Tag Archive for: Paul Aspelin REALTOR®

,

Living in Durango CO vs Grand Junction

Living in Durango CO vs Grand Junction

I’ve had several people call that are comparing living in Durango CO vs Grand Junction when they are researching moving to Colorado. Both Grand Junction and Durango, Colorado, offer appealing lifestyles in our very scenic western Colorado, but they cater to slightly different preferences. And when you are moving, I understand you want the scoop in comparing the two cities before buying a house in Colorado.

Here’s my comparison across lifestyle, housing costs, outdoor activities, retirement appeal, and access to mountain biking, an airport and healthcare. Let me know what specific questions you have. Call/text me anytime 612-306-9558.

If you have a topic you’d like me to write about, send me an email.

Get notifications about new posts and watch my short videos on my Facebook page called Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction.

 Housing Costs

  • Grand Junction:
    • Generally GJ is more affordable than Durango which is great for budget-conscious buyers and retirees and the general population.
    • Median home prices (as of late 2024) hover around $375K–$425K.
    • More housing inventory, including 55+ communities and urban or suburban developments. I have relationships with several local home builders and insight into new communities that are being developed, like Redlands 360.
    • Lower property taxes compared to many Colorado resort towns. Read my post about Property Tax incentives for seniors in Grand Junction.
  • Durango:
    • More expensive, with median home prices often $500K–$600K+, driven by the fact that it’s considered a resort town.
    • Limited space for expansion keeps housing inventory tight.
    • Attracts wealthier second-home owners, which can inflate prices.

Outdoor Activities

  • Grand Junction:
    • A beautiful gateway to the Colorado National Monument, the Grand Mesa, and the Book Cliffs (mountains surrounding the Grand Valley).
    • Year-round golfing, biking, hiking, walking, river rafting and floating, plus quick access to world-class desert and alpine trails.
    • The Grand Mesa offers fishing, camping, hiking, skiing, snowmobiling and plenty of resorts and rustic cabins and an alpine forest just 45 minutes away.
    • Nearby Palisade wine country offers a quaint downtown, wine tours and fantastic farmers markets in summer.
    • Fruita is just 10 minutes away and offers an abundance of trails for mountain biking, hiking and trail riding on your horse or ATV. (McInnis Canyons Conservation area is spectacular!)
    • Close to Utah’s red rock country and more mountain biking, hiking and jeeping in Moab, just 90 minutes away. Read my Top Day Trips post.
    • Grand Junction is a place where desert-meets-mountain. It’s about 4 hours to Denver or Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Animas River near Durango

    Animas River Durango area

    Durango:

    • Surrounded by the stunning San Juan Mountains—excellent for hiking, backpacking, and skiing.
    • Purgatory Resort offers accessible skiing and snowboarding.
    • More snow-based recreation, excellent for winter sports lovers.
    • Summer activities like white water rafting, tubing, and kayaking on the Animas River.
    • Home to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a scenic tourist ride!
    • The closest major city to Durango, Colorado is Albuquerque, New Mexico, about a 3.5-hour drive south.

Lifestyle & Community

  • Grand Junction:
    • Larger population (~65,000), with more healthcare options and shopping (REI, department stores and mall, Target, and three hospitals).
    • A bit more urbanized, more infrastructure and services with a growing arts and food scene.
    • Conservative-leaning politically, though varied across age groups.
    • Less of a tourist hub, so a steadier year-round pace.
    • Colorado Mesa University with ~10,000 students and community education classes for the community.
  • Durango:
    • Smaller (~20,000), more intimate, and community oriented.
    • More outdoorsy and liberal-leaning culture.
    • Strong college-town vibe (Fort Lewis College up on the hill), with seasonal tourists.
    • Tight-knit feel due to much lower population, with more second-home owners and seasonal residents.

Retirement Appeal

  • Grand Junction:
    • Popular with those working and retirees due to affordable living, dry climate, and medical facilities (see healthcare below).
    • More age-friendly services and communities (see Why Retire in GJ post that includes info about CMU courses for retirees at a reduced rate).
    • Milder winters than Durango – less snow, more sun.
  • Durango:
    • Beautiful place to live and retire if your budget allows living in a resort mountain town.
    • Winters can be harsh for those not acclimated to snow and altitude (~6,500 ft).
    • Higher cost of living can be a barrier.

Walkability

  • Grand Junction:
    • The downtown core (beautiful pedestrian-friendly Main Street area) is walkable with restaurants, breweries, galleries, theater, and a variety of shops.
    • Outside downtown, it’s more car-dependent, especially in North Grand Junction and newer developments along the outskirts.
    • Mixed-use neighborhoods are growing.
    • Public transit is available and bike lane/trail connections are numerous.
  • Durango:
    • More walkable, especially in the historic downtown area.
    • Strong pedestrian and bike culture with trails that connect many parts of the city.
    • Smaller footprint makes walking feasible for more daily activities.

Mountain Biking Access

  • Grand Junction:
    • One of the top desert mountain biking destinations in the country.
    • Lunch Loops, Kokopelli Trail (Fruita to Moab, UT), and 18 Road in North Fruita are world-famous and very close. Plus, let’s not forget all the trails in McInnis Canyons Conservation Area and the newer Palisade Plunge from the top of the Grand Mesa!
    • Trails range from beginner to technical desert singletrack.
    • Easily accessible from town—many riders pedal to the trailheads from home in certain neighborhoods. Read my guest post from a local mountain biker.
    • Year-round access and variety in the Grand Valley, some go up to the Mesa during the warmer summer months for a cooler climate for riding.
  • Durango:
    • Also excellent, especially for alpine terrain lovers.
    • Horse Gulch, Telegraph Trail System, and Colorado Trail are directly accessible from town.
    • Terrain is steeper and more forested than Grand Junction.
    • More high-altitude riding, which limits accessibility during snowy months.
    • Biking is best in summer/fall months.

Airport Access

  • Grand Junction Airport Welcome Sign

    Sign near the GJT airport

    Grand Junction:

    • Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) is just 10–15 minutes from downtown GJ, Fruita or Palisade.
    • Offers direct flights to Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles (Orange County) and San Francisco.
    • Small but efficient regional airport—very convenient and reliable. Read about our GJT Airport Experience – no waiting at the curb!
  • Durango:
    • Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO) is about 20 minutes from downtown.
    • Also offers direct flights to major hubs like Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, and seasonal options.
    • Slightly fewer flights and destinations than GJT, but still good. Snow may cause delays.

