Colorado National Monument - Part A

Grand Junction KOA - Grand Junction, Colorado - Altitude: 4,921 feet
August 16-17
2007 Fall Trip - 12 days and 2,078 miles into trip

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Our last night at Rocky Mountain NP we heard on the news about a truck driver who fell asleep and ran into a bridge pillar on Interstate 70 in Grand Junction, Colorado. The pillar was steel reinforced concrete 3 feet in diameter and he sheared it off. The accident stopped all east and west traffic for over 24 hours. We had to pass through Grand Junction on the way to Capitol Reef NP. So we were expecting a traffic backup.

We normally do not make reservations for one-night stands. As we approach the time (about 4 hours) to stop for the night, Mom will select a campground from one of the various campground guides. She then calls ahead to see if they have a pull through site available. Well as we approached 4 hours she started calling and kept getting “sorry campground full.” She started calling campgrounds farther and farther away. The next thing we knew we had to drive over 7 hours! Since we drove so far we decided to stay 2 nights. It's the last good stop before Capitol Reef. It is also right next to Colorado National Monument. We never viewed that monument.

After Grand Junction you have to drive for 110 miles before a service station then 80 miles until the next.

It is very hot here in the Grand Valley.
Jumping in the pool is great after a hike.

This is the first pool in our travels which has a shaded area.
There are some of us who do not want to sit in the sun all the time!

Balance Rock
One of the first viewing spots on the road into Colorado NM.

This is the north entrance to Colorado NM.
That's the Grand Valley 1800 feet below.

The monument is made up of many different canyons.

That's the city of Grand Juntion in the Grand Valley below..

These are call the "Coke Ovens."
They have the shape of the coal ovens which were used to make coke.

Falling Rock Canyon.
The trails in this area are very steep.
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