On the east edge of the Colorado Plateau, along Interstate 70, is Colorado National Monument. Located between Fruits and Grand Junction, this national monument is over 32 square-miles.
Colorado National Monument photographs
Here are a few Colorado National Monument photographs taken from 23-mile long Rim Rock Drive.
Geology of Colorado National Monument
When visiting the monument, magnificent red-rock formations are the first things you see. And, the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive provides many overlooks and pull-offs to study them in detail. The NPS even has a publication called Rim Rock Drive Geology that explains the geological features at each pull-off.
The geology of the monument reflects the general geology of the Colorado Plateau. For example, in the deepest canyons, you can see Precambrian gneiss, schist, and granite of the Black Canyon Group. The Black Canyon Group is between 1.7-1.5 billion years old!
After a gap of almost a billion years, you can see layers of rock from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. For more detailed information, read The Geologic Story of Colorado National Monument. This book is made available by the US Geological Survey.
Visiting Colorado National Monument
More photos of the Colorado Plateau
We have photographed much of the Colorado Plateau. Here are some of our favorite destinations:
- Arches National Park
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Grand Canyon – North Rim
- Grand Canyon – South Rim
- Lower Antelope Canyon
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Vermillion Cliffs National Monument
Purchasing our photographs
If you would like to license our photographs or purchase a print, please contact us using the form to the right. We will do our best to meet your needs. Here is some pricing information about our fine art prints.