Even if you dont spot any, a hike or horseback ride through either. The trail starts at the cameo exit 46 just northeast of grand junction and palisade. Bookcliff is a doubletrack mountain bike trail in grand junction, colorado. There we saw the upcoming trail from coal canyon, which is an old trail and should not always be passable. The book cliffs frame the grand valley on the north. We started out just doing the coal canyon trail and ended up doing the 16. There are 2 ways to get from book cliffs to grand junction by taxi, bus or car.
Tabeguache is a hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, road biking, trail running, walking adventure located in or near grand junction, co. Beginning in the floor of the valley the trail follows a. The little book cliffs wild horse area, grand junction. The trail is located off of exit 46 on i70, the cameo exit east of grand junction and palisade. Grand junction, the grand valley, and the book cliffs are everpresent to the east and north beyond the monuments steepwalled canyons. Views of the verdant palisade vineyards and orchards are in stark contrast to colorados barren sandstone cliffs. Although there is never any guarantee that youll see the wild horses, one of the best places to look is the little book cliffs wild horse range, located just kilometers northeast of grand junction. The grand junction, colorado, area offers a variety of hiking trails that lead to unforgettable scenery and. Grand junction and western colorado are home to hundreds of trails for hikers, bikers, runners, cross country skiers and snowshoers. Make sure to visit the lunch loops the next time you come to camp in fruita. The book cliffs trail system consists of five interconnecting trails chutes, edge loop, frontside, prime ribjoes ridge, and zippity on both single and double track. This is a somewhat rigorous hike i am age 66 yet the scenery is spectacular.
Nov 15, 2017 look for the rugged, 14,000foot peaks of the san juan mountains on the southern horizon. Finding a trail in this tamarisksoaked backcountry can be quite an arduous trial. Depending on which trail you decide to take here, the path can be very easy or challenging. The book cliffs are an enormous area that spans two states. Garfield in the book cliffs formation northwest of grand junction. Things to do in grand junction, colorado thrillist. Beginning in the floor of the valley the trail follows a route that leads to the top of the little books cliffs near corcoran point. A nodule where a pocket of barite and calcite crystals may have been found, in the book cliffs area. Little book cliffs wilderness study area has 17 trails in the vicinity, including 16 hiking trails, for trail running and 14 for other activities. The desert mountains and cliffs that make up the bookcliffs also sometimes spelled book cliffs stretch almost 200 miles across western colorado and eastern utah. The viewing platform is right in front of a small pulloff parking area for the book cliffs view.
Hundreds of miles of worldclass mountain biking trails such as the kokopelli trail. Your guide to the grand junction bookcliffs rmhp blog. In grand junction, they define the regions impressive skyline and offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun and recreation. Hiking trails in the grand junction, colorado and surrounding area. Select an option below to see stepbystep directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in rome2rios travel planner. The book cliffs appear mostly along the southern and western edge of the tavaputs plateau. From casual city hikes to demanding backcountry trails grand junction hiking guide, including bangs canyon, black ridge canyons wilderness area, book cliffs, and little book cliffs, colorado national monument, grand mesa, rabbit valley and the uncompahgre plateau. Mount garfield, the highest point along the cliffs, challenges lungs and legs with a 2,000ft. The little book cliffs wild horse area grand junction 2020 all. Baryte and calcite found in concretions ranging from a half an inch to over 6 feet with some concretions in a linear configuration, up to the size of a sedansaloon. After a couple of miles there is a large parking lot. Its best to hike this trail on a clear day when you can see more of the valley and beyond. Marked trailhead is on the campground oneway road just before book cliffs view.
Last year we did this trail on the bookcliffs first level, starting from green river, ut and going up via tusher canyon. The elevations listed above are a little deceiving. We drove to the little book cliffs wild horse area. And with the exception of a few privately held parcels of land, almost 96% of the 2. The little book cliffs wild horse area grand junction. The little book cliffs wild horse area grand junction all. For this site the little bookcliffs area consists of the bookcliff range from the west side of i70 near debeque colorado and stretching around to nearly 18 road near fruita colorado. Adventure bound usa, 2392 h road, grand junction, co 81505, phone. Main canyon, coal canyon, cottonwood canyon and spring canyon.
