"Grand Junction" Grand Junction by goingsolo

Grand Junction is located at the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado rivers, which is how the town got its name. Located several hours west of Denver, Grand Junction has a population of about 100,000 people and is one of the larger towns in Colorado.

Despite its out of the way location, Grand Junction is a great city/town. Too small to be a big city and too big to be a small town, Grand Junction has the right amount of people to make it interesting and the right dose of friendliness to give it a small town feel. Grand Junction is also just a bit more than a stone's throw away from skiing, hiking and the plethora of outdoor activities that make Colorado so special.

Grand Junction is a good stopping point heading to or from southwest Colorado. The nearby Colorado National Monument is a relatively uncrowded place which contains sandstone canyons similar to those found in Utah. Just west of Grand Junction is an area known as the Grand Valley which extends into Utah and is the area where many dinosaur fossils and bones are found. Add a couple of state parks to the mix and you have an area worth spending a couple days' time.

• Pros:A large town in a good location
• Cons:Remote from Denver and the major cities and attractions
• In a nutshell:A great place for the off the beaten path traveler.