Destination Of The Week: Colorado National Monument

Along my 2015 Solo Road Trip I made a pit stop to visit my sister who lives in Grand Junction, Colorado. I didn't have much expectations of this area since I simply stopped there there get in some quality family time. Once there, I asked my sister Betsy if there was anything I should see in the morning before hitting the road again. Little did I know Colorado National Monument was sitting basically right in here back yard. Having grown up in Colorado, I had never heard of this so called "monument" so I decided I needed to at least take a peek. Driving into the park at sunrise I was instantly amazed. A steep switchback road quickly brought you to the top of a canyon offering spectatular views of the valley below surrounded by sheer red walls. I was in a bit of a hurry to get to my next destination so I made this visit brief, deciding that I would pass back through on my way back to California.

Little did I know, the scene would be completely different when I returned since the area had been covered in snow since I left. This time I brought my sister into the park with me as she agreed to be a running model for a Nike project I was working on. The snow made the area that much more dramatic, and the windy roads with steep dropoffs that much more intimidating to drive. I'm glad we braved the roads though because one of my images from this visit ended up on Nike's Instagram.

If you ever happen to be passing through this part of Colorado I highly recommend driving through this area. But if you are going through during the winter, just be sure you are in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle with snow tires... it's well worth the detour.