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Grand Junction Colorado Rafting |
Grand Junction is a small city of approximately 35,000 people on the Colorado River on the Western Slope of Colorado. Surrounding Grand Junction is the magnificent Colorado National Monument and one of the largest mesas in the world, Grand Mesa. Grand Junction is also home to Mesa State College, a four-year public university.
Grand Junction's number one attraction should be Colorado National Monument, some of the most impressive canyon country in this nation. It's open all year and offers access to numerous and remote side canyons. There are a ton of hiking trails or you can just drive the 23 miles of the rim. In April, spend the day at the Southwest Fest Arts & Crafts Show in the Lincoln Park Barn. In July, enjoy the Mesa County Fair. In October, join the locals at the Apple Jubilee Festival at Cross Orchards Historic Farm or spend the day at Oktoberfest in downtown Grand Junction. Be sure to check out the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce before you arrive, so you don't miss anything fun going on.
If you get a chance, spend a couple of hours in Grand Junction's downtown, which has a beautiful historic district. In the winter, avoid the crowds by skiing at Powderhorn, a small resort outside of Grand Junction that has 1650 vertical feet of drop and good powder. You can also go cross-country skiing and snowmobiling on Grand Mesa. In the summer, you can go rock climbing, cycling, mountain biking, golfing, or whitewater rafting on the Yampa or the Green in Dinosaur National Monument of through Westwater Canyon on the Colorado River. Grand Junction is almost next to the heart of Colorado wine country. The Grand Valley outside of Palisade (xx miles from Grand Junction) has the greatest number of wineries in Colorado. The most common varietals grown are Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. Two wineries you might like to visit are Plum Creek Cellars and Carlson Vineyards. If you have kids with you, certainly stop by the Dinosaur Valley Museum which has a superb exhibit of dinosaur tracks. There is a working paleontology laboratory and mechanical models of numerous dinosaurs. Before you plan your trip to Grand Junction, make sure to contact the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce and Mesa State College to see what local activities are happening while you are in town. |
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