COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT PHOTO GALLERY
Situated on the Uncompahgre Plateau (which itself is part of the larger Colorado Plateau), the Colorado National Monument is known for its colorful, wind-eroded sandstone formations, towering monoliths, and deep steep-walled canyons, all providing a spectacular stop on our spring 2023 scenic tour.
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Our final major scenic stop on this spring National Parks tour: Colorado National Monument
We drove the scenic Rim Rock Drive which winds 22 mi along the plateau - this was the first turnout
The rock formations date back many millions of years and continue to be shaped by erosion
As you reach the top of the plateau this is a spectacular peek back at Grand Junction, below
Libby is sitting on a ledge above one of many, many scenic overlooks along RimRock Drive
One of the first named overlooks you come to is Ute canyon named for the Ute tribe
the Native Americans who lived in this region long before white men came here.
Another angle on Ute Canyon showing the stream bed below
This scenic overlook is called Artists Point, for obvious reasons
This overlook is called Coke Ovens Overlook. These pillars were so named because
the rounded shape resembles beehive coke ovens that were used in the 18th century
to convert bituminous coal into coke, which was then used for smelting iron
Independence Monument overlook was named by John Otto who made the first ascent 6/14/1911
Joe and Libby taking a moment for a photo to commemorate our visit to Colorado National Monument
The area was first explored by John Otto, who settled in Grand Junction in the early 20th century.
An excellent short film produced by the National Park Service called "Heart of Time"
on the unique human history, wildlife, and geology of Colorado National Monument
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See also our special scenic photo galleries for
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