Healthcare Access

  • Grand Junction:
    • Known for strong healthcare infrastructure for our size.
    • Home to Family Health West in Fruita, Community Hospital, renowned St. Mary’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center (Level II trauma center) that serves communities within 2 hours of the Grand Valley, plus the Grand Junction VA Medical Center.
    • Broad network of specialists and clinics—highly rated.
    • The best healthcare hub between Denver and Salt Lake.
  • Durango:
    • Primary provider is Mercy Regional Medical Center, a quality full-service hospital.
    • Fewer specialist options locally, so more complex care may require travel to Grand Junction or Albuquerque, NM (3.5 hours away).
    • Good for routine and emergency care, but limited depth in specialties.

Grand Junction vs Durango Comparison Chart

Factor Grand Junction Durango
Housing Costs ✅ More affordable, more inventory ❌ Higher real estate prices
Outdoor Activities ✅ Desert & alpine variety ✅ Mountain & snow-based fun
Lifestyle ✅ More urban conveniences ✅ Quaint, outdoorsy vibe
Retirement Appeal ✅ Budget-friendly, mild ❌ Costly but scenic
Walkability ✅ Very walkable downtown, bike lanes available ✅ Very walkable, compact downtown
Mountain Biking Access ✅ Year-round, world-class desert trails ✅ High-alpine trails, seasonal access
Airport Proximity ✅ More direct flights, easy access (GJT) ✅ Good airport, slightly fewer flights (DRO)
Healthcare Access ✅ Strong hospital system & specialists ❌ Fewer specialists, limited complex care

Final Thoughts

Choose Grand Junction vs living in Durango CO if you value overall affordability, accessibility to national parks, more housing options, year-round riding/golfing, and all the typical suburban amenities and small-town charm. I compared just a few topics. There’s more to learn about living in Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade, so keep reading!

The last time I was in Durango I noticed a lot of trucks, SUVs, campers and trailers going down the main road. Hardly anyone drives a sedan in Durango. I guess with more snowfall, everyone wants 4×4 or at least all-wheel drive, LOL!

Grand Junction is ideal if you are working in person or remotely, retired, semi-retired or consider yourself an active adult who wants a variety of terrain and opportunities with strong medical support. You want a place your friends, children, and grandchildren want to come visit because there’s so much to do! Read my post that explains how important this can be.

Paul Aspelin Molas Pass near Durango

At Molas Pass just north of Durango

Call/text me at 612-306-9558 if you are coming into town and want to connect with me. I’d be happy to show you around Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade to help you compare the Grand Valley to Durango, or buying a house in Colorado communities you may be considering.

Experience the Grand Junction Lifestyle!

PAUL ASPELIN, your Grand Junction Real Estate Expert
REALTOR®, GRI, SRES®, CNE
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Licensed in Colorado – Serving Mesa County
Learn more about how I work with my clients

Live Your Vacation Every Day… Move to Grand Junction!

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR® MovetoGrandJunction.com. Copyright protected. All Rights Reserved.

by

Day Trips from Grand Junction: Goblin Valley State Park Utah

Day Trips from Grand Junction: Goblin Valley State Park in Utah

Looking for more day trips from Grand Junction? Consider Goblin Valley State Park in Utah. It’s about 2.25 hours west of Grand Junction. I published a post called Day Trips from Grand Junction CO that has more ideas. You can read it next if you haven’t read it already. I’ll be posting more day trips in the future too!

Get notifications about new posts and watch my short videos on my Facebook page called Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction.

We like taking day trips from Grand Junction and we did this one on a Saturday in May. It was about 85 degrees and sunny. A great time of the year to hike and be outdoors.

What to know about Goblin Valley State Park in Utah before you go

GETTING IN AND PARKING

Goblin Valley State Park entrance sign with TacomaThe park is small, and it gets busy. They don’t offer official timed entry management like at Arches National Park, so you can’t reserve an entrance time in advance. We arrived on a Saturday at about 9:30am and waited in line behind 2-3 cars to get in. We went right to the Valley of the Goblins parking lot and there were about 5 spots left. The park entrance waiting line started to build by 10am and cars were told to wait. They would be let in after current visitors left. The line was long. We ran into a couple on a hike later. They waited in line for an hour before giving up and choosing a hike outside of the state park and come back later in the day.

PARKING PASS

They want you to get the pass online ahead of your visit to speed things up when you enter. When you do, the pass is good for that day and until 10pm the following day. We bought ours the night before we left. If you wait to do it online when you get to the area, you may not have internet service, we didn’t.

RESEARCH THE AREA

Since the park is relatively small, I recommend you research other attractions in the San Rafael Swell area before you go. There is a lot to see in this beautiful area of Utah. Goblin Valley State Park info.

Goblin Valley State Park Experience

We planned for just one day in this beautiful and unique area. Once we got the park map, we went straight to the Valley of the Goblins and parked there by the big pavilion. The parking lot overlooks the Goblins. We walked down several flights of stairs to get down and walk around among them. That was very cool. An open area to roam. After about 30 minutes of that, we headed out. We stopped at the entrance because that’s where the Gift Shop is but it was closed. I think they were short staffed because the gift shop was open when we entered. We should have gone in then.

Goblin Valley State Park Utah goblins

 

Little Wild Horse Canyon – Our first slot canyon experience

This hike was very impressive! According to All Trails map app, the loop trail is 8.1 miles through two canyons. We read about them and watched some YouTube videos. We knew we couldn’t do the full 8 miles, too much for us. So, we chose the Little Wild Horse Canyon side of the loop. It starts out wide then narrows, the smallest section was about 5 inches at the ground and about shoulder width at your shoulders. Sometimes we turned sideways to continue.

There were a few spots to “scramble” or climb over large rocks. Nothing too strenuous for us beginners. It was crowded during the time we went. The parking lot was full. We knew we would stop and turn around when we hit the spot of the 6-8ft “dryfall” because we didn’t feel we could climb back up once we went down. However, we turned around before that because it was just too crowded and hard to pass people coming the other way in such a small space. We went about 1.3 miles on the trail before we turned around and we thought it was fantastic for our first time in a slot canyon. Amazing beauty. This canyon can experience a flash flood if there has been rain up stream, so be aware.

Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon narrow bath between walls of rock

It got much narrower than this but we were so overwhelmed we didn’t take enough pictures. We were living in the moment!

Temple Mountain Wash Pictograph Panel

Just off the side of the road we saw some of the largest prehistoric painted figures in Utah. The sign near the panel in the San Rafael Swell explains that the featured pictographs were created by early inhabitants during the Archaic Period (8000 to 2000 BC) and later by the Fremont culture (300 to 1300 AD). It’s amazing that they are still around for us to see! Pictographs are wall paintings done with pigments; petroglyphs are wall carvings, both are commonly called rock art. We are just learning the difference too!

