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Day 62 - Colorado National Monument

Established as a national monument early in 1911, Colorado NM is known for its high canyon "rim road" and sandstone spires of Monument Canyon.  The canyons of west Colorado are pretty--as they have more green trees and shrubs than the more famous Utah canyons. This gives them a more alive feeling, although the sandstone spires were formed many thousands of years ago by erosion. 

Rim Rock road curves up the the top of the canyon cliff, goes through several round tunnels and is lined with scenic viewpoints. The best views were in he Monument Canyon section, and included in sequence, the Coke Ovens, The Kissing Couple (behind my head), and the most famous of all: Independence Monument, the tall spire in pic 3 and viewed from the side in pic 4. 





The original promoter and caretaker of the park, John Otto, was the first person to climb Independence Monument and now it's a climbing right of passage. Every July 4 climbers ascend and mount an American flag at the summit. Fun!  I need to learn how to rock climb. 

After Colorado Monument I drove to the quaint outdoorsy town of Fruita for pizza and salad and then drove to nearby Rabbit Valley for a free campsite and a rainbow. 





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  1. David FrankstoneMay 24, 2015 at 2:08 PM

    Pic 2. Don't step back. Looks like you are right on the edge. Nice rainbow shot.

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    1. LeeMay 24, 2015 at 2:54 PM

      Haha. I was close to the edge but safe enough for a photo!

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