View of Independence Monument with Grand Valley in background. Taken from Rim Rock Rock Drive.

Colorado National Monument

National Monument · Colorado

NPS Photo

📍 StateColorado
🏛️ TypeNational Monument
🎟️ Entry$25
🏃 Activities19
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Colorado National Monument

National Park Service unit in Colorado, United States

Colorado National Monument is a National Park Service unit near the city of Grand Junction, Colorado. Sheer-walled canyons cut deep into sandstone and granite–gneiss–schist rock formations. This is an area of desert land high on the Colorado Plateau, with pinyon and juniper forests on the plateau. The park hosts a wide range of wildlife, including red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, ravens, jays, desert bighorn sheep, and coyotes. Activities include hiking, horseback riding, road bicycling, and scenic drives; a visitor center on the west side contains a natural history museum and gift shop. There are scenic views from trails, Rim Rock Drive, which winds along the plateau, and the campground. Nearby are the Book Cliffs and the largest flat-topped mountain in the world, the Grand Mesa.

WikipediaWikidataSource: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

About Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. But this treasure is much more than a monument. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. You can experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep and soaring eagles.

Park Photos

View of Independence Monument with Grand Valley in background. Taken from Rim Rock Rock Drive.
red-orange cliffs frame rolling green canyon bottoms at sunrise
Visitor Center with American Flag
Looking down from canyon rim at a portion of the historic Rim Rock Drive
Family of four stands on trail looking out towards wide canyons blanketed in green, framed by cliffs
Rock spire with large boulder balancing on top.

Activities

Operating Hours

Colorado National Monument

The Monument is open 24 hours a day year-round. Rim Rock Road is only closed for poor road conditions (snow, ice, rock fall, etc). For updates on storm or temporary closures call the park hotline at (970) 858-3617 ext 350.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to enter Colorado National Monument?

Entrance - Private Vehicle: $25.00. $25 for a private vehicle. Unlimited entry for one vehicle and all its passengers for seven consecutive days, beginning on the day of purchase. Private vehicle must be non-commercial and with a seating capacity of 15 or less. Entrance - Motorcycle: $20.00. Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. Entrance - Per Person: $15.00. This pass is good for 7 days for an individual who is walking or bicycling into the monument. Entrance - Non-commercial Groups: $15.00. Organized groups such as Scouts, Rotary, Hiking Clubs, Youth Groups, Religious Institutions, etc. that do not qualify for an Academic Fee Waiver are charged as follows: $15 per person, not to exceed the equivalent commercial rate. Passes are valid for 7 days. Youth ages 15 and under are free. Individuals or families in the group may use any valid Annual or Lifetime pass for entry. Pass and photo ID must be presented. Entrance - Education/Academic Groups: $0.00. Groups entering the park for educational purposes (curriculum-based classes or activities) may be eligible for a free academic fee wavier. Email COLM_permits@nps.gov to apply for a waiver or for more information. Commercial Entrance - Sedan: $25.00. Cost: $25, plus $15 per person to a maximum of $40. The entry fees for commercial tours are based on the total capacity of vehicles that carry 7 or more people, regardless of the actual number of passengers. Possession of an annual or lifetime pass, or the ages of the passengers, does not affect the price charged unless the vehicle's capacity is less than 7 passengers, excluding the driver. Commercial Entrance - Van: $40.00. The entry fees for commercial tours are based on the total capacity of vehicles that carry 7 or more people, regardless of the actual number of passengers. Possession of an annual or lifetime pass, or the ages of the passengers, does not affect the price charged unless the vehicle's capacity is less than 7 passengers, excluding the driver. Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus: $40.00. The entry fees for commercial tours are based on the total capacity of vehicles that carry 7 or more people, regardless of the actual number of passengers. Possession of an annual or lifetime pass, or the ages of the passengers, does not affect the price charged unless the vehicle's capacity is less than 7 passengers, excluding the driver. Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach: $100.00. The entry fees for commercial tours are based on the total capacity of vehicles that carry 7 or more people, regardless of the actual number of passengers. Possession of an annual or lifetime pass, or the ages of the passengers, does not affect the price charged unless the vehicle's capacity is less than 7 passengers, excluding the driver.

What are the best activities at Colorado National Monument?