After this, we pulled into one of the campgrounds nearby and had a picnic lunch under the shade of a tree. There are no services in the immediate area for food, so we packed a cooler with snacks for lunch.

pictograph paintings by the ancients of animals and humans

Wild Horse Window

Our last short hike was the Wild Horse Window. Technically it’s accessed from within Goblin Valley State Park boundaries, near the main entrance sign, but the trailhead was hard to find. Our GPS wasn’t working because we had no internet connection. We finally found it after wandering back behind a camping area. I’m glad we persisted because it was amazing! We met a very nice couple from Denver who was just starting the hike when we were, so we hiked together. We had a great time chatting and wayfinding with them on the trail. We only saw two other couples in the 2 or so hours we were there!

The All Trails app says it’s 1.8 miles out-and-back but our trip was 2.3 miles. The app said it takes 51 minutes on average; it took us 1.5 hours. It was sandy, rocky or you were walking on slanted slickrock. We took our time. Thankful for our supportive hiking books as it was rough on the ankles. It wasn’t technical, just had to watch your step. Hiking poles would have made it easier, but we don’t have those yet. Elevation gain was about 384 ft. Uphill there, downhill back. I was thankful there were many cairns to follow, especially over the slick rock because you didn’t have footprints to follow and couldn’t exactly tell where to go. Cairns (pronounced Karens) are stacks of rocks used for marking trails.

We were treated to a spectacular view at the end. Two natural bridges that are formed from wind and erosion. One had a hole in the top. The opening was probably 50’ wide and 50’ tall with moss growing in a few spots. We say more pictographs in the “cave”. We were thankful for the coolness of the shade. We had a snack and took it all in then hiked back to the truck. We were glad we did this one second because these 2.3 miles felt much more strenuous than the first 2.6 miles we hiked in the slot canyon. It was listed as “moderately challenging” and it sure felt like it.

Hiking back from Wild Horse Window Natural Bridge over slickrock following piles of rock to mark the trail

Hiking back from Wild Horse Window Natural Bridge over slickrock following piles of rock that marks the trail

One Final Stop for Dinner in Green River, Utah

After our hiking in this beautiful San Rafael Reef area, the next city on our way back was Green River, so we stopped there for dinner. After that, the next closest city with services is Fruita, CO! A lot of the restaurants and business in Green River are boarded up. They must be struggling as a small rural community. We found Tamarisk Restaurant overlooking the Green River. They have been in business since 1979, and I know why. The food and service were outstanding! We got there around 5-6pm, before the dinner rush. There were 20 people in the waiting area when we left. I highly recommend this place to eat. There weren’t many other cafes or restaurants, there was a sub shop. After a long day of hiking and being outdoors, we just wanted a cool place out of the sun to dine and relax a bit before the 90-minute drive home. We loved it.

I love that we can do day trips from Grand Junction CO like this. We left about 7:30am and were home about 8pm to sleep in our own bed. There are so many amazing places to see within 2 hours of Grand Junction, in all directions!

If you are considering living in Grand Junction, moving here from another state, please reach out to me. I’d be happy to show you around when you come to town to “check it out”.

Picnic in campground under the shade of a tree

We ate a picnic lunch in a campground under the shade of a tree

Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction!

Follow me on Facebook: Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction

Text/Call 612-306-9558

PAUL ASPELIN, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE

Grand Junction Real Estate Expert
Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Learn more about my experience and how I serve my clients 

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR® MovetoGrandJunction.com. Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

by

Moving to the Redlands | Grand Junction

Moving to the Redlands area of Grand Junction

I have out-of-state clients who are considering moving to the Redlands area of Grand Junction. I shared with them the many attributes about this region of Grand Junction. I figure more people moving to Grand Junction, Colorado might be interested in learning what I shared after listening to my clients list of “must-haves”.

When I have clients coming to Grand Junction from out of town, I like to meet in person and give them a tour. We usually only have a couple of hours because they are busy scouting out everything this fantastic community has to offer.

I tailor each tour to their interests, where they might be working, and which communities might make the most sense to buy a house. In my most recent client tour, we went to several locations, and I explained different features and benefits. We drove through the Monument, and he was mesmerized. We looked down on the Redlands from above and it made a strong impression. The views are spectacular!

Why not live at the base of the Monument? Moving to the Redlands area of Grand Junction seemed like the perfect fit, and for good reason, here’s why.

#1 Bike to Work

Downtown Grand Junction Sculpture

My client wanted to bike to work in downtown Grand Junction. No problem. Grand Junction is a bikeable community. There are trails that run along S. Camp Road and you can cross the Colorado River on Redlands Parkway or Broadway (Hwy 340).

#2 Access Bike Trails from Home

Check. There are numerous trails that run through neighborhoods, along roads and into the Colorado National Monument. Plus, quick access to the very popular, vast network of trails in the Lunch Loops. And, continuing along Broadway can get you into the trails in Fruita in the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area and the Kokopelli Trail. More on Biking in Grand Junction.

#3 A Place with a View

Of course! You can’t help but get exceptional views from every window in your home when you live in the Redlands. Yes, there are many other neighborhoods in the Grand Valley with views, but there’s just something about being snugged up to the base of the Monument that can’t be beat. The sun sets just a little earlier, offering cooler temps earlier in the evening in the hot summer months.

After our tour, his heart was set on moving to the Redlands area in Grand Junction. Here are some more reasons to consider moving to the Redlands.

Looking for a golf course community

Redlands Mesa Golf Course as viewed from Redlands 360

Redlands Mesa Golf Course as viewed from Redlands 360 neighborhood.

Even if you don’t golf, some people like living in a golf course community. Going to the Club House to meet friends for lunch, planned events, and comradery. There are two courses in this area, Redlands Mesa Golf Course and Tiara Rado, a public golf course. If you are a golfer, be sure to check out my post that showcases all of the golf courses in the area. And I know I’ve said this before, but it’s worth mentioning, people golf year-round in Grand Junction, even during ski season!

Build a New Custom Home

I represented new construction buyers in the Redlands 360 Easter Hill neighborhood.

Starting on the east side near Monument Road and S. Camp Road, there are many defined neighborhoods with homesites available to build your custom home. As you move west along Broadway, the area gets a bit more rural with larger lots and more space to spread out. The Soaring Eagle neighborhood stands out here with a unique community space for neighborhood residents.

I will help guide you through the ins and outs of building a home here, specifically about the soil conditions and foundation building systems required. I mention this in my article called the Cons of Living in Grand Junction. How the lot price may not be really be the lot price.

I also have a post about how I helped clients build a new home in the Easter Hill neighborhood in the new Redlands 360 planned community. A very cool concept that will be under development for several years with spectacular views from this higher elevation within the Redlands.

