Grand Junction Travel Guide

Grand Junction gets its name from its location on the Colorado (formerly the Grand) river. The biggest city on the "west slope" of Colorado's Rocky Mountains, it's located in a rugged and scenic region of the state. The landscape is dominated by rugged cliffs and mesas, with the Colorado River winding west in a wide valley.

The city itself sprawls like many western towns. The historic sections of town run east-west along the old US-6 corridor. North and south of Interstate 70, new subdivisions have sprung up in the recent past. The town has a small college, the usual shopping mall and other services, a pleasant downtown area, and plenty of lodging and restaurant facilities for travelers and visitors.

Nearby attractions include the red rock cliffs and canyons of Colorado National Monument, a wonderful and little-known unit of the National Park Service. The USDA Forest Service also manages the nearby national forest lands on Grand Mesa and beyond. Once you get out and explore this region, you'll understand why people want to come here.