Grand Junction has a strong history that dates back more than 100 years. In the 1880s, the area was part of the Northern Ute
Reservation. Eventually the Ute Indians were moved west to Utah.
In September 1881, the area experienced a "land rush" settlement and a town site was staked. This town, located in the
Grand Valley, was first called Ute, then West Denver, and finally came to be known as Grand Junction because of its location at the
confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers. The Colorado River is 1450 miles in length, the 18th longest river in the United States.
By 1883, Mesa County was created from neighboring counties, and Grand Junction was named the county seat. Grand Junction
began to thrive when the main line of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad came into the area in 1887. Soon after, major
irrigation turned the Grand Valley into a fertile agricultural area.
Located 28 miles east of the Utah border at the junction of the Colorado
River and the Gunnison River, Grand Junction is an oasis in
the desert and is nestled between towering rock formations and beautiful, lush mountain ranges. Overlooking the city of Grand
Junction is the world-famous Colorado National Monument, a series of canyons and mesas similar to the Grand Canyon.
Native Americans, frontiersmen and canyonland pioneers were drawn to the area for its
moderate climate and fertile soil, a bounty that our winemakers and peach growers cherish today.
Many Colorado wineries are
within easy reach of Grand Junction, making a name for themselves with award-winning taste!
The unique landscape and climate in Grand Junction provides for unlimited outdoor recreation activities. From winter
skiing to whitewater river rafting, inflatable kayaking, hiking, camping, fishing, mountain biking, and rock climbing,
Grand Junction is a great place for your next vacation!
Take a trip back in time and discover the breathtaking beauty of the wilderness on your next Colorado river rafting and
inflatable kayaking adventures to Cataract Canyon
or Westwater Canyon.
Come to Grand Junction for family fun and adventures you'll never forget!
Return to Top
