Gateway to the Canyonlands of Utah, numerous river running adventures, and the San Juan Mountains!
Grand Junction is the largest town on the western slope of Colorado. With 70,000 people in town, and upwards of 100,000 in outlying areas, services of all types are not hard to come by. Although Grand Junction is in western Colorado, it sits right on the eastern edge of the Colorado Plateau, and offers a wealth of activities to supplement your CFI experience.
Consider a visit to Colorado National Monument, or Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. If you’re here in season, don’t miss the famous western slope peaches, and if you have just a few hours, visit the Dinosaur Journey Museum of Western Colorado: in Fruita, just west of Grand Junction ((970-858-7282). This listing is NOT all-inclusive, but should get you started with travel plans.
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Grand Junction, Colorado Travel Planning Web Sites:
Visitor & Convention Bureau, a lot of info, easy to navigate.
Chamber of Commerce, a lot of facts.
Grand Junction Home, supplemental information, links to many local websites.
Colorado National Monument, Grand Junction, CO
Canyonlands Region: Utah Travel Resources
Arches National Park: US Government page
Canyonlands National Park: US Government page
River Recreation Opportunities: Colorado various sections, Dolores
Newspapers:
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Parks and Campgrounds:
Colorado National Monument, Grand Junction, CO (970) 858-3617
Highline, Island Acres, Vega, Grand Junction Area State Parks (800.678.CAMP)
Grand Mesa/Forest Service (970.242.8211)
AllStays Campground List for Grand Junction, Grand Junction (970.245.8531)
Green River State Park, Campground (435) 564-3633
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Grand Junction, CO (970) 641-2337
Places to Hike and Visit:
All the Parks, National Monuments, and Recreation Areas listed above.
Museums:
John Wesley Powell River History Museum: Green River, UT (435) 564-3427
Dan O’Laurie Canyon Country Museum: Moab (435) 259-7985
Dinosaur Journey Museum of Western Colorado: Fruita, CO (970) 858-7282
Travel to and from Grand Junction
Driving: Grand Junction is about four hours west of Denver on I-70, and five hours south and east of Salt Lake City. A number of scenic highways branch out in all directions from Grand Junction.
Flying: Grand Junction does have an airport serviced by United, Delta/Skywest, and America West, with regular connections to Denver, Phoenix, and Salt Lake. Shuttles, taxis, and busses are available for travel within the city, and most national rental car companies are available at the airport.
Train: For a scenic, nostalgic trip, take the train. Amtrak’s line, the California Zephyr costs about the same as flying, but is slower than driving. Grand Junction is one of the trains many stops between Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area. Amtrak has a good website with schedules and fares.
Lodging Accommodations in Grand Junction
Close to airport : The Holiday Inn (888-489-9796) and the Best Western Horizon Inn (800-544-3782) Both provide free airport shuttle.
Chain hotel/motels: There are a host of MOTELS like the Days Inn (800-790-2661), and the Super 8 (800-800-8000). There are also a number of small local motels; call the Grand Junction Visitor and Convention Bureau at 800-926-2547 for A LOT more options, including rural Inns and Bed & Breakfasts.
Full service hotels: The Adams Mark (970-241-8888), the Hawthorn Suites (800-922-3883), and the Hampton Inn (877-307-5678) are in the city center.
Camping: Colorado National Monument has one large campground (970-858-3617); Highline, Island Acres, Vega, and Colorado River State Parks each have campgrounds (call 800-678-CAMP for details); and there are many Forest Service campgrounds on Grand Mesa (970-242-8211). These campgrounds are 15-45 min. outside of Grand Junction. If you need hookups, try the Junction West R.V. Park and Campground (970-245-8531).