Home Prices in the Redlands

As with the entire Grand Valley, homes come in all shapes and sizes, built in the early 1900’s to today. The Redlands Community Center, originally the Redlands Country Club, is a significant historical structure, dating back to 1921, and is listed on the Colorado Historical Society Register. So, yes, there are older homes in this area as well as pockets in the Redlands with homes built during the 60’s and 70’s with a certain style that appeals to many people.

Most likely, you will pay a premium to live in the Redlands area of Grand Junction. Whether you buy an existing home or build from scratch, this high-demand area can be more expensive, but oh so worth it!

There’s more to know about moving to the Redlands area in Grand Junction, so call me if you want to talk. And no, it’s not its own city, just an area, like North Grand Junction is just an area too. Fruita and Palisade are independent cities from Grand Junction.

And if you aren’t sure where you want to live exactly, read my post about Just Getting Here where I outline what it’s like to move to another state, I get it!

Call or Text me at 612-306-9558

Move to Grand Junction… We’ve been waiting for you!

moving to the Redlands area in Grand Junction means you can walk this Monument Trail anytime, from your doorstep!

Hiking Monument Canyon trail

PAUL ASPELIN, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE
Grand Junction Real Estate Expert

Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Learn more about my experience and how I serve my clients

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®. MovetoGrandJunction.com Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

by
,

Things to do in Grand Junction: Dining

New to town? Looking for some things to do in Grand Junction that include eating or drinking? I have compiled a list of some of our favorite places to go. For some, it’s outstanding food or drinks. For others, the views or the atmosphere stand out.

Take your pick and let me know what you think. If you have any suggestions for my wife and I to try, send me an email or call/text 612-306-9558. We enjoy trying new places.

Get notifications about new posts and watch my short videos on my Facebook page called Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction.

Breakfast Options

Our favorite breakfast spot is Main Street Bagels in downtown Grand Junction. During summer they have the best Peach smoothies, yum! Their bagels are fresh, with more than just a cream cheese smear. You can get sandwiches, soup and salad here too. We eat here for breakfast or lunch and it’s a nice central place to meet up with people and clients.

If you are looking for a sit-down full breakfast service try Pufferbelly in Grand Junction near the historic Union Depot Train Station. Very good food, generous portions, wide selection and a popular place to go.

Distilleries, Wineries and Breweries

Highlands Distillery - things to do in Grand Junction

Highlands Distillery in NW Grand Junction

We have visited all three of the distilleries, Clark’s and Peach Street in Palisade and Highlands in Grand Junction. All are great places to stop anytime for a meal or appetizers. Relax and enjoy the views. Clark’s Distillery has great food and a wide selection of spirits – it overlooks the Colorado River! Peach Street Distillery is in downtown Palisade near other related establishments and offers some unique cocktails and delicious food. We take friends here a lot. Highlands is in North Grand Junction on a Lavender Farm. Peaceful with great outdoor seating under umbrellas hanging from the trees. Exceptional cocktails!

We’ve dined at breweries, multiple times at Rockslide and Trail Life in downtown Grand Junction, and gone to several of the wineries for a glass or wine tastings. That is always a fun experience, especially when friends come to visit. Carlson Vineyards (for the wine) and Colterris (for the view) are a couple of our favorites. I recommend you investigate Palisade wineries by what type of wine the wineries offer before you go for a tasting. The first time we did a tasting we spontaneously stopped at one along our route. We ordered their sampler only to find out that they primarily serve dry wine. We don’t like dry wine. We went to a Meadery across the street after that to taste wine made from honey, that was very interesting. Bought some chocolate dessert wine! There are lots of great Colorado wineries to pick from!

Popular Restaurants

We try to go out to dinner on Friday nights, so we’ve been to a lot of restaurants for dinner. The Hot Tomato in Fruita is one of our favorites for pizza. Be prepared for a wait if you go during primetime. We recently tried Base Camp Provisions in Fruita too, that was wonderful. We ate outside in February! They have beer, wine and spirits. The Ale House in Grand Junction has a large menu and it is also a popular place. It’s near the CMU Campus on 12th Street.

Palisade Pizza and PourHouse near I-70 in Palisade opened in early 2025. Their pizza is amazing, we love the BBQ Chicken Deluxe. Their dough comes from Italy. Very easily one of the top 3 places to go for pizza in the Grand Valley. And you get a wrist band to use on the “tap wall” that includes wine, ciders, cocktails, and brews so you can pour yourself a small amount or mix if you want to. It was fantastic. We went back a week later with our daughter and son-in-law. It’s new, so they are still finalizing some things. They have an adjacent boutique and wine shop with wines from several wineries in the area. Follow them on Facebook – they make great posts!

tap wall of wine, beer, cider and cocktails at Palisade Pizza and PourHouse

The “tap wall” of wine, beer, cider and cocktails at Palisade Pizza and PourHouse

The Grand Valley has its fair share of chain restaurants too if you are looking for something familiar. In Grand Junction, we just got a Panda Express, and a new place called The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, delicious! Try the Greek soup called, Avgolemono. It’s chicken, rice, and lemon juice, so delicious, better than chicken noodle soup! We’ve eaten at several Thai and Asian restaurants, a few Indian ones, and of course Mexican food is everywhere and always so fresh.

For fast fresh Mexican we like Costa Vida and Café Rio near the GJ Mall. For authentic Mexican and the best house Margarita I’ve had in a long time, go to Fidel’s in Palisade. You might want to make a reservation for peak times. The best place for an affordable steak is in Loma at the Cattlemen’s Bar and Grill. They have a fresh salad bar too! Nothing like a good bar and grill in Grand Junction CO!

Food Trucks

Farmers Markets during the summer have a variety of food trucks to try as well as fresh produce to make your own meal. Grand Junction’s Farmers Market is on Thursday evenings on Main Street. Fruita is Saturday mornings downtown and Palisade’s is downtown on Sunday mornings.

The Lowell School off 7th Street in Grand Junction has “Grand Valley Food Truck Fridays” which is a convenient way to experience a variety of food and beverages. There are food trucks in other places around town too. It’s nice to support the local restaurants and restaurateurs.

The Business Incubator Center near the Colorado River in Grand Junction offers entrepreneurs a commercial kitchen to prepare their food for the food trucks and other endeavors. A great resource for anyone starting a business. Their mission is to support the launch, growth, stabilization, and long-term success of business enterprises in Mesa County and the surrounding region. Business Incubator Center.

