National Park Service Colorado U.S. Department of the Interior Colorado National Monument National Monument Fruita, CO 81521 Hiking in the Monument Some land outside the park boundary is privately owned. Ranger Station Drinking Water Hiking Trail Please respect the owners’ rights and do not trespass. North Hiking trailhead Picnic Area Unmaintained Trail 0 0.5 km 1 Campground Shelter Unpaved Road 0 0.5 mile 1 To Fruita and 7 0 (exit 19) West Entrance n Tunnels 2.0 o y 340 N O an y Y a C N w A s g l C u Lower Monument e D A T d I a Canyon t U o i R u F Saddlehorn K r F Window 5 2.5 0.2 Rock n o Visitor Center y n a C m g nyon i a n C 2.5 0.5 R i t n n d en 0.6 yo yo d m n n e Ca Ca nu W 0.5 ng o di M ed W 0.5 Alcove Nature Trail Independence Otto’s Monument Mushroom Rock Trail e White g d Rocks i R M Kissing N k O O y c Couple Y a a N l N w B A k U South Broadway r C a 3.5 3.5 M R Broadway P 3.0 A s T d E S n N D la L d T O e c R G .c . C 0.75 c. A N Y O Riggs Hill McINNIS 0.5 Coke Ovens N Upper Monument CANYONS Canyon 340 South Broadway NATIONAL CONSERVATION r Wildwood D d AREA o o 2.5 w d MONUMENT il MESA W South Camp Road 0.5 per Libert p y C U ap 0.5 0. 5 Upper 1.6 LibertyCap Liberty Cap 0.2 5.5 Corkscrew . d N R O ½ To 6 Y /1 N Grand k r A Junction a C P R E e i T d m a U l R d G a o o t ck R s D t e n r e W i m v 4.0 u e n o M East N N 0.5 YO O Entrance N Y A Fallen C N Rock A ED C Devils Kitchen Ute Canyon R S Picnic Area U Devils B M Kitchen U Tunnel S 1.75 L erp O ents C Trail 0.25 0.5 0.5 E C H 0.8 O Devils 1.5 Kitchen C A First N Pool Y il 0.8 O a r T N on First Waterfall rd o (Seasonal) G d l Trails at a Glance Mileage Elevation O One-Way Gain/Loss ON 6.5 Monument Canyon Y oad N Second Waterfall 4.0 /DS R A ad C (Seasonal) Lower TH to Independence 2.5 mi +500’ Ro E k R ar A Upper TH to Independence 3.5 mi -840’ P F de H Upper TH to Lower TH 6.0 mi -1,440’ la G G U ast O 0.75 mi E R Devils Kitchen +300’ HO T Serpents Trail 1.75 mi +770’ NO Old Gordon Trail 4.0 mi +1,600’ Echo Canyon 1.5 mi +300’ No Thoroughfare Canyon First Pool 1.0 mi +200’ The Ribbon First Waterfall 2.0 mi +600’ (BLM) Liberty Cap Trail Wildwood TH to Liberty Cap 1.5 mi +1,100’ To Upper TH to Liberty Cap 5.5 mi -650’ Grand Upper TH to Wildwood TH 7.0 mi -1,750’ Upper No Thoroughfare Junction Canyon Corkscrew Trail Loop 3.3 mi +760’ Ute Canyon TH to Wildwood TH 6.5 mi -1,640’ Black Ridge Trail Park Ro VC to Up. Liberty Cap TH 5.5 mi +810’ e ad/ ittl CS L R o VC to CCC Trail Junction 3.0 mi +810’ a Up. Liberty Cap TH to CCC Trail 2.5 mi +810’ d Backcountry Monument Canyon Devils Kitchen Trailheads Lower Trailhead: Located off of Hwy 340. Trailhead: Located on Rim Rock Drive near Trails Drive 2.1 miles east of the West Entrance and the East Entrance. turn right onto a dirt driveway leading to the trailhead parking area. No Thoroughfare Canyon gives hikers the Upper Trailhead: Located on Rim Rock Drive 3.8 miles opportunity to wander through a narrow canyon east of the Visitor Center. in the oldest rock layer in the park. Follow the wash for approximately 1 mile to the First Pool Lower Monument Canyon TH to Independence and turn around, or continue for 0.8 miles to the Monument offers spectacular views of towering First Waterfall. An unmaintained route rock formations. It is also the best trail to see desert continues past the waterfall for 6.5 miles to the bighorn sheep during the fall. For visitors looking to upper trailhead. (1-2 miles one-way; moderate, do only one hike in the Monument, look no fur- rocky terrain) ther. The 2.5 mile trail follows the base of sandstone Devils Kitchen, a large sandstone monolith, is cliffs to the massive Independence Monument. reached by following the No Thoroughfare (2.5 miles one-way, +500’; moderate) Canyon Trail for 0.25 miles to a signed junction Lower Monument Canyon and Wedding directing