Here are some pics from the trip Kate and I took to camp out at Co Monument National park.   It’s easily one of my favorite places I have ever camped.  Every where you turn the views are mind boggling.  It’s animal free (since its on the top of a canyon), so no bear/mtn lion worries, temperate with little rain, and has a pretty consistent breeze. 

The Campsite is 7 miles in off of a 30 mile road that travels the entire canyon face from west of Fruita, to south of Grand Junction.  The drive is very dangerous because every 30 ft you catch views of the canyon below that cause you to double take…  (really the drive is incredibly safe, and perfectly maintained roads).

The only… and I mean only… detraction from this place is that campfires are banned.   Reason being its 10+ mi from the nearest fire station and this place is pristine with twisted pine everywhere… its a tinderbox.     Still easily able to have fun sitting and watching the epic light show over head with the stars, or playing cards around a lantern.

This was Kate’s first time staying in my new(er) 2 person Nemo backpacking tent vs the 7 person Kelty base camp tent we also have.   She seemed to like it (especially the fact it goes from the bag to fully up and done in a couple minutes vs the 20 – 30 it took to get the Kelty up.

We also ended up buying an annual pass for all the federal agency parks/lands/etc… going to be using that a good bit as we hit up and try to camp at the other national parks this summer/fall.