Snacks and Picnic Food

I like Fisher’s Market in Grand Junction for picnic food. Excellent smoked fish, huge variety of cheeses, meats, and lots of crackers and jarred treasures. They have a deli to buy meat and seafood for the grill and delicious ready to go salads too. Skip’s Farm to Market on Aspen Ave in downtown Fruita offers more local food options than a traditional grocery store. We haven’t been yet, but I think the Hog and Hen in downtown GJ will be another great place to buy snacks and lunch.

If you go on a road trip, or even just a day trip, always bring plenty of snacks and water. Sometimes you don’t know where your next opportunity for food will be. We have come to appreciate having a roadside picnic with our own food in a scenic location, at a time when we are ready to eat. It’s peaceful. Sometimes we shop at Sprouts Farmers Market in Grand Junction near 25 Road and the Business Loop for a variety of healthier snack and drink options for our road trips. They have an incredible bulk section, great for trying something new. Bring your own container for bulk food if you’d like.

If you are new to the area and haven’t spent much time at 4600+ ft elevation or higher, be sure to read my post about How to Avoid Altitude Sickness. And if you are road tripping to GJ from Denver, read my post about what it’s really like to drive I-70! Looking for adventure? Read my Top Day Trips from Grand Junction post.

If you are coming for a visit to the Grand Valley area, give me a call. I’d love to fill you in on our local real estate if you are considering moving to Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade or anywhere in Mesa County. Want to move to Colorado now?

Paul Aspelin at Palisade Pizza PourHouse

Live Your Vacation Everyday when you Move to Grand Junction!

Text/Call 612-306-9558

PAUL ASPELIN, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE

Grand Valley Real Estate Expert
Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Learn more about my experience and how I serve my clients 

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®. MovetoGrandJunction.com. Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

by
,

Grand Junction Water Supply

If you are moving here from another state, you may be wondering about the Grand Junction Water Supply. Where does Grand Junction get its drinking water? Does it taste good? Does the city supply water for irrigation? Do homeowners have their own wells? We have learned a lot living here and I am happy to share our knowledge and experience with you. If you are considering moving to Grand Junction, call me before you come for a visit!

Grand Mesa Overlook near the Grand Mesa Visitor Center

Grand Mesa overlook along Hwy 65 just past Powderhorn Ski Resort

Where Does Grand Junction Get Its Drinking Water?

Let’s start with the most popular question I get. Where does our water come from? We are lucky. We are the first ones to use the fresh snowmelt from the Grand Mesa as our drinking water. It’s stored in over 19 reservoirs on top of the Grand Mesa, the largest flattop mountain in the world just 45 minutes east of here. It comes into Orchard Mesa to be treated and disbursed into our homes. Grand Junction provides water that exceeds the minimum standards for municipal drinking water.

In 2023, Grand Junction entered a drinking water taste test in Toronto, Canada. A city in Canada won first place, but Grand Junction won second place! Essentially saying we provide the best drinking water in the United States! Please thank Randi Kim, the utilities director for the City of Grand Junction for this!

Here’s a link to the American Water Works Association’s Best of the Best Water Taste Test Competition article with details. Awarded Best in the United States.

Grand Junction Water Supply starts here. Carson Lake view from standing on the dam

Carson Lake view from standing on the dam – Grand Junction Water supply starts here.

We have been to Carson Lake on the Grand Mesa which is at the head of the Kannah Creek Basin in the Grand Mesa National Forest. There were signs in the parking lot warning not to use motorized boats on the lake as it’s used to provide drinking water for the surrounding area. It’s beautiful. You can walk across the dam, there are trails nearby and we saw several groups fishing from the shore.

Does Grand Junction’s Water Taste Good?

YES! Every time we go to a restaurant, we order water. We drink it and it’s delicious. I can’t say that for other places we’ve visited. Sometimes their local water is so bad we need to order a pop or lemonade instead. If you currently use a home water filtration system where you live now, you probably won’t need one if you move to the Grand Valley. Try it for yourself and you’ll understand what I mean. We are thankful for our Grand Junction water supply from the Grand Mesa!

Living in Minnesota most of our water came from underground. The city built wells to access it. We got our water from our local city, and we drank it and used it to water our yard. We even had to add our own water softener because the water was “hard” and unpleasant to drink. In addition to that, we also added a Culligan water filtration system. Not here!

Where Does Irrigation Water Come From?

Canal along Patterson Road near 12th Street

Canal along Patterson Road near 12th Street

This system was new to me. Ag water or irrigation water is different from drinking water.

If you have visited, you may have seen canals running through town and in rural areas. They look like concrete ditches. Simply put, water gets diverted from the Colorado River near Palisade. It flows through an extensive canal system serving the whole Grand Valley. Water that isn’t used for irrigation is returned to the Colorado River to serve more communities downriver. Water conservation is always encouraged. We have been in a drought for several years.

There are six irrigation districts that serve the Grand Valley. Below is a map from the Mesa County Irrigation District’s website. The City of Grand Junction has a lot of information about water on their website including water supply, treatment, and distribution.

I had a client who lived on the Grand Mesa just outside the town of Mesa and they drove to Palisade to fill their water tank (strapped inside the bed of their pickup truck) to bring water back to their property. The city’s website includes information on filling stations for those in rural areas who do not have water brought to their property.

Irrigation District map

Property Water Rights

If you buy a property here, you may have water rights or water shares. You can buy a small amount of water or more, depending on your needs. Many homeowner associations manage the irrigation water access for their neighborhood.

The Grand Valley Irrigation Company explains it very well on their website for the landowners they serve.

“The Grand Valley Irrigation Company serves a variety of land-types, including farms, farmettes, subdivisions, residences, and municipal properties. There are 48,000 shares of capitol stock held by over 3,000 shareholders. Each share of water gives the owner the right to approximately 4.6 gallons per minute. This is not a storage right, meaning that the water right does not accumulate and store up when it is not being used. It is a direct flow right, meaning that 4.6 gallons per minute can be drawn at any particular time to be put to beneficial use.

GVIC levies an assessment, or bill, annually on all shareholders. The first share owned by every account is designated as an A share. Each account has only a single A share. Any additional shares owned by a shareholder are categorized as B shares. There is no difference between an A or B share with regard to the water right that is granted. Both types of shares entitle the shareholder to 4.6 gallons per minute. Rather, an A share is assessed, or billed, annually at a higher rate than a B share.

For the 2025 irrigation season, an A share is assessed at $342.64 and a B share is assessed at $16.39.

As an example, if a shareholder owned 5 shares the annual assessment would be calculated as follows: $342.64 + ($16.39 x 4) = $408.20. The annual water assessment is sent out in early January and payment is due in full by April 1.”

Grand Junction Water Conservation

Standing on the Grand Mesa looking down into the Kannah Creek watershed, you can see Land’s End curvy gravel road that’s closed in winter!

