Grand Junction offers several distinct ways to explore: art throughout the city, museums with different focuses, river landscapes and canyon views. When planning your trip, it helps not to combine these themes into a single route. The selection includes places in Downtown, along the Colorado River and in the surrounding area. You can then decide whether public art and history, river activities or canyon geology should take center stage.
Art and History in Grand Junction
Art on the Corner brings together public art and the history of its exhibition program. It began on August 5, 1984, with an exhibition of 24 sculptures on Main Street in Grand Junction. Today, Art on the Corner features more than 115 sculptures throughout Downtown Grand Junction; the collection may change over time. The program also includes community talks and tours exploring the exhibition’s history. The sculptures throughout the city and the historical context of the program offer different ways to engage with the same subject.
The Sterling T. Smith Observation Tower offers a different view of Grand Junction. It rises nearly 75 feet above the Museum of the West, offering 360-degree views of Grand Junction, the Colorado River and the surrounding canyon country. By contrast, the EUREKA! McConnell Science Museum focuses on science-related activities and interactive exhibits. At Cross Orchards Historic Site, a living history museum shares Grand Junction’s agricultural roots. The Art Center of Western Colorado complements these cultural offerings with changing exhibitions, workshops and classes in various artistic media.
Park and Activities on the Colorado River
Las Colonias Park is a 130-acre park right beside downtown Grand Junction, on the banks of the Colorado River. It connects to the existing and expanding Riverfront Trail system. The parkland, riverside location and connection to the trail system are defining features of this place. Watson Island is right on the Colorado River near Las Colonias and offers disc golf. The two places therefore differ in what they offer: Las Colonias is defined by its park and trail connection, while disc golf is one of Watson Island’s amenities.
Scenic Drives, Canyons and Historic Routes
Nearby, Rim Rock Drive runs through Colorado National Monument. This paved, two-lane road is 23 miles long. Pullouts and viewpoints offer views of the Monument’s geological formations and natural landscapes. For a different perspective, Otto’s Trail leads to a peninsula in the canyons. From there, you can take in panoramic views of Wedding Canyon and Monument Canyon on three sides. The landscapes described here offer different experiences: Rim Rock Drive provides access along a road with pullouts and viewpoints, while Otto’s Trail leads to the peninsula and its panoramas in three directions.
The area’s history is also rooted in its landscape: the Old Spanish Trail North Branch is a corridor that runs west over Cochetopa Pass to Grand Junction, Colorado. As a historic corridor, it differs from the views described along Rim Rock Drive and Otto’s Trail: those places offer specific landscape views, while the North Branch Trail refers to a historic connection.
A Seasonal Addition
Nearby, Fruit Basket Orchards is a 7.5-acre pick-your-own farm. Since this is a seasonal offering, check whether pick-your-own fruit is available before visiting. The farm adds a topic to the selection that differs from art, museums and canyon landscapes and merits a separate seasonal check when planning your visit.
Discover more destinations: Redlands, Palisade, De Beque, Fruita
Return to the main travel overview: Mesa.
