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Colorado
National Monument
Established May 24, 1911, and on 20,453.93 acres, Colorado National Monument consists of geologic features including: towering red sandstone monoliths, deep, sheer-walled canyons, and a variety of wildlife (bighorn sheep, golden eagles, mule deer and mountain lions).
- VISITATION:
- Highest June and July; lowest in December and January.
- LOCATION:
- Fruita, CO
- ADDRESS:
- Fruita, Colorado
- TELEPHONE:
- (970) 858-36l7
- OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:
- Park is open 24 hours a day. Visitor center is open every day,
except Christmas. Visitor center winter hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
- Summers are hot and dry, 80 degrees to 100 degrees. Winters are mild, 20 degrees to 45 degrees.
- DIRECTIONS:
- East to west: highway I-70 to Grand Junction, exit at Horizon Drive to east entrance. West to east: highway I-70 to Fruita, Colorado, Exit 19 to west entrance.
- TRANSPORTATION:
- Tour bus service available. Amtrak provides services to Grand Junction every day. Air service provided by Continental, United Express, and Sky West.
In Park: personal vehicle, bicycle, and taxi.
- FEES, COSTS, RATES:
- Entrance fees charged during April through September, $4.00 per vehicle and $2.00 per person. Camping fees year-round, $10.00 per site.
- FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
- Audiovisual program, exhibits and bookstore.
- Trails, Roads:
- Historic Rim Rock Drive, consisting of 23 miles of paved road,
one nature trail and 13 backcountry trails (various lengths), elevation 4,700' to 7,028'.
- Programs/Activities:
- Evening campfire programs during summer months, Saturday and Sunday
only and audiovisual program year-round at visitor center.
- Lodging and camping facilities:
- Eighty site campground, open year-round. It has rest rooms with
flush toilets and sink only, drinking water, charcoal grills only, and picnic tables.
- Food/supplies:
- None in park, but available in nearby communities.
- Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities:
- A bookstore managed by Colorado National Monument Association.
- Accessibility:
- Visitor center, one campsite, three overlooks, and Devils Kitchen
picnic area.
- RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:
- Hiking, sight seeing, camping, biking, picnicking, bird watching,
and climbing.
- RESERVATIONS/PERMITS:
- Reservations for school groups or other educational groups should
be made at least two weeks prior to the visit. At least two weeks notice and application for special use permits
are required for filming or other commercial use.
- BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Basic tour of monument takes from two to five hours; length of
visit may depend on individual activities.
- SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS:
- Easter Sunrise Services; evening campfire program during summer,
Saturday and Sunday only; and various special interpretive programs.
- VISITOR IMPACTS:
- Urban impacts: graffiti; vandalism to petroglyphs and natural formations;
and increasing recreation pressure from rock climbing, mountain biking and horseback riding, etc.
- ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:
- Devils Canyon Learning Center (Animated Dinosaur Museum); Fruita,
Colorado; Colorado River and Grand Mesa National Forest.
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- Write Park Headquarters, Colorado National Monument, Fruita, CO
8l52l, or call (970) 858-36l7.
Do you have questions about Colorado's National Parks?.
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