This Grand Junction, Colorado Landmark Is Now 115 Years Old

In 2026, one of the region’s most recognizable landmarks will officially turn 115 years old. Designated as Colorado’s National Monument by President William Howard Taft on May 24, 1911, a summer visit is a great way to celebrate Colorado’s sesquicentennial in 2026.

If you have never seen the monument’s massive sandstone formations, steep canyon walls, or desert wildlife, it can be hard to know where to start. Keep scrolling for a few suggestions that are definitely worth your time.

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How Colorado National Monument Helped Shape Grand Junction

Read More: What Makes Colorado National Monument Unique—and Not a Park

According to the National Park Service, some of the first people to explore the canyons of the Colorado National Monument described them as frightening. The vastness and unfamiliarity of the canyons gave them that “tour of the moon” feeling people still experience today. Grand Junction can thank the monument for helping it become an outdoor recreation hub that has attracted tourists, hikers, photographers, and cyclists for generations.

Why Rim Rock Drive Is Still an Engineering Marvel

Rim Rock Drive stretches 23 miles end to end, connecting Fruita and Grand Junction at an elevation of around 6,500 feet. Crews from the Civilian Conservation Corps carved the road directly into the cliffs in the early 1930s, but had only completed a portion of the work by the time World War II started.  Rim Rock Drive was completed in 1950. The route features tunnels, overlooks, and steep canyon walls. It’s one of my favorite routes in Mesa County.

Three Stops Everyone Should Make Inside Colorado National Monument

Read More: 9 Surprising Secrets of the Colorado National Monument

The scale of Colorado's National Monument is hard to wrap your head around at first. Find out what you're looking at by visiting the welcome center first. Take the Fruita entrance, and when you arrive at the visitor's desk, ask one of the park employees to start the film inside the theatre. It's free to watch. Afterward, check out the maps and models of the monument for a better idea of what you are about to see outside.

If you prefer the overlooks, I recommend checking out the Grand View overlook at sunrise. It's incredible. If you want to get out and hike the canyons of the monument (doubly incredible), start with Monument Canyon. If you love that loop, you'll love the rest of the trails, too. Happy 115 years!