Grand Junction Vacation Rentals

With Colorado National Monument's dramatic red rock canyon country, the world's largest flat-top mountain, 22 local wineries, and more than 300 days of sunshine annually, Grand Junction delivers a Western Colorado experience that's genuinely easy to love.

What you'll love about Grand Junction

Colorado National Monument's sandstone canyon walls and dramatic Rim Rock Drive give Grand Junction a natural backdrop that most Colorado cities can only envy. 

The Grand Valley is also Colorado's wine country—22 wineries and the Palisade Peach Festival make for a surprisingly rich agricultural and culinary scene. Grand Mesa, the world's largest flat-top mountain at 500 square miles, rises just east of town. Downtown's Art on the Corner sculpture walk, the Museum of Western Colorado, and Dinosaur Journey's working paleontology lab round out a destination with real range.

Fun things to do

• Drive Rim Rock Drive through Colorado National Monument for stunning canyon views and overlooks.
• Hike Otto's Trail and Devil's Kitchen Trail into the red rock formations of Colorado National Monument.
• Tour the Grand Valley wine country's 22 wineries along the Palisade Fruit and Wine Byway.
• Visit Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita for working paleontology labs and robotic dinosaur exhibits.
• Ski or snowboard Powderhorn Mountain Resort on the flanks of Grand Mesa in winter.
• Mountain bike the world-class Lunch Loops trail network on the BLM lands above town.
• Raft or kayak the Colorado River through the Grand Valley with local outfitters.
• Hike or snowshoe Grand Mesa National Forest's 300-plus lakes and high-elevation trail network.
• Day trip to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in Utah, about 90 minutes southwest.

Local tips

• Grand Junction is genuinely warm in winter, it sits in Colorado's "banana belt" and sees far milder temperatures than the Front Range.
• Powderhorn Mountain Resort is small, family-friendly, and dramatically less expensive than Summit County resorts.
• The Lunch Loops trail system above town is free, well-marked, and one of the best urban mountain bike networks in Colorado.
• Arches National Park is about 90 minutes southwest, a natural add-on to any Grand Junction trip.
• The Palisade Fruit and Wine Byway is compact enough to explore by bicycle—several local shops rent bikes.
• Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) has direct service from Denver, Phoenix, and Dallas—easier to reach than it looks on the map.

Red rock country, wine trails, and dinosaur country

Grand Junction is the kind of western Colorado destination that outdoor travelers discover once and immediately start planning a return trip. The red rock canyon country, the wine trails, the dinosaur country, and 300 days of sunshine make a combination that's genuinely hard to replicate anywhere else in the state.