If I kept going, I could write another 1,000 words about water conservation in the Grand Valley and Colorado in general. The city and county have conservation initiatives. There are many local, regional, and state nonprofit organizations, districts and institutions who help preserve this precious natural resource.

As a Colorado resident, we try to conserve water. We know that the water from the Colorado River flows southwest to serve Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California residents with water too.

We are thankful our Grand Junction water supply for drinking water comes from Kannah Creek and the Grand Mesa. When you are here, consider a visit to Carson Lake. It’s sort of near the Land’s End Observatory, an outstanding overlook of the entire Grand Valley, best experienced at sunset! I mention it in my post called What It’s Link to Live on the Grand Mesa.

Move to Grand Junction, we’re waiting for you!

Text/Call me at 612-306-9558

Contact me directly regarding non-MLS listings.

PAUL ASPELIN, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE
Licensed in Colorado

Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Learn more about my real estate experience and how I serve my clients 

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®. MovetoGrandJunction.com Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

by

Grand Junction Internet Providers

Grand Junction internet providers include high speed internet, broadband and fiber optic, depending on where you live. It is already live in several sections of the community with more under construction. Fruita has high speed internet and Palisade has high speed internet – for the vast majority of homes in those cities. How do you which Grand Junction internet providers serve your property? Here’s a way to find out if you can get fiber optic internet.

Clear Networx offers “Speeds Up-to 1Gps – No Contracts”. Fiber Optic is fantastic technology. Be sure to read about how it’s different than cable internet speeds.

Go to this website, https://clearnetworx.com.

Hover over the Residential tab and you can see the list of communities like Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, Montrose, Delta, Gunnison, Ridgway, Durango and more.

Once you choose a city, look for the bar at the top and click on the Construction Map to see where fiber optic is available from Clear Networx. For example, here’s what they look like as of 3/25/25.

Fiber Optic Internet Map for Fruita

Fruita Internet Service Map

Click map for link to Fruita Map online

Palisade Fiber Optic Internet Service Map

Palisade Internet Services

Click Palisade Map for link to map online

Grand Junction Fiber Optic Internet Service Map as of 3/25/25

You can click on the map and zoom in to street level.

Grand Junction Internet Services Map

Click on the map for the online map

If you search Google for who provides internet services in Grand Junction you will see more providers to consider like CenturyLink. Quantum Fiber and Rise Broadband may be an option, but they aren’t available where we live in Grand Junction. Starlink Residential is another option for satellite services anywhere in Colorado. Starlink Mini is a compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack, designed to provide high-speed, low-latency internet on the go. Bring it camping!

Cellular Internet Service in Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade

Aside from fiber optic, the Grand Valley and Grand Junction internet services are offered by cellular providers as well.

See if your cell phone service provider offers Home Internet Services from cell towers. That’s what we use from T-Mobile. One device gets plugged in and placed in a window facing toward the cell tower in Grand Junction. For the two of us, with Michelle working from home full-time and me occasionally, this meets our needs for about $50 a month. We can easily watch streaming services, and we have an antenna to help get more local channels. If you have a large property, you can look into Wi-Fi extenders for more coverage at your location. T-Mobile Home Internet Service

When we first moved here, we brought our T-Mobile gateway device from Minnesota, plugged it in, and had an instant internet connection. We later upgraded our device when the service “officially” became available in Grand Junction.

Verizon Home Internet Service isn’t available in Grand Junction as of this writing. I checked their website 3/25/25. You can sign up to get notified when it is available.

AT&T offers a service called Internet Air for strong Wi-Fi coverage, check their site for availability and rates.

If your Grand Junction internet service provider of choice is cable internet, Spectrum is your go-to. Don’t worry, they will mail you postcards practically every week once you move in with special offers and sign-up incentives. Visit their website for current coverage and speed options. You can enter an address on their website to determine if service is available. https://official.spectrum.com/sem/internet

Digital Nomads in Fruita, Palisade or Grand Junction

If you are a Digital Nomad investigating living in Fruita, Palisade or Grand Junction you will be happy to know that each community offers several co-working spaces in addition to high-speed internet for your home base.

Here’s a link to a great article the City of Fruita put out called Digital Nomad’s Guide to Fruita. It has many great resources for remote workers in Fruita.

https://gofruita.com/the-digital-nomads-guide-to-fruita

Grand Junction has seen a surge in remote workers, drawn by the potential for a lower cost of living and access to outdoor activities. The entire Grand Valley welcomes and supports remote workers, also known as location independent.

GJEP, the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, has offered a special “Welcome Wagon” Program in the past, specifically for remote workers. Here’s an article that describes the tech and remote worker boom we are experiencing. GJEP is a huge resource for work and community in the Grand Valley. We go to their annual Economic Summit in April.

https://www.gjep.org/news/grand-junctions-tech-and-remote-worker-boom

As you search the internet for Internet Services in Grand Junction, Palisade and Fruita, just know that there are a lot of options in this growing community for your home or business. We are a bit more rural than Denver or Salt Lake City, but we have fast internet you can count on! If you’d like to learn more about the area and our experience with local internet services, give me a call.

Paul Aspelin working on his laptop at the kitchen tableLet me help you… Move to Grand Junction!

We’ve been waiting for you!

Text/Call 612-306-9558

Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE

Serving Mesa County – Licensed in Colorado

Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Learn more about my experience and how I serve my clients 

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®. MovetoGrandJunction.com. Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

by

Things to Do in Grand Junction CO: Easy Hikes

Guest post written by Michelle Aspelin

We could come up with a list of a hundred things to do in Grand Junction CO. Would a long list of ideas convince you to move to Grand Junction? Possibly. But we like to write about our own personal experiences while living in Grand Junction to provide you with a deeper perspective.

When the weekend comes, what do you want to do? I’ll share some of our favorite places. Of course, there are more things to do in Grand Junction CO, so read Paul’s posts for ideas. I put some links at the bottom of this post.

You can go on a scenic drive any day of the week for as long or short as you want. You can be warm in the valley yet ski up on the Grand Mesa. When exploring a new area, we love going for a short drive after dinner to see what we can discover.

I like to get books from the Mesa County Libraries or buy them from the Friends of the Mesa County Libraries book sales. A lot of what we do in Grand Junction is because I read about it in a book and wanted to see it in person.  I also follow a lot of local businesses tourism pages on Facebook and I see what events they are promoting.

Paul posts short videos and notifications of new website posts on our Facebook page called Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction.

Walk Around Town

Because of a Facebook post, one weekend we went to The Milky Way in Palisade.  They had a birthday promotion of 50% off and we had never been. Great food and drink, cute place with small indoor seating and more outdoor seating in the backyard. We ran into a friend while there! After that, we walked around town and went into local shops, art galleries, and the Palisade Library. We cruised through books for purchase (building in the back of the library) and ended up checking out a few books from the library.

See my post about our Divide Road and Unaweep Canyon Experience.  A special overlook I learned about by reading a book from the library!

During the summer we go to Palisade every Sunday for the fabulous farmer’s market. (Fruita and Grand Junction have farmers markets too.) Since it’s winter now, we’ve been missing it! When we go to Palisade, we always take the Scenic Fruit & Wine Byway as we make our way home. Sometimes stopping at a winery, distillery, or the pie shop for a slice of pie or ice cream.

The same goes for walking around downtown Fruita or Grand Junction. Always a fun activity with things to see, places to shop, and great food and beverages. We bought a sign about adventures to hang on our wall from a local shop in downtown GJ while we were waiting to be seated at a local restaurant next door.

Adventure Sign and USA map

Hiking for Beginners

Best Easy Day Hikes in Grand Junction and Moab book coverBefore we moved here, friends of ours in Minnesota gave us a book called Best Easy Day Hikes in Grand Junction and Fruita by Bill Haggerty, a Falcon Guide®. It has been very useful. If you are new to hiking, I highly recommend it. These easy/short hikes can be done in a morning or afternoon, or pack a picnic lunch and make it an all-day activity.

We are working our way through the list of short hikes in the book. Here are the ones we’ve done so far. We have enjoyed all of them for different reasons. I recommend you get the book for full details. We’ve done other great hikes too, like the Palisade Rim Trail and Miracle Rock in Glade Park to name a few.

  1. Mica Mine (BLM Bangs Canyon) – The trail is at the bottom of the canyon, so it’s cooler here in the summer. You cross the riverbed sometimes, so be aware it may have water in it. It was very low when we were there. Mica is a shiny, flaky mineral.
  2. Dominguez Canyon hike Michelle Aspelin dipping toes in Gunnison River

    Dominguez Canyon hike Gunnison River

    Dominguez Canyon (BLM Dominguez Canyon Wilderness) – This is south of Grand Junction near Whitewater off Hwy 50. A great drive and hike. We saw some old cow cabins and dipped our toes in the Gunnison River.

  3. Devils Kitchen (Colorado National Monument) – This hike prompted me to get the All Trails app on my phone because it wasn’t very well marked towards the end. Everyone says, “Stay on the trail.” but how do you do that when it’s not marked? The hike was great, steep at the end but we went inside the “devil’s kitchen” area. Not sure if that was ok, but others were there too. We saw a big horn sheep on that hike.
  4. Monument Canyon (Colorado National Monument) – We’ve done the first part of this one a couple of times. It’s a 5-mile loop. You are likely to see big horn sheep here, especially nearing dusk. It’s a steep trail but there are steps. Amazing views of the canyon and Independence Monument.
  5. Dinosaur Bones near Fruita

    Dinosaur Bones near Fruita

    Dinosaur Hill (near CNM entrance in Fruita) – It’s good to learn about the history of the area, dinosaurs include. This was good, no bones to see, just informative signs.

  6. Fruita Paleontological Area (McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area)– We saw dinosaur bones here, a great hike with many more trails in this area, like to an old cabin. Seeing the cabin is still on our list. There are lots of bones to see in nature in Moab too.
  7. Trail Through Time (BLM Rabbit Valley) – It was very windy the day we went but still great to see actual dinosaur bones “in the wild” still stuck in the rock. There’s a cool campground up high that overlooks Rabbit Valley, and you can see all the way to the La Sal Mountains in Utah. This trail is near the Utah border.
  8. Coal Canyon Trail (BLM Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range) – We drove this one during the time of year when driving is allowed. We didn’t get out and hike. This is where you can see wild horses. It was cool to see ribbons of coal in the rock as we drove by. The wall with coal is so close you can touch it as you slowly drive by. The gates into Coal Canyon Road are closed to vehicles from December 1 through May 31 during the foaling season and for wildlife protection.
  9. Mesa Lakes Lodge Lake Loop

    Mesa Lakes Lodge Lake Loop

    Mesa Lakes Area Trails (Grand Mesa National Forest) – We have done this a few times with friends and visitors. Trails go through the woods and around small lakes. Mesa Lakes Lodge is there, that’s where we park and get some appetizers inside when we are done. We went snowshoeing here in the winter. You can ice fish too. Bring bug spray in the summer months.

  10. Colorado Riverfront Trail (Colorado River) – This is one of our favorite walks. We usually park in Las Colonias near the bridge and Camp Eddy campground. We had family stay at Camp Eddy for a month, two thumbs up! We cross the Colorado River or just walk down the trail towards the boat launch, beach, and lazy river. The zipline is here too that goes over the river. This trail can take you all the way to Palisade or Fruita too! Good for walking or biking.

To wrap it up, there are a lot of great things to do in Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade and the surrounding communities. These are just a few. You can read a post about each city to learn more. You might enjoy Paul’s post about which water bottles we have, why we chose them, and where to get them locally.

If you are considering a trip to the Grand Valley and maybe moving here, Paul would like to show you around the area and maybe schedule a few properties to show you in person while you are here. Connect with Paul.

Other posts you might enjoy as you find things to do in the Grand Valley.

Two-Day Itinerary in Grand Junction, Why Move to Grand Junction

Golf Courses in Grand Junction

Why Move to Fruita

Why Move to Palisade

Follow us on Facebook: Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction

Guest post written by Michelle Aspelin

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®. MovetoGrandJunction.com and Michelle Aspelin Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

by

Divide Road and Unaweep Canyon Experience

Guest post written by Michelle Aspelin

Scenic Routes & Byways Colorado by Stewart M. Green

Scenic Routes & Byways Colorado by Stewart M. Green from the Palisade Library

I’m excited to tell you about our Divide Road and Unaweep Canyon experience. It was very cool, like a treasure hunt for us. A great idea on a long list of things to do in Grand Junction and the surrounding area.

I like to read books about Colorado. I check them out from the Mesa County Libraries or buy them from the Friends of the Mesa County Libraries book sales. I have purchased a few from our local Barnes & Nobel too. A lot of what we do in Grand Junction is because I read about it in a book and want to see it in person.

Get notifications about new posts and watch Paul’s short videos on our Facebook page called Live Your Vacation in Grand Junction.

Divide Road on the Uncompahgre Plateau Inspiration

One of the books I discovered while browsing through the Mesa County Library in Palisade is called Scenic Routes & Byways Colorado by Stewart M. Green. It’s so good I may purchase it. My version is from 2013 and there’s an updated version.

In the section about Unaweep Canyon the author talks about Divide Road. I have seen it on maps before and am aware of where it is on the high plateau. But when I read this passage, I said, “Let’s go!” Unaweep Canyon is supposedly the only canyon in the world drained by two creeks. A divide in the mid-canyon separates the East Creek and West Creek drainages. The Ute Indian name Unaweep means “Canyon with Two Mouths.”

Big Horn Sheep

Big Horn Sheep on CR-141

To get there, drive south out of Grand Junction on Hwy 50. In Whitewater, turn right onto CR-141 towards Gateway. Go about 25 minutes and turn left onto Divide Road, it’s well marked. CR-141 is a beautiful drive through the Unaweep Canyon. We saw big horn sheep along the side of the road before we turned onto Divide Road.

If you get a chance, drive all the way to Gateway near the Utah border. You will see some of the most incredible 2-billion-year-old granite walls and lush green valleys. Just beyond Divide Road, you can stop in a small parking area to see rock climbers on the 500’ steel grey cliffs of Mothers Buttress, Television Wall, and Quarry Wall. We saw people stopped with binoculars watching climbers on the sheer cliff walls. The land they climb is owned by The Access Fund, a national advocacy organization that leads and inspires the climbing community. Along CR-141 is some of the most impressive granite we’ve seen since the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Here’s the passage in the book that inspired us to go there in March.

“Divide Road begins just past a ranch. This gravel road twists more than 100 miles down the spine of the Uncompahgre Plateau, giving access to a vast swath of remote backcountry. Take a left turn here for a short drive up Divide Road to a stunning viewpoint above Unaweep Canyon. The gravel road climbs a couple of miles up to the site of the abandoned Taylor Granite Quarry, a rock quarry that operated in 1928. Park before a cattle guard and walk down to the cliff edge for one of western Colorado’s most spectacular overlooks, Unaweep Canyon stretches westward. The highway below uncoils like a long snake up the sagebrush valley floor. Gentle slopes, forested with scrub oak, pinon pine, and juniper, slant upward to abrupt, towering granite cliffs. Above, steep slopes lean back to the valley’s sandstone rim high above the floor.”

Divide Road and Unaweep Canyon switchbacks along the way showing steep elevation

Switchbacks on Divide Road near CR-141

We left about 11am and packed our hiking backpack with hats, gloves, snacks, water, and the bear spray, you never know.

Divide Road is beautiful, lots of switchbacks and elevation gain right away. There was some recent snow still on the road in some parts. Other parts were muddy or dry gravel. We are used to driving in snow being from Minnesota, but when the road is narrow, and you look down over 1000’ feet with no guard rail, it can be a bit intimidating! We went slow. See the photo.

I read the passage again once we were past the steep part. We saw the cattle guard and a little parking lot off to the left at the trailhead of BLM Trail #23. We thought, “That could be it.”  We weren’t sure and decided to go further on Divide Road. We got to a spot with a lot more snow and decided to turn around. We headed back to the first spot to see if that was it. This area is called Cactus Park in the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area.

BLM trail 23 sign post with icons for walking, horses, bikes, motor bikes, ATVs and vehicles

We later learned that the last icon on the post that looks like a jeep or ranger is actually for full size vehicles. Now we know!

There was another 4×4 truck in the tiny lot. We ate a quick snack. We weren’t sure how to read the signpost (see right) that marked the trail, wondering if we could drive it or if it was only for motorized bikes and UTVs, so we walked. I hadn’t looked up the trail before we left so we weren’t sure how far we had to walk to find the overlook. The book didn’t mention a BLM trail, but this was right next to the cattle guard. After about a half mile uphill all the way, we came to an opening and walked to the edge. We saw spectacular views of the Grand Mesa, West Elk Mountains, and the San Juan Mountains. It was amazing! Definitely a great view of western Colorado!

After that, we turned around to walk back and realized we were walking on the granite of the Taylor Granite Quarry! That was cool too. We had never been right on top of a quarry like that, they skimmed the surface, it wasn’t a big hole. We took more pictures.

Taylor Granite Quarry showing granite being skimmed off the surface

Taylor Granite Quarry

But the book said the view would be of the Unaweep Canyon. We realized this wasn’t it. Just then, a guy on a dirt bike stopped for a break near us. We explained what we were looking for and determined that the place we wanted to go might be further up Divide Road. He told us about another cattle guard and a road that veered right to a popular overlook. Since we had already gone further on Divide Road and saw the snow, we said we’d have to come back in April or May and try again.

The biker shared that there are a lot of elk in the area, trophy bull elk. We heard something in the thickets while on the trail, but we think it was just a mule deer. We never saw it. He said there are bears in the area, but they are small and they leave you alone. Ha! Small but they leave you alone. We had our spray just in case. We’ve never encountered a bear in Colorado. There are several BLM campsites along Trail 23. Camping on BLM land is free. We got in the truck and headed back.

Still wondering where the overlook was, we passed over the first cattle guard again and right next to it was a small pull-off we hadn’t noticed before. We could see the canyon in the distance. Maybe this was it? We parked and got out of the Tacoma. Sure enough, we walked about 50 feet over rocks and sand, past bushes, to the opening and boy, it was stunning! Huge drop-off beyond the boulder outcroppings. We walked up to the edge, like the book said, near the fence of the property owner. We were giddy. We found it!

We looked out onto the ledge, and someone had built a fire ring from stones in the area at the very edge of the overlook. You can see it in the photo below. What a way to watch the sun set over the canyon.

Divide Road and Unaweep Canyon Overlook View

We soaked it all in, took more pictures and said, “We need to put this one on ‘the list’ and bring our guests here.” It was so amazing and only about 30 miles from our place. Yet being in the wilderness like that, up so high, we felt like we were in another world. So thankful to see it.

Paul Aspelin in the Tacoma at the Unaweep Canyon Overlook

Paul Aspelin in the Tacoma at the Unaweep Canyon Overlook

We had such a good time on our hike and happy we found the overlook. When we got back into GJ we went to REI to get a book on the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. This would be a very cool place to rent an ATV and go four-wheeling, and maybe camp in the future. They didn’t have a book or map with that much detail about each of the BLM trails.

Later, after we got the mud washed off the taco (what the locals call a Toyota Tacoma), I looked it up online and was able to print out an 11”x17” map of the conservation area trail system, see below. We will definitely go back. Going in March was great, no bugs, but a bit of snow. The guy at REI didn’t know the road we were on was open again after winter. Oops, we didn’t realize it ever closed. Always learning!

We left with great memories, photos and stories of our experience, and the desire to explore more. If you are looking for things to