The longest trail in little book cliffs wilderness study area is ute a wellknown trail measuring 11. What will you find during your visit to grand junction. Southwest part of grand junction along the colorado river. Sep 16, 2019 grand junction, a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, is home to diverse landscapes like colorado national monument, grand mesa, book cliffs and the colorado river. Best trails near grand junction, colorado alltrails. This trail is paved, making it adequate for hikers, bikers, and equestrain use. Exhilarating outdoor adventures including hiking, camping or skiing on the grand mesa. Mountains, rivers, lakes, desert, vineyards, canyons there is no place else in colorado where you can experience the intersection of so many prized ecosystems. Some of americas largest herds roam free across this vast tableland. Hiking, camping, and wild horses near grand junction.
The tellerico trail is located in the little book cliffs wild horse range north of grand junction, colorado. You will be on a 4 wheel drive road for about 6 miles then youre on a week marked trail. The distinctive formations offer plenty of hiking, camping and more. Just eight miles northeast of grand junction, the little book cliffs wild horse area encompasses more than 36,000 acres of rugged canyons and plateaus. One of the most popular hikes on the book cliffs is to the top of mount garfield.
Book cliff mountains, grand junction, colorado went hiking here once. Aweinspiring natural beauty and the dramatic red rock landscape of the colorado national monument. To access the trail head from exit 37 in grand junction colorado, merge onto i70 and. The first part of the hike into little book cliffs is a little strenuous. Jan 03, 20 book cliffs near grand junction, colorado. Hubby and i were looking for a nice easy hike since we spent a whole day on the top of the mountains the day before and wanted to see something different. This challenging hike in the book cliffs, ten miles from grand junction, is considered excellent training for colorado s many fourteeners. The mancos formation and its stratigraphic equivalent to the east known as the pierre shale, often contain concretions. Book cliffs to grand junction 2 ways to travel via taxi.
Cross over the colorado river and continue on the dirt road good for all cars. Digging into the pocket of a nodule in the book cliffs area, working hard trying not to damage any crystals. The top 5 grand junction hiking trails tripadvisor. Complete hiking information for grand junction, colorado with maps, photos, trail descriptions, guides and outfitters, and more. The most wellknown trails, called the lunch loops, are challenging, and endlessly fun. View grand junctions wild horses visit grand junction. Jeep trail on the bookcliffs start from coal canyon. Its not the altitude itself that gets you, its the elevation gain. As mountain bikers and hikers flock to moab for their outdoor fix before winter hits, grand junction, surrounded by the grand mesa, colorado national monument, and the book cliffs, offers its own. Best trails in little book cliffs wilderness study area. Click here to go back to little bookcliffs area hiking. The little book cliffs wilderness study area is characterized by gentlysloping plateaus, various small canyons, and four major canyon systems.
The bookcliffs define the skyline of grand junction. Many times these concretions are quite fossiliferous while others contain beautiful crystals of barite andor calcite. The 5 best grand junction hiking trails with photos. Kokopelli trails 10 rabbit valley 12 colorado national monument 32 dominguezescalante area 11 grand junction riverfront trails 9 grand mesa national forest 63 grand mesa nordic trails 32 highline lake state park 7 kokopelli trail 7 little book cliffs area 22 lunch loop trails system 31 north fruita desert18 road 18.
Book cliff mountains, grand junction, colorado this is just one of the amazing views i have every day. The bike trails can be accessed from either 18 rd or 16 rd just north of the town of fruita. Home to wild horses, theres always something new to see or do in the bookcliffs. Grand junction, home to the colorado national monument, has a solid network of trails. If these spaces are full, continue north around the bend to the window rock trail parking area and use the window rock trail to connect down to the canyon rim trail.