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City in and seat of Mesa County, Colorado, USA
Photo: Ebgundy, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Graced by red rock mesas, Grand Junction is a vital part of Colorado's Wine Country. The city lies on the Colorado River at the foot of Grand Mesa, Mount Garfield, and Colorado National Monument. With a population of about 69,000, Grand Junction is the most populous city in the western half of the U.S. state of Colorado and the seat of Mesa County.
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Local artists display sculptures. They are bolted down to the sidewalks. The art is changed every 6 months or so. Some of the work is absolutely incredible, but some of it is not.
Living history museum featuring historic buildings and agricultural equipment from the early 1900s.
Real fossils, cast skeletons and robotic reconstructions of dinosaurs. The hands-on, interactive museum includes paleontology displays, a working laboratory where dinosaur bones are prepared for display, a collections room where scientists study dinosaurs and other animals, a simulated earthquake ride, a dinosaur library reading area, a sandbox for making your own dinosaur tracks and a “quarry site” where kids can uncover actual Jurassic dinosaur bones.
Navajo art and rugs as well as artifacts from 19th century Grand Junction. Go “underground” into full size uranium mine and examine a miner hard at work and learn about the area's uranium boom
Butterfly house, greenhouse and outdoor gardens featuring the plants of Western Colorado.
Changing art exhibits and art classes. Catch a gala opening if you can.
Hands on math and science "exploratoreum" for kids.
Road traversing the world's largest flattop mountain. Begins at Cedaredge Pioneer Town Museum Welcome Center on US 65 off US 92. The Land O'Lakes Visitor Center, Land's End, and Plateau Valley Area offer fishing, hiking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, photography and amazing views.
Consisting of Highways 141 and 145, this loop trail takes you through sandstone canyons, with wildlife, dinosaur bones and Native American pictographs along the way. Visit the historic Driggs Mansion or the Hanging Flume, a 19th-century wooden water pipe hanging off the canyon walls.
Unearth your own apatosaurus! The Museum of Western Colorado offers a variety of paleontology expeditions in which you will help museum scientists excavate Jurassic dinosaur fossils from quarries, search for new sites, and locate dinosaur tracks in Colorado and Utah.
Enjoy a Pioneer League baseball game at Suplizio Field.
Framed against the backdrop of the scenic Colorado National Monument, this course offers 27 holes. With three separate nine holes for all skill levels and ages.
18 holes with views of the Grand Mesa, Bookcliffs, Uncompahgre Plateau and the Colorado National Monument. Club house, driving range.
18-hole course surrounded by pink sandstone buttes next to the Colorado National Monument. 11 elevated tees, 41 bunkers, deluxe, elegant clubhouse.
This 9-hole course, 36-par public golf course is located in one of Grand Junction's fine old municipal parks in a Victorian neighborhood.
When this course went into bankruptcy during the energy bust of the 1980s, the city bought the course. Called "The Rock" by locals, the fairway plays along the base of the Colorado National Monument's red cliffs. A member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program, Tiara Rado is home to quail, pheasants, owls, herons, deer, rabbits, foxes and all three species of bluebirds in the United States. Home to the Pinon Grill Restaurant.
Stegosaurus and allosaurus bones have been uncovered at this paleontology hot spot. The 0.8-mile, self-guided interpretive trail winds over the old quarry site.
You may have heard of the highest concentration of natural arches in the world in Moab, but what about the second largest? That would be Rattlesnake Canyon, with its nine arches. Hike along the mesa top, even walk through a couple of the arches. Like the more famous Arches National Park, but without the crushing summertime crowds. You may see deer, mountain lion and a herd of bighorn sheep as well as bald and golden eagles.
Consists of two major canyon systems, Big Dominguez and Little Dominguez. Biomes range from upper Sonoran piñon-juniper desert along the Gunnison River, to Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine to aspen at higher elevations.
Runs along the Gunnison River and the historic Old Spanish Trail. The spring and fall are the best times to do this trail
Offers hunting for elk, deer, bear and mountain lion using archery, muzzleloader, rifle or handgun.
With eleven named rapids sporting wicked names like Big Hummer, Funnel Falls, Surprise, Skull, Bowling Alley and Sock-It-To-Me, this is a hairy whitewater experience. Go with a professional outfitter. Just 40 minutes west of Grand Junction in Utah.
