FRUITA, Colo. – Beginning May 29, 2024, a section of Colorado National Monument’s Rim Rock Drive will close between milepost 5.5 and 18.5 for up to 14 days to allow the Federal Highway Administration to complete road pavement micro-resurfacing operations. The closure will not impact the right-of-way traffic in the Glade Park community.
Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. You can experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep and soaring eagles.
Visitors will be able to access the Visitor Center, 80-site campground (some reservable, others available if vacant), and Independence Monument View on the Fruita side of the monument as well as Devils Kitchen and Cold Shivers point on the Grand Junction side.
The temporary closure is expected to significantly reduce construction time while improving worker safety along the sharp turns and sheer cliffs found on the central section of the road, the most traveled one in the park. Once completed, the new micro-surfacing will help repair the road and provide a significantly improved surface for bicyclists and motorists.
All vehicular traffic will be suspended between Independence Monument View and DS Road in two stages, which will impact access to trailheads and viewpoints between milepost 5.5 and 18.5. Access to Monument Canyon, Ute Canyon, and Liberty Cap trails will be maintained on the east side of the monument, but the upper trailheads will be inaccessible throughout the closure. More information and additional details will be available at https://www.nps.gov/com/planyourvisit/2024-repaving.htm.
Colorado National Monument is just a short drive from Grand Junction and Fruita.
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Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 Sheer cliffs?! Above or below the road? 🤔😯 If the latter, then I will have to forego the experience. Either way, thank you for the forewarning and safe travels, RV Travel! 🙂