and carry water.
In Grand Junction itself, the downtown Main Street has public sculpture, shops and restaurants, and the Riverfront Trail follows the Colorado River. Fruita, ten miles west, is a well-known mountain biking town with trail systems at the 18 Road area and Kokopelli Trails, and the Dinosaur Journey museum.
Palisade
Palisade: Peaches, Vineyards And A River
East of Grand Junction, Palisade is the heart of Colorado's fruit and wine country. Most of the state's wineries are in the surrounding Grand Valley American Viticultural Area, many of them along a signed loop through the orchards that is easy to ride by bike from town. Summer brings peaches and other fruit to roadside stands, and the Palisade Peach Festival in August celebrates the harvest. The Colorado River runs past town, with a riverfront park and a paved trail heading toward Grand Junction.
If you visit wineries, plan a ride or a designated driver; tasting rooms set their own hours and many close or shorten hours in winter.
Grand Mesa
Grand Mesa: The Lakes Above The Desert
Rising more than 5,000 feet above the valley, Grand Mesa is one of the largest flat-topped mountains in the world, with hundreds of lakes and reservoirs scattered across a forest at around 10,000 feet. The Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway, Colorado Highway 65, climbs from the orchards near Palisade to the top and down to Cedaredge. In summer it is a cool escape for fishing, paddling and easy hiking; in winter, it has Nordic ski trails and the small Powderhorn ski area on its northern flank.
Montrose
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison
About 75 miles southeast of Grand Junction, near Montrose, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park protects a gorge so deep and narrow that parts of the bottom receive only minutes of direct sun a day. The South Rim Road has a dozen overlooks along about seven miles; Painted Wall, at about 2,250 feet, is the tallest cliff in Colorado. The East Portal Road drops steeply to the river below the canyon and has a vehicle length limit. The North Rim, reached by a separate gravel road from Crawford, is quieter.
Only experienced, well-prepared hikers should attempt the unmaintained routes to the river from the rims, which require a permit. For most visitors, the rim trails and overlooks are the experience.
Glenwood Springs
Glenwood Springs And Glenwood Canyon
At the meeting of the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers, Glenwood Springs has been a resort town since the 1880s.
- Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, opened in 1888, is a block-long outdoor pool fed by the Yampah spring, with a hotter therapy pool beside it. Iron Mountain Hot Springs, across the river, has many small soaking pools. See our hot springs guide.
- Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park combines cave tours with rides on a mountaintop reached by gondola.
- Glenwood Canyon carries Interstate 70 and a paved recreation path along the Colorado River for miles east of town, one of the most scenic bike rides in the state.
- Hanging Lake, a travertine-rimmed lake below a waterfall in the canyon, requires an advance permit year-round. Reserve through the official Visit Glenwood Springs permit site.
Note that Glenwood Canyon occasionally closes after rockfall or debris flows, especially after heavy rain near burn scars. Check COtrip before you drive.
Northwest Colorado
Farther Out: Rifle And Dinosaur
West of Glenwood, Rifle Falls State Park has a triple waterfall and limestone caves a short walk from the parking area, and Rifle Mountain Park is a well-known sport climbing canyon. In the far northwest corner, Dinosaur National Monument straddles the Colorado and Utah border. The famous wall of dinosaur bones is in the Quarry Exhibit Hall on the Utah side; the Colorado side offers canyon overlooks along the Harpers Corner Road, river trips on the Green and Yampa, and very dark skies.
Common questions
Western Slope Questions
How long is Rim Rock Drive?
Rim Rock Drive runs about 23 miles through Colorado National Monument between Grand Junction and Fruita. Allow a couple of hours to stop at overlooks, and check the National Park Service site for road conditions and entrance fees.
When is the best time to visit Grand Junction?
Spring (April to early June) and fall (September to October) are the most comfortable seasons on the Western Slope. Summer days are often hot, especially in the canyons, so plan hikes for early morning.
Do you need a permit for Hanging Lake?
Yes. Hanging Lake in Glenwood Canyon requires an advance permit year-round, reserved through the official Visit Glenwood Springs Hanging Lake reservation site.
Sources
- National Park Service: Colorado National MonumentRim Rock Drive, trails, fees
- National Park Service: Black Canyon of the Gunnisonrim roads, inner canyon permits
- National Parks Traveler: Painted Wall height2,250-foot figure cited from NPS
- Visit Grand JunctionGrand Valley attractions
- Glenwood Hot Springs Resort fact sheetpool history and size
- COTREX: Hanging Lake reservation advisorypermit requirement
- U.S. Forest Service, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National ForestsGrand Mesa recreation
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Rifle Falls State Parkpark information
- National Park Service: Dinosaur National MonumentQuarry Exhibit Hall, Colorado side