Whitewater rafting trips on the Colorado River through Westwater Canyon and Cataract Canyon, as well as, whitewater rafting on the Green River through Lodore Canyon and Desolation Canyon and the Yampa River in Colorado and Utah.
Enjoy one-and-a-half hour to three-day adventures down the Dolores, Gunnison and Colorado Rivers.
Old fashioned family style restaurant. Attached to the Quality Inn on the main drag into town, this understated restaurant has solid, well prepared food. It started life as a health food restaurant 30 years ago, and still serves up homemade granola, fresh squeezed apple, orange and carrot juice, as well as homemade desserts. Breakfast is when Goodpastures shines. Try the French toast, Belgian waffle or a breakfast burrito.
The best bagel place. Awesome atmosphere. Sometimes you will go in for lunch to find local musicians playing banjos and guitars. It is usually very entertaining. It is like something you would have seen on the old TV show "The Waltons" Remember the DO Drop In? It is like stepping back in time.
Curry and spicy noodle dishes. Inexpensive and delicious.
Airy, gallery like space with skylights, serving omelets,fresh-baked breads, rolls, pastries, and desserts. Great spot for breakfast.
Cold brew coffee and breakfasts and sandwiches.
Indian cuisine. Be sure to order a lassi, a drink made from homemade yogurt with a touch of rose water. Many different vegetarian dishes.
1119 N 1st St # A, Grand Junction
Hipster sushi bar serving stir fry dishes, miso soup, teriyaki meats, grilled fish, udon noodles and homemade desserts. Wash it down with cocktails, sake, wine, beer or mixed drinks.
Traditional Japanese restaurant, where you sit cross-legged on the floor. A Grand Junction institution. Teriyaki, hibatchi, stir fry, California rolls, unagi. Try the dynamite shrimp tempura rolls, hot and crispy.
Goat cheese, pate, Mediterranean olive plates, calamari, truffle oil, Prince Edward Island mussels, prime angus --this restaurant uses many high end ingredients in its dishes. Plus an extensive wine list with vintages from Colorado, California, Washington, Germany, France and Spain.
Carpaccio, salami, shrimp cocktail, salmon filets, prime and natural steaks, wild game, chops, duck breasts and other poultry, as well as salads and vegetarian dishes. Using local produce and meats, on premise vegetable garden, extensive wine list
Grand Junction's original fine dining experience. Located in a 90 year old building that used to house a horse drawn carriage fire station. Steak and seafood and an extensive Colorado wine list. Reservations recommended.
Produces small batch India Pale Ale and Scottish Ale. Crab dip, pastas, sandwiches, burgers, burritos, BBQ, pizzas and calorie-laden desserts.
A favorite lunch spot for downtown's office workers. Sandwiches, burgers, artichoke dip, Greek food.
Stout, Hefeweizen, Pilzner, Irish Red, porter, Stout and other hand-crafted beers. Brewpub grub of grilled burgers and paninis, plus pasta. pizza and calzones.
Small bar on Main st frequented by many of the Grand Junction's HBTQ-community.
Located in an old brick storefront, the Rockslide serves pizzas, pasta, burgers and micro-brewed beer in the middle of the downtown pedestrian district.
French chateau-style stone mansion located in its own vineyards with views of the Bookcliffs, Grand Mesa and Colorado National Monument. Tasting room, small bed and breakfast of eight rooms.
Gourmet fruit specialties, jams, jellies, syrups, chocolate dipped dried fruit and fresh Colorado peaches and apples in season.
Chocolate, ice cream, coffee shop and retail outlet
Great vinyl collection.
Original painting, sculpture, photography, pottery, stained glass by local artists.
Women's clothing, accessories, jewelry, shoes.
By car
By train
Amtrak serves Grand Junction with the California Zephyr, which runs daily between Emeryville (in the San Francisco Bay Area) and Chicago.
By bus
By bike
For extreme mountain bikers, it's possible to follow the Kokopelli Trail from Moab, Utah, then join up with the Colorado River Front Trail system and bicycle all the way to downtown.
Public transportation
There is a local bus system called Grand Valley Transit. +1 970 256-7433 (RIDE). The downtown transfer station is at 6th St. & South Ave.50. An all day pass costs $3. A pass good for 11 rides is $15.
Walk
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Grand Junction · Regional · GJT
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