Grand Junction is a smaller town located in western Colorado close to the Utah border. I did not know much about it until I passed through it on my Utah road trip. I knew the Colorado wine region was located close by in Palisade, so I wanted to stop during my trip. One day in Grand Junction is the perfect amount of time to spend to get a sample of this cute town. However, if you have time, opt to spend an entire weekend exploring what the area has to offer.
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History of Grand Junction
Grand Junction lies in former Ute Native American territory. In 1881, the Ute were forced into a reservation to have the land cleared for the incoming settlers. In 1882, Colorado’s first vineyard was planted in nearby Palisade. Throughout the years, the area has grown and has become a popular escape for people in Colorado.
When to Spend One Day in Grand Junction
Grand Junction, Colorado is a great time to visit any time of the year. In the wintertime, there are a few ski/snowboarding areas nearby. The late summer/fall is harvest season for the vineyards. Summertime can get a bit hot and wintertime a bit cold, so it really depends on your preference for the weather.
How to Get to Grand Junction
The closest airports to Grand Junction are Moab and Denver. A lot of people come to Grand Junction from Denver. Flights into Denver are typically quite a bit cheaper than Moab and more airlines fly into Denver. Grand Junction also has a very small regional airport.
From Denver, take the 70 West for 243 miles. This will take you about 4 hours to arrive in Grand Junction.
From Moab, take the 191 North to the 70 East. This will take about 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to Grand Junction.
Transportation in Grand Junction
To get around Grand Junction, you will need a car, especially if you are headed to the wineries. Many of the wineries are a 10-15 minute drive from each other.
Where to Stay in Grand Junction
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Grand Junction hotels here!
Grand Junction has a scattering of hotels from all the different brands. A few of the hotels include the Springhill Suites, the Holiday Inn Express, and the Tru by Hilton.
What to do During One Day in Grand Junction
Day 1
Colorado National Monument
Cost: $25 or free with the America the Beautiful Pass.
Hours: 9am-5pm (Visitor’s Center) Park open 24/7
Start your one day in Grand Junction with a visit to Colorado National Monument. This park preserves some awesome landscapes of the American West. Full of plateaus and canyons with major cliffs, you will not be sorry for spending the morning exploring what this park has to offer.
Canyon Rim Trail
Distance: 1 mile round trip
After stopping by the Visitor’s Center and learning about the park from the exhibits, head off on an easy hike along the Canyon Rim Trail. This is a pretty flat trail along the rim of the canyon. It offers some great views of the canyon and should be part of your one day in Grand Junction.
Window Rock Trail
Distance: 0.5-mile round trip
The Window Rock Trail is a super easy trail that connects with the Canyon Rim Trail or you can access it from Rim Rock Drive. It provides a gorgeous overlook of the area and also a peek at window rock.
Rim Rock Drive
Distance: 23 miles
Rim Rock Drive takes you on a 23 mile scenic journey throughout Colorado National Monument. Along the way you can take in the scenery and stop at some viewpoints. The drive will take about an hour or so to complete depending on how long you stop.
Go Wine Tasting
After spending the morning of your one day in Grand Junction, head out to Palisade, the wine area close to Grand Junction. There are over 30 wineries to explore in this area. Although a newer wine scene, it is definitely one of the up-and-coming best wine regions in the United States.
Hermosa Vineyards
Cost: $10
Hours: Mon-Fri: 11am-5pm, Sat-Sun: 10am-5pm
First, stop at Hermosa Vineyards. This winery is owned by Ken and he led our tasting. It cost $10 for a tasting of 5 wines. What varietals Hermosa Vineyards produces varies year to year depending on the temperatures of the year. My favorite was their Cherry Dessert Wine and their Malbec.
Restoration Vineyards
Cost: $10
Hours: 11am-5pm
Restoration Vineyards was another great winery to visit during your one day in Grand Junction. This winery is owned by a husband and wife. They offer 4 tastes for $10 or if you purchase a bottle, then it is $5. However, we also received a couple of bonus pours of things they had open from the day before. I loved all of the wines here, but my favorites were the Sparkling Rose wine and the Merlot. This winery also has an awesome outdoor area that would be a great place to relax with a bottle.
Dinner at Peche Restaurant
Cost: $$
Hours: Tues-Sun: 5pm-9pm
Tonight, grab dinner at Peche Restaurant. Although we did not get the chance to get dinner during our one day in Grand Junction, this restaurant was recommended to us by several of the locals. The owner and head chef has had a lot of experiences at high-end restaurants around the world prior to opening his restaurant. The menu constantly changes depending on what is available, so make sure to be flexible if you choose to have dinner at Peche.
More Than One Day in Grand Junction?
If you have more time, you can always spend more than one day in Grand Junction to visit more of the wineries. You can also visit the Museum of the West, partake in water sports like whitewater rafting, kayaking, and fishing, or visit some more wineries.
Final Tips for One Day in Grand Junction
You can opt to spend one day in Grand Junction as part of your Colorado or Utah itinerary or add it to a road trip through the area. Make sure to check out the nearby Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park in Moab and Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Montrose.
