Arrival to Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument.
Colorado National Monument. 

We drove to Colorado National Monument through Douglas Pass Road - Highway 139. 

This route goes through the Canyon Pintado and also crosses the impressive Douglas Pass through the Book Cliffs - elevation of  8,205 feet (2,501 meters).

Canyon Pintado, Colorado.
The Canyon Pintado. 

No services or towns for almost 80 miles until our arrival to Loma, Colorado, near the Interstate 70. 

We stopped for lunch at a picnic area of the Canyon Pintado. 

Rest area in the Canyon Pintado.
Our truck in a small rest area of the Canyon Pintado.

The Dominguez-Escalante expedition of 1776 gave name to this place after the Native American rock art they found. 

Here lived the mysterious Fremont people of Utah and Colorado and later came the Ute tribes.

Early in the afternoon, we arrived to Colorado National Monument. 

Campsite in the monument.
Our gazebo in the campsite with the Book Cliffs in the background. 

Secured a site in the Saddlehorn campground for three nights, we did a scouting hike of the area around the camp and the visitor center.

Saddlehorn rock in Colorado National Monument.
C facing the Saddlehorn rock from the Black Ridge Trail close to the sunset. 

We took a look at the exhibits of the visitor center and learned about John Otto, the man behind the Colorado National Monument. 

Display about John Otto at the visitor center.
Display at the visitor center. 

This monument is all about amazing bright colored cliff-walled canyons and towering monoliths.

Formations in Colorado National Monument.
The dramatic art of nature. 

I read that this arid landscape once was deep under the sea. 

Canyon near the visitor center.
Canyon by the visitor center. 

Our always changing planet. 

(Posted from the phone.)

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