Discovering My Colorado

Having grown up on a farm, I had always thought of myself as adventurous. But 35 years ago this transplanted Kansas girl experienced her first trip into the mountains of Colorado and adventure was not what came to mind. I was lying in the bed of a pickup truck, not wanting to see what lay ahead, and as we climbed a steep grade to altitudes of 12,000 feet, tears filled my eyes.

But soon the cool mountain air and pristine beauty of our surroundings began to work its magic on me. I began to see it all with different eyes and I fell in love with Colorado. My Colorado.

Today, I can look out our kitchen window in Grand Junction and see the purple-gray Book Cliffs. They are a steep, book-shaped rock formation that was created by erosion. The cliffs stretch over a hundred miles into our neighboring state of Utah. Hiking trails lead to the top, where views of the valley are outstanding, and where wild horses still roam.

From our front door, the majestic Grand Mesa stands proudly. It is the world’s largest flattop mountain, teeming with 300 lakes. The natural abundance and variety of plant and animal life found here must have enhanced the lives of the ancient people who lived here 10,000 years ago. Grand Mesa continues to dominate the landscape, providing food, water, shelter and recreation for the people in the valleys below. Today, fishing, camping and hiking in the summer, and snowmobiling and snow skiing in the winter draw tourists from all over.

Out our back window another view awaits: the Colorado National Monument. It is a special place—a dramatic example of the incomparable artistry of nature. It was created by a gigantic earth movement that tilted the strata and raised the surface one-mile above its present level. The Colorado River then boiled up its liquid sandpaper and carved out the canyons, leaving magnificent monoliths by the score.

For views of the monument, you can travel on 23-mile Rim Rock Drive, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. At overlooks along this drive, you will find breathtaking view of dramatic landforms, including the 500-foot solitary rock known as Independence Monument. The Colorado National Monument covers 20,445 acres and offers opportunities for hiking and camping as well as sightseeing.

Colorado has been called America’s rooftop, the state nearest heaven. It boasts an average elevation of 6,800 feet, with 1,100 peaks soaring more than 10,000 feet and with 53 peaks reaching 14,000 feet.

Colorado’s back roads take you to abandoned mining towns dating back to the 1800s, and you will find high cliffs overlooking valleys and will see waterfalls cascading to the streams below. To reach these back roads, you need a four-wheel drive, a sunny day, a cooler filled with goodies, and a spirit for adventure.

Colorado is an RV friendly state and a beautiful place to visit or live. Our little corner, here in Grand Junction, is just a small sample of what it has to offer.

Barbara Oliver is an RVer and writer who lives in Grand Junction, Colorado.