Dramatic rock formations, rows of fruit trees and vineyards, farm fields, hiking, camping, cities and rural expanses all combine in Colorado’s Grand Valley. Learn about the many sides of the area to be discovered in this article by Jimmy McDonough, RealFoodTraveler.com’s Eco-Friendly Food, Travel and Adventure Editor.

Save this article to help you plan your own refined and rough adventures in Colorado’s Grand Valley. Photos by Jimmy McDonough. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Colorado’s Grand Valley: Adventures Refined and Rough

Rimmed by the rippled Bookcliffs to the north, the heaving terra cotta mass of the Colorado National Monument to the south, the hulking Grand Mesa to the east, and bisected by the Colorado River, the Grand Valley sprawls westward. This striking geography creates a micro-climate where winters are milder and summers burn hot and dry. Where irrigated, the Valley is bountiful with orchards, vineyards, vegetable gardens, and lavender fields. Luscious and flavorful, the Valley’s Palisade peaches are celebrated throughout Colorado, and the region’s wines are gaining attention beyond the state. In this region I have enjoyed adventures of all sorts, refined and rough.

Sunset over the Grand Valley.

Tales of Refined Adventures in the Grand Valley

Tracing the Colorado river, a string of towns offer different vibes and refined adventure options for visitors to enjoy. Here are my favorites:

Grand Junction – the largest community between metro Denver and Salt Lake City, “GJ” as the locals call it, is a small city with an historic central core of charming neighborhoods. The lively, walkable downtown along Main Street offers public art, shops, eateries, galleries, wine tasting, and entertainment venues.

Palisade – artsy and laid back, Palisades celebrates the local agriculture; even bike racks are sculpted with homages to local vines and fruit. The charming and walkable downtown offers an array of places to eat and shop; don’t miss the artist co-op Blue Pig for a huge selection of art. On my Autumn visit, a lively farmer’s market filled the streets.

Palisade is known for fruit, especially peaches which are the star of the annual Palisade Peach Festival. The rest of the season, a bounty of other fruits are available at farmer’s markets.

Connecting Palisade with GJ is highway 6, bordered by miles of agriculture fields. Farmstands beckon you to sample products of Grand Valley’s fertile soils; at charming Blaine’s Farm Store, I purchased an organic Asian Pear and a loaf of Fig and Thyme Sourdough bread crafted by a local artisan baker. Look for the signs “Palisade Fruit and Wine Byway” to visit fruit producers and local wineries. I followed one such sign down G 4/10 Road past 36 3/10 Road where I stumbled on the delightful gem “Maison La Belle Vie Winery” and café. From a shaded terrace, I toasted the dramatic Bookcliffs with a flight of their excellent wines, enjoyed a flavorful beet and chevre garden salad, and finished with a luxurious tiramisu. After lunch, I moseyed about Maison’s lovely grounds to see the vines, gardens, and wine making barn; guided tours are available with the winemaker. The Byway goes for miles and can be explored by bike – if you crave exercise between sips!

Enjoy food, drink and views at Maison Winery.

Fruita – compact and easily accessible from interstate 70, Fruita is where the river rats (Colorado River guides) and desert explorers gather provisions and celebrate between adventures. A compact downtown offers a surprisingly robust array of eateries, a micro-brewery, public art, and shops. Skips Farm to Market stocks sustainable, locally raised foods: vegetables, fruits, meats, baked goods, and more. On my visit, some charmingly small, deep purple grapes caught my eye – at first I mistook them for blueberries. Skip’s proprietress explained they were Concord grapes, grown by a man in his house garden nearby, “just for fun”. She warned me, “They’re seeded – you ok with that?” Popping them in my mouth revealed how commercially raised grapes train our taste buds to accept the banal. Bursting with intense flavor and a gummy texture surrounding the seeds, these orbs of goodness were tasty, and spittin’ seeds out the car window on my way to the next adventure was just plain fun!

Hungry for more? Read Jimmy’s article about the Milagros of Colorado’s San Luis Valley.

A Tale of Roughing it in the Grand Valley

For thousands of years, indigenous peoples from across the intermountain West were drawn to the region we call the Grand Valley for food, protection, spiritual needs, and community. Their presence is evidenced in the artistic storytelling tracings on rock faces and the many various artifacts of their life here. I acknowledge their original inhabitation of this land and appreciate my ability to respectfully share use of the land with them as it is forever an integral part of their culture.  

An eccentric adventurer, John Otto explored the vast canyons of the Grand Valley region in 1906 and was so moved, he referred to them as the “Heart of the World”. He devoted himself to advocacy for their federal protection from private exploitation so that future generations could enjoy the unspoiled landscape. Otto’s relentless efforts inspired the public and elected officials alike and in 1911, the Colorado National Monument was created. For details of his touching life story and creation of the Monument, be sure to spend time at the Visitor Center.

Colorado National Monument offers dramatic views in every direction including the Kissing Couple (left) and Coke Oven formations (top right).

In the 1930’s, the Civilian Conservation Corps was charged with building infrastructure for visitors and the result is acclaimed as one of the most magnificent drives in the country – Rim Rock Drive. Along with twisting roads along sheer cliffs, the young men of the Corps built miles of hiking trails, shelters, and campgrounds, all for our year-round enjoyment. Thank you CCC!

I chose Saddlehorn Campground as home base for Autumn adventuring. Atop the Monument, accessed by the serpentine Rimrock Drive, it afforded expansive views of the Grand Valley, all under a massive sky sparkling with stars at night in the clear dry air. The perfect spot to access the many trailheads accessible along Rimrock’s 20+ miles.

On my first morning, I set off for an easy-going, short hike from the campground to overlooks with spectacular views of canyons, rock formations, and the verdant Valley. Craving more, I headed to the Visitor Center and asked for guidance on more challenging hikes. A friendly older fella provided me a map of a hike that started right across the road from the parking lot, as well as a trail that plunged into the canyons. He said the Black Ridge trail led to “Hell’s Canyon” on the other side of the mountain; intrigued, I took that trail and headed straight for Hell!

Remote and desolate, crossing paths with another solo hiker only once over the 3.5 miles, I came upon the fiery gash of Hell’s Canyon and yearned to get closer. In this landscape of countless beautiful sights (mostly uncelebrated), each begs for exploration. “Next time!” I yelled out into the vast void. Smiling at my ridiculousness, I continued on through scree, sandy rivulets, and scruffy meadows amid horizons of cliffs and peaks swept by dramatic storm clouds shedding rain in distinct vertical columns.

Descending sharply, Black Ridge looped back to Rimrock Drive, where I caught the next trailhead at Upper Monument Canyon, zig-zagging 800 feet down to the canyon floor. Awe-inspiring sandstone formations surrounded me, like a movie set for an old wild west movie. Past the bulbous Coke Ovens, the twisting stone pillar “Kissing Couple,” the tortured trail was 3.5 miles to the solitary spire known as Independence Monument, where I turned around. In 4 hours, I briefly encountered a handful of others; mostly, there was solitary quiet with an occasional Raven “KAAA!” and gentler warbling of other birds. Lots of time for contemplation about life and self-reflection – one of the gifts of being immersed in untrammeled nature.

Jimmy with the Kissing Camels formation in the distance.

Back at the base of the zig-zag trail, the climb up the 800-foot cliff face was brutal. The endless rough-hewn stone staircase, at altitude, tested my heart to its limits. Dizzy and unstable, I wondered – was I having a stroke? Stopping, I used yoga breathing exercises to fill my lungs and recenter myself. Calmed and balance restored, I continued the climb, grateful for the relative cool of an Autumn day. Summer hiking here would be dangerous unless done very early in the day.

Reaching the top, cramping legs, numb feet, dry water bottle, I realized my foolish mistakes – underpreparing, overestimating my abilities, and leaving my car parked at the campsite. Since morning, I had already hiked a rigorous 15 miles or so, another five miles lay ahead on the very narrow winding pavement to return to camp. To distract from my discomfort, I lingered at fanciful rock formations that are overlooked when passing in a car and paused often to take in the dramatic views along Rimrock. Encounters with cyclists and a herd of bighorn sheep were surprisingly similar – both staring back at me as if to say “Dude! What’re you doin’ here?”

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Finally back at camp, collapsed in a chair, boots and socks shed, I reflected on my stupidity and my good luck. Neither legs nor heart failed me, no sudden storms blew up, and no near misses with a vehicle. Learn from my mistake fellow hikers – drive to the trail heads and park for in/out hikes. Plan, prepare, and do not underestimate the challenges of exploring these beautiful, rugged canyons!

That evening, I pan fried a steak (locally raised, organic Highlands steer) and ate a salad (both from Skip’s down in Fruita), hoping the protein would miraculously heal my overtaxed muscles. With cloudy skies blocking the stars, I turned in early.

I set my alarm to awake before sunup on the second morning. Sore from the rigors of the previous day’s hike, steaming coffee in hand, I hobbled back to the nearby canyon rim to experience the sun rise over Grand Mesa and watch the first rays ignite the colors of the Monument. Fellow pilgrims gathered further along the rim; I mused we shared a spiritual kinship with the original inhabitants of this land and with John Otto. In that moment, all seemed right with the world.

Aglow in the Autumn sunrise of the Grand Valley.

Altho’ my heart wanted to explore more, my body made it clear that was not possible, so I broke camp. As I descended from the Monument into the Grand Valley, enthralled by its beauty at every turn, I whispered gratitude for the privilege of experiencing this magnificent land. I hope to return soon. May you find your way to the Heart of the World.

In addition to hiking and camping (my preferred outdoor adventures), the Grand Valley offers cycling (road and dirt), rafting, fishing, horseback riding, back country backpacking, to name a few.

A visit to Colorado’s Grand Valley is ideal for anyone seeking adventures, refined or rough.

-Story and photos by Jimmy McDonough, Eco-Friendly Food, Travel & Adventure Editor, RealFoodTraveler.com

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