5 Reasons to Move to Greater Grand Junction, CO
The region offers stellar local food and wine, not to mention a beautiful, fun outdoors.
Greater Grand Junction, CO, boasts plenty of amenities, but perhaps its best are the result of its location along the Western Slope of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, surrounded by farmland and millions of acres of national parks and forests. It’s a huge playground for outdoor types, and thanks to its deep agricultural roots, the area boasts stellar local food and wine. Here are five reasons to move to Greater Grand Junction, CO.
In This Article
1. Views and Visitas in Greater Grand Junction, CO
From towering red-rock spires to dramatic mesas and lush vineyards, it seems there’s a scenic overlook around every bend, silhouetted against the bright blue skies that are a hallmark of Colorado’s vaunted 300 days of sunshine per year.
Check out Rim Rock Drive, a 23-mile road that winds through Colorado National Monument and provides access to campgrounds, viewpoints and 14 hiking trails. There’s also the Rabbit Valley Trail Through Time, where visitors can see 140 million-year-old dinosaur fossils – and those options barely scratch the surface of the hundreds of landscapes and trails in the area.
2. Back to Nature in Greater Grand Junction, CO
Adventurers itching to pitch a tent in the great outdoors won’t be disappointed here. Colorado National Monument offers year-round camping at its Saddlehorn Campground, while two sections of the James M. Robb Colorado River State Park boast always-open campgrounds on the shore of the Colorado River. Then there’s the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, which offer locations ranging from developed (cabins and RV hookups) to “dispersed” (true backcountry camping).
3. Local Libations in Greater Grand Junction, CO
Colorado has just two official wine grape-growing regions (American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs). Grand Junction and Palisade fall within the borders of one of them, the Grand Valley AVA. Not only is the region known as Colorado’s wine country, but given the state’s love of local beer, it’s no surprise it’s also home to plenty of craft breweries. The result? A thriving beverage scene overall. Imbibers can savor glasses of white and red wine at spots like Maison La Belle Vie Winery, Carlson Vineyards and Sauvage Spectrum, and try tasty brews at Rockslide Restaurant and Brewery and Kannah Creek Brewing Co.
4. Good Joe in Greater Grand Junction, CO
If you enjoy coffee (or just need a pick-me-up), you have plenty of options. Grand Junction’s Four Winds Coffee and Tea serves locally roasted coffee and baked goods at Christ Center church, while Fruita’s Aspen Street Coffee Co. and Bestslope Coffee Co. both roast their own beans. Family-owned Palisade Pie Shop ups the ante by serving joe along with cherry and peach pies made from fruit from the owner’s orchards.
5. Savor the Flavor in Greater Grand Junction, CO
Every summer, Coloradans eagerly await the arrival of luscious, flavorful Palisade peaches, but peaches aren’t the only crop grown in Greater Grand Junction. The area, especially Palisade, is known for farming and agriculture, and community events are held throughout the growing season in celebration. Visit the Palisade International Honeybee Festival (April), Colorado Lavender Festival (June), Palisade Peach Festival (August) and Colorado Mountain Winefest (September) to meet growers and producers, learn about the area’s agricultural heritage and taste the fruits of local farmers’ labor
Get to Know Greater Grand Junction, CO
Want to learn more about living and working in Greater Grand Junction, CO? Check out the latest edition of Livability Grand Junction & Beyond, Fruita, Grand Junction & Palisade, Colorado.