Interesting Facts about Colorado National Monument - Fun Facts Colorado National Monument

Colorado might not be heaven but it must be on the way; where the eagles in the pine trees on the red rocks seem to say. Come where cool streams, clearest diamonds, give the child a place to play. Colorado might not be Heaven but it must be on the way. This song by ‘Rocky Mountain Homecoming’ by Bill and Gloria Gaither seems to say everything one needs to say about the majesty of Colorado and its Colorado National Monument. Towering red sandstones monoliths, spectacular canyons, gorgeous plateaus, beautiful valleys host infinite adventure and joyful voyage. Colorado National Monument is situated near the city of Grand Junction in Colorado. The place is a semi-desert land located high on the Colorado Plateau. The Monument houses an array of wildlife including pinyon pines, juniper trees, ravens, jays, Desert Bighorn Sheep, and coyotes. Moreover, Rattlesnakes are widely found on the Monument. The drive along the plateau provides spectacular view of the Grand Mesa, the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. Colorado National Monument provides ample trails for hiking but it should not be attempted alone. For some more interesting and fun facts about Colorado National Monument, read on.

Interesting And Fun Facts About Colorado National Monument

The Colorado National Monument was established on May 24, 1911.
The area, where Colorado National Monument is established was initially explored by John Otto in early 20th century.
The Monument comprises of as many as 14 hiking trails with varying lengths and difficulties to favor different kind of tastes.
The activities that can be enjoyed at the Monument include hiking trails, horseback riding, road biking and scenic drives.
Its main attraction is Monument Canyon, which runs across the width of the park and includes rock formations such as Independence Monument, the Kissing Couple, and Coke Ovens.
The monument spreads over an area of 20,500 acres (32 square miles).
The canyons were single-handedly explored by John Otto, who built many miles of trails through the area.
The main canyons of the Monument are No Thoroughfare Canyon, Red Canyon, Ute Canyon, and Monument Canyon.
The Independence Monument is yet another fascinating structure, which is an isolated 450 foot tower of sandstone at the junction of two canyons.
The Colorado National Monument is governed by Colorado National Monument Association (CNMA), a non-profit organization, in association with the US National Park Service.
The monument records an annual average of less than 12 inches of rain.
The park became more famous in the 1980s and one of the main reasons behind its popularity was the Coors Classic, major international bicycle race. The race through the park became famed as "The Tour of the Moon", because of the impressive landscapes.
Colorado is home to as many as 54 breeding songbird species and 9 breeding species of raptors. Many other migratory birds also make it their home mainly during winters and during migration.
Coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, desert bighorns, foxes, desert cottontails, squirrels, rattlesnakes, red-tailed hawks and golden eagles, ravens, desert bighorn sheep, red-spotted toad, chipmunks, antelope squirrels, Collared lizard etc are various other creatures one would find in Colorado Monument.

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