Native American rock art, fall foliage, desert landscapes, and wild rivers—these were the things that drew us west in the fall of 2025 for a two-week journey through eastern Utah and western Colorado.
Because of staffing shortages and ever-growing crowds, we knew early on that we wanted to avoid the national parks. Instead, we chose places we had long wanted to see—destinations that were just beyond the reach of earlier western trips. With that in mind, we mapped out a manageable loop through eastern Utah and western Colorado, minimizing long drives and scheduling multi-day stays in a handful of towns that would serve as bases for exploration.
After flying from Asheville to Salt Lake City, my wife Kathryn and I rented a four-wheel-drive SUV and headed south to Orem, Utah, for the night—just far enough to escape the city. There we stocked up at a local grocery store: a cooler, gallons of water, and a boxes of staples. When we travel this way, we’re often far from civilization during the day, so picnic lunches are a ritual—eaten roadside or at the trailhead—before returning to town for dinner at a local restaurant.
From Orem we drove east to Price, Utah, where we stayed for two nights, passing through the neat little town of Helper along the way. Founded in the late 1800s as a railroad hub, Helper earned its name from the extra engines added to trains to “help” them climb the mountain grades. Today it’s a lively place with great shops, restaurants, and several beautifully preserved old gas stations (photo above).
Price was our base for visiting Nine Mile Canyon—a roughly forty-mile drive through a rugged, remote canyon containing thousands of Native American rock art sites. By pure luck, we arrived on the one day of the year when volunteer docents were stationed at several of the most significant panels. They explained, as much as anyone can, what the images may represent, and shared insights into the history and geology of the area. Even on this special day, there were only a few dozen people in the entire canyon. Highlights included the Owl Panel and the Great Hunt Panel (photo above), both remarkable for their scale and complexity.
One thing we hadn’t counted on when planning the trip back in March was the possibility of a government shutdown in October. Although we were avoiding national parks, two national monuments—Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction and Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal—were centerpieces of our itinerary. We called ahead before leaving, but no one could say whether they would close if a shutdown occurred. We decided to take our chances.
To hedge our bets, we left Price, with its excellent dinosaur museum, a day earlier than planned, sacrificing a bit of time there to ensure at least two full days at Colorado National Monument. Heading south, we stopped at the Rochester Panel (photo above)—another extraordinary rock art site, reached by hiking along a rocky spine in a remote landscape you would never stumble upon by accident. Many people cite Newspaper Rock as the most compelling single rock art panel in the Southwest, but after seeing the Rochester Panel—with its distinctive animal figures and striking “rainbow” design—I’d argue it’s among the most fascinating I’ve encountered.
From there we continued south to I-70 just north of Moab, then turned east toward Grand Junction, Colorado, where we would stay for five nights. This stretch of interstate may be one of the most beautiful in the country, with pull-offs (photo above) offering sweeping views toward Capitol Reef and Arches National Parks. We first passed through Grand Junction about twenty-five years ago on our way to Arches National Park, and it was a pleasure to return.
Grand Junction sits at the confluence of two major rivers—the Colorado (originally called the Grand, hence the town’s name) and the Green—and while it has grown considerably since our first visit, it remains a lovely place. Surrounded by natural beauty, it has excellent restaurants and a downtown filled with outdoor art. It also makes an ideal base for exploring the region, particularly Colorado National Monument, which lies just minutes from town.
The monument (photo above) itself is breathtaking: a ribbon of road climbing from the desert floor to the visitor center, then continuing along the canyon rim for more than twenty-five miles before dropping back down near the rivers. Along the way are countless overlooks, hikes, and exhibits, all supported by a small visitor center staffed by friendly, knowledgeable people. When we returned the next day, no one yet knew whether the monument would close that evening, so we explored again, assuming it might be our last chance.
As it turned out, the governors of Utah and Colorado worked out an agreement to keep their parks open despite the federal shutdown that ultimately did occur. Driving the monument road from west to east—and back again—over the course of several days gave us dramatically different views as the light shifted from morning to afternoon (photo below). One entrance lies near Grand Junction, the other near Fruita, a small town with a vibe reminiscent of what Moab felt like twenty years ago.
From our hotel, we could also see another destination we were eager to explore: Grand Mesa (photo above). This massive flat-topped mountain rises above town and is crossed by more than sixty miles of road through forests of aspen glowing bright yellow with fall color. From the valley floor, you pass through six distinct climate zones on the way to elevations above 10,000 feet. We spent a full day hiking and taking it all in. It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful drive—and it’s easy to see why the mesa offers a cool-weather refuge for locals during the heat of summer (photo below).
After five days in Grand Junction, we headed north to Vernal, Utah, and Dinosaur National Monument, before returning to Salt Lake City for the final leg of the trip. I’ll share those experiences in Part 2—so check back in for the rest of the journey.