Popular activities at Colorado National Monument include: Auto and ATV, Scenic Driving, Biking, Road Biking, Camping, Backcountry Camping, Car or Front Country Camping, Climbing.

What is the weather like at Colorado National Monument?

Spring: Daytime high temperatures 70-85 F (21-30 C), nighttime low temperature 30-50 F (-1 - +10 C). Summer: Daytime high temperatures can reach 100 F (38 C), afternoon thunderstorms common. Fall: Similar to spring temperatures, sudden changes in weather common. Snow can occur in October. Winter: Daytime highs vary from 10 - 45 F (-12 - +7 C). Snow common, patches of snow and ice stay around most of the winter.

How do I get to Colorado National Monument?

Driving Westbound on Highway I-70 towards Grand Junction, Exit 31 (Horizon Drive). Follow signs through Grand Junction to the east entrance. The visitor center and campground are 19 miles from the east entrance. Eastbound on Highway I-70 take Exit 19 (Fruita). Turn south on Highway 340 to the west entrance, which is approximately three miles from Fruita. The visitor center and campground are four miles up from the west entrance.

Entrance Fees

Entrance - Private Vehicle$25

$25 for a private vehicle. Unlimited entry for one vehicle and all its passengers for seven consecutive days, beginning on the day of purchase. Private vehicle must be non-commercial and with a seating capacity of 15 or less.

Entrance - Motorcycle$20

Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.

Entrance - Per Person$15

This pass is good for 7 days for an individual who is walking or bicycling into the monument.

Entrance - Non-commercial Groups$15

Organized groups such as Scouts, Rotary, Hiking Clubs, Youth Groups, Religious Institutions, etc. that do not qualify for an Academic Fee Waiver are charged as follows: $15 per person, not to exceed the equivalent commercial rate. Passes are valid for 7 days. Youth ages 15 and under are free. Individuals or families in the group may use any valid Annual or Lifetime pass for entry. Pass and photo ID must be presented.

Entrance - Education/Academic GroupsFree

Groups entering the park for educational purposes (curriculum-based classes or activities) may be eligible for a free academic fee wavier. Email COLM_permits@nps.gov to apply for a waiver or for more information.

Commercial Entrance - Sedan$25

Cost: $25, plus $15 per person to a maximum of $40. The entry fees for commercial tours are based on the total capacity of vehicles that carry 7 or more people, regardless of the actual number of passengers. Possession of an annual or lifetime pass, or the ages of the passengers, does not affect the price charged unless the vehicle's capacity is less than 7 passengers, excluding the driver.

Commercial Entrance - Van$40

The entry fees for commercial tours are based on the total capacity of vehicles that carry 7 or more people, regardless of the actual number of passengers. Possession of an annual or lifetime pass, or the ages of the passengers, does not affect the price charged unless the vehicle's capacity is less than 7 passengers, excluding the driver.

Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus$40

The entry fees for commercial tours are based on the total capacity of vehicles that carry 7 or more people, regardless of the actual number of passengers. Possession of an annual or lifetime pass, or the ages of the passengers, does not affect the price charged unless the vehicle's capacity is less than 7 passengers, excluding the driver.

Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach$100

The entry fees for commercial tours are based on the total capacity of vehicles that carry 7 or more people, regardless of the actual number of passengers. Possession of an annual or lifetime pass, or the ages of the passengers, does not affect the price charged unless the vehicle's capacity is less than 7 passengers, excluding the driver.

Weather

Spring: Daytime high temperatures 70-85 F (21-30 C), nighttime low temperature 30-50 F (-1 - +10 C). Summer: Daytime high temperatures can reach 100 F (38 C), afternoon thunderstorms common. Fall: Similar to spring temperatures, sudden changes in weather common. Snow can occur in October. Winter: Daytime highs vary from 10 - 45 F (-12 - +7 C). Snow common, patches of snow and ice stay around most of the winter.

Directions

Driving Westbound on Highway I-70 towards Grand Junction, Exit 31 (Horizon Drive). Follow signs through Grand Junction to the east entrance. The visitor center and campground are 19 miles from the east entrance. Eastbound on Highway I-70 take Exit 19 (Fruita). Turn south on Highway 340 to the west entrance, which is approximately three miles from Fruita. The visitor center and campground are four miles up from the west entrance.

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Location

Coordinates39.0505, -108.6921

Official Resources

NPS Official Website