Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Grand Junction (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Mount Garfield, Cross Orchards Historic Site, and Western Colorado Center for the Arts. Also, be sure to include Mesa County Public Library District in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Grand Junction (Colorado).
Table of Contents
Mount Garfield
Mountain in Colorado. Mt. Garfield is the high point of the Book Cliffs, east-northeast of Grand Junction, and overlooking the town of Palisade. Two classic hiking trails ascend the mountain. The mountain was named after President James Garfield a year after Garfield's death. The mountain is composed of Mesaverde Group overlaying Mancos Shale.[1]
Cross Orchards Historic Site
Museum in Fruitvale, Colorado. Cross Orchards Historic Site is a living history museum located in Grand Junction, Colorado. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Orchards are known for showing how life was on an orchard at the turn of the twentieth century and is considered living history as it is still worked and cultivated regularly. It features a workers' bunkhouse, blacksmith shop, country store, and a collection of vintage farming equipment. The site includes farm equipment, implements and tools, a period farmhouse, a recreated train depot and Uintah Railway exhibit with railroad cars, an engine and caboose, and historic horse-drawn road-building equipment. It is also home to the largest collection of Uintah Railway cars on the Colorado western slope.
At its peak the orchard produced 22,000 apple trees over a 243-acre (0.98 km2) orchard. It is considered the largest orchard for the time in western Colorado. The only land left today is now a 24-acre (97,000 m2) site. The farm is also known to feature celebrations at harvest time where they show the public how apple cider was made.[2]
Address: 3073 F Rd, 81504-4201 Grand Junction
Western Colorado Center for the Arts
Art gallery. The Western Colorado Center for the Arts, also known as The Art Center, is located at 1803 North Seventh Street in Grand Junction, Colorado. Founded in 1953, the art center features four galleries, a gift shop, two enclosed courtyards, and several working studios and classrooms. The center contains a diverse permanent collection of mostly regional Western art. Programming includes two-dimensional and three-dimensional visual art and educational programs for children, adults and people with special needs.[3]
Address: 1803 N 7th St, 81501-3097 Grand Junction (Capitol Hill)
Mesa County Public Library District
Public library. The Mesa County Public Library District is based in Mesa County, Colorado. The Central Library is located in Grand Junction, Colorado and the other branches are located in Clifton, Fruita, Orchard Mesa, Palisade, Collbran, and De Beque.
MCPLD serves about 100,000 people in the Grand Valley area. They offer extensive services for children, including musical performances and puppet shows. The library also offers many services for adult learning as well as many computer-related services including classes, public computers, a digital conversion station, Wi-Fi, Black and white or color copying, scanning and printing.
The Mesa County Public Library District also owns and operates the 970West Studio, a digital recording and production studio that offers opportunities for Mesa County residents to learn and create professional-level audio and video recordings.[4]
Address: 530 Grand Ave, Grand Junction (Downtown Grand Junction)
The Palette
Museum, Paint and pottery studios, Classes and workshops
Address: 441 Main St, 81501-2511 Grand Junction (Downtown Grand Junction)
Western Colorado Math & Science Center
Museum
Address: 2660 Unaweep Ave, Grand Junction (Orchard Mesa)
Canyon View Park
Hiking trail, Outdoor activities, Relax in park, Park
Address: 750 24 Rd, 81505-9632 Grand Junction
Handy Chapel
Building. Handy Chapel is the only original church building still standing in the original square mile of Grand Junction, Colorado. The land that the chapel was built on was deeded to "the black citizens of Grand Junction" for the express purpose of building a place of worship in 1883, just two short years after Grand Junction was originally staked out by town founder and Governor George A. Crawford. It took the African American community nine years to raise the required $962.50 to build the church, which was completed in 1892.
The chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.[5]
Aspen Photo Art Gallery
Museum, Art gallery
Address: 559 Main St, Grand Junction (Downtown Grand Junction)
Hummel Real Estate
Address: 316 Main St, Grand Junction (Downtown Grand Junction)
Bray Real Estate
Address: 1015 N 7th St, Grand Junction (Downtown Grand Junction)