hikers to turn left. The trail follows rock Canyon Loop is best done by following the direc- stairs and cairns up slickrock to a large opening tions above to the base of Independence Monu- into Devils Kitchen. (0.75 miles one-way, +300’; ment. Once at the base turn right and follow the easy, rocky terrain) unmaintained trail through Wedding Canyon for Echo Canyon’s shady, interior offers an escape 2.5 miles back to the trailhead. from the relentless midsummer heat. Follow the (5 mile loop, +500’; moderate, rocky terrain) Old Gordon Trail for 0.5 miles to a signed junction Upper Monument Canyon TH to Independence directing hikers down the slickrock into Monument takes hikers through the more remote Echo Canyon. (1.5 miles one-way, +300’; easy) portions of Monument Canyon on the way to In- Old Gordon Trail winds up through large dependence Monument. The trail descends steeply slickrock expanses and sandstone ledges for for 1 mile to the floor of the canyon and then winds 4 miles. Along the way, hikers are rewarded with around the base of the sandstone cliffs passing un- lovely views of No Thoroughfare Canyon. der Kissing Couple and several unnamed monoliths (4 miles one-way, +1600’; moderate, rocky, (rock towers) on the way to Independence Monu- some route-finding) ment. (3.5 miles one-way, -840’; difficult, steep, rocky terrain) Named for its numerous switchbacks, Serpents Trail was built as the first road into the park. It offers pleasant views of No Thoroughfare Canyon Ute Canyon as it snakes its way to the Upper Trailhead on Rim Trailhead: Located on Rim Rock Drive Rock Drive. (1.75 miles one-way, +770’; 9.4 miles east of the Visitor Center. moderate) Ute Canyon offers a nice chance for hikers to experience a rather lush canyon bottom ecosystem. After a steep 0.5 mile descent into Ute Canyon, an Wildwood Trailhead unmaintained trail follows the main stream chan- Trailhead: From the West Entrance turn right nel for 4 miles to a junction with the Corkscrew at the stop sign and proceed east on Hwy 340 for 6.5 miles. Turn right at the light onto South Broad- SHORT HIKES Trail. Turn around at the junction to return to the way/Redlands Parkway. Go 1.2 miles and turn left onto Several short, easy trails offer Ute Canyon Trailhead. (4.5 miles one-way, -880’; Wildwood Drive. The gravel parking lot will be 0.5 miles views of Monument Canyon. moderate, some route-finding) down the road on the right side. Canyon Rim Trail (0.5 mi) Start at the Visitor Center and Liberty Cap is one of the most difficult trails in the follow the rim of Wedding Black Ridge park and climbs steeply for 1.5 miles on the way to Canyon to the Book Cliffs Trailheads: At the Visitor Center or the Upper the Liberty Cap, a sandstone dome on top of the View. Liberty Cap Trailhead located 6.3 miles east of north wall of Ute Canyon. Those wanting a longer Alcove Nature Trail (0.5 mi) the Visitor Center on Rim Rock Drive. hike may wish to continue past Liberty Cap for Self-guided nature trail with a 5.5 miles to the Upper Liberty Cap Trailhead on pleasant surprise at the end. Rim Rock Drive. Once past the cap, the trail winds Black Ridge Trail goes in and out of BLM land as it Start across the road from the over rolling hills through the pinyon-juniper traverses the hills west of Rim Rock Drive. Start at Visitor Center. woodland. (1.5 miles one-way, +1,100’; difficult, the Visitor Center and hike 3.5 miles to the junction Window Rock Trail (0.25 mi) steep, rocky terrain) Nice canyon views on the way with the CCC Trail (0.75 mile trail that descends 460 to a fenced overlook. ft. on its way to the Upper Monument Canyon TH). Corkscrew Trail Loop follows an historic route Otto’s Trail (0.5 mi) Turn around at the junction or hike for 2 miles to built by the park’s first ranger, John Otto, and of- Start from parking area on the Upper Liberty Cap TH.