A short drive from the town of Grand Junction, the Colorado National Monument allows you to experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons and towering monoliths within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. You could spend a full day visiting here, with many trail hikes (Echo Canyon, Coke Ovens, Canyon Rim, Window Rock, etc.). But for the Disabled Traveler Colorado National Monument’s Rim Rock Drive has many viewpoints with no hiking required.
Rim Rock Drive is one of the most spectacular drives in the United States. Redrock canyons, crisp blue skies, and verdant green juniper highlight the fantastic views along the road for motorists. The road is challenging, narrow, and steep in some sections with sheer drop-offs. If you are afraid of heights, some sections of Rim Rock Drive could be difficult to navigate. I find it is best to start at the Devils Kitchen area on the southeast end of the park starting on Monument Road and onto Rim Rock Road and make your way to the West end and Visitor Center. By traveling east to west almost all the pull offs on the rim drive are on your right.
The Rim Rock scenic drive is 23 miles long. You should budget a minimum of 3 hours to cover the entire drive and the good stops. Most of the overlooks are adjacent to the parking area, though some needed a short walk.
According to the National Park Service, there are four accessible overlooks along Rim Rock Drive. However, there are many overlooks where you do not have to leave the parking area for a spectacular view. If you are not wheelchair bound and have limited mobility, you can see the view from just about every overlook.
The following is a list of the overlooks on the Rim Rock Scenic Drive starting from the east, and a description of their accessibility to the Disabled Traveler.
From the east entrance, the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive winds up switchbacks onto the mesa tops. The first stop is not an actual overlook, just a gravel pull-off that explains the building of the Serpent’s trail.
Cold Shivers Point Overlook. This overlook is wheelchair accessible with a paved path of about 50 yards.
Red Canyon Overlook. You see the view from the parking area.
Lower Ute Canyon Overlook. Not wheelchair accessible. Not recommended for those with limited mobility. The overlook is about 100 yards from the parking lot to the edge of the canyon. The terrain is unlevel and rocky. At the end of the walk there are three steps down to the overlook with a guard rail for your protection.
Upper Ute Canyon Trailhead Pullout. View from the parking area. Not accessible, drops off just feet from the parking area. Here you have access to the Ute Canyon trail.
Fallen Rock Overlook. Not wheelchair accessible. For someone with limited mobility there is a 25-yard walk to the edge of the canyon. The overlook has a guard rail for your protection. At the beginning of the pullout there is a view of the canyon without walking on the trail to the overlook.
Upper Ute Canyon Overlook. Not wheelchair accessible. Not recommended for those with limited mobility. There are about 12 steps down from the parking area to the first overlook and a trail of about 100 yards to the overlook at the edge of the canyon.
Highland View Overlook. No trail, view is from the parking area.
Artist Point Overlook. Not wheelchair accessible. Not recommended for those with limited mobility. It is about 10 steps down from the parking area to the first observation point. The lower observation point is about 150 yards further down with many steps and rough terrain.
Coke Oven Overlook. Has handicapped parking. The parking lot is wheelchair accessible and there is a view from the parking area. There are many steps to the lower observation point and it is not recommended for those with limited mobility.
Monument Canyon View. No trail, view is from the parking area.
Grand View Overlook. The view is from the parking area. Not wheelchair accessible. There is a trail from the parking area which is about 150 yards to the cliff edge for a view. The trail is rough and uneven and is not recommended for those with limited mobility.
Independence Monument Overlook. Has handicapped parking. The parking lot is wheelchair accessible with a paved area to the overlook.
Colorado National Monument Visitor Center. The center is handicapped accessible. There is a paved trail behind the center to the edge of the cliff. However, it is not wheelchair accessible as there are many steps down to the overlook.
Fruita Canyon Overlook. Has handicapped parking. The parking lot is wheelchair accessible with a paved walk to the overlook.
Balanced Rock Pullout. View from the parking area.
The Disabled Traveler 