“The Independence Monument Trail is a classic Colorado trail run, yet when on the trail you will feel more like you are in southern Utah than Colorado,” says star mountain runner Kim Dobson. Though Dobson has recently relocated to Eagle, she calls the Independence Monument Trail in Grand Junction‘s Colorado National Monument one of her favorites. Dobson tells us all about in the January installment of the VFuel Colorado Trail of the Month.
The trail is nestled in the heart of the Colorado National Monument, one of Colorado’s most unknown outdoor paradises. If you’re looking for some Moab desert trails, cut the drive down by almost two hours next time and explore the Monument instead. It’s a winding, roller coaster-like trail with the perfect combination of quick ups and down, fun turns, smooth terrain, and a steep, rugged mile climb at the end. The trail starts at about 4,700 feet of elevation and ends at a high point of about 6,100 feet. The views along the way are spectacular. Round trip, the route gains about 2,200 feet of elevation in approximately 12 miles.
When to Go: It’s best to run this trail in the spring (March-May) or fall (September-November). Summers are hot and dry while winters can be surprisingly cold. However, winters can be especially beautiful when the sandstone canyons are covered with snow. It’s rarely windy since the trail is nestled in a deep canyon. Being located on the Western Slope, this trail is never truly crowded!
Access: To access the trail, park at the Lower Monument Canyon trailhead off of CO Highway 340. This is most easily accessed by exiting I-70 at Fruita (Exit 19) and going south on Highway 340 for approximately 5 miles. The trailhead will be on your right past the mile marker #5 sign about 2.1 miles past where you would turn off to enter the Monument via the Rim Rock Drive.
Description: A few things to look for on the trail… Mile 0.5-2.5 is where I have most frequently seen Colorado’s Desert Big Horn Sheep. Keep looking occasionally at the base of the 200-400 foot sand stone cliffs to your right and it is likely that you will spot a ram with several of his lady friends. At 2.5 miles you will come straight below the Independence Monument, one of Colorado’s most impressive and well known free standing sandstone towers. It’s common to see climbers on this tower if you look closely. Miles 3-5 winds you by several other well known towers in the canyon. Keep your eyes open for the Kissing Couple tower which is easier to appreciate on the return trip. These miles are rolling with lots of turns, use these miles to just soak up the solitude of the Canyon. The people that are on the trail likely stopped at the Independence Monument Tower so the next several miles are peaceful. Finally enjoy the last mile as you grunt up a “stair-case” like trail gaining over 600 feet in the last mile to reach the Rim Rock Road where views abound.
Additional opportunities: On the return trip just below the Independence Monument Tower take the less traveled Wedding Canyon Trail back to the Lower Monument Canyon trailhead. This trail is more technical than the main trail but will allow for a lollipop type finish to your run and a separate canyon to enjoy. For those inclined for an even longer adventure and have the ability to run a car shuttle, I recommend starting at the Monument Canyon trail and start by climbing to Rim Rock Drive (as described above). Then cross the road and join the CCC trail which then connects to the Black Ridge Trail (continues to climb steeply for another 1-2 miles), turn left here. Follow this back to the Rim Rock Drive, cross the road, and descend back to the Grand Valley via the Liberty Cap Trail, ultimately taking the corkscrew trail to the Wildwood trailhead. This is about an 18 mile outing with approximately 4,000 feet in elevation gain and loss, and is a wonderful tour of the Colorado National Monument.
VFuel
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Past VFuel Colorado trails of the month:
December – Great Western Trail, Windsor
November – Intemann Trail, Manitou Springs
October – Hell Roaring Ridge to Capitol Pass Traverse, Aspen
September – Elk Park/Needleton Loop, San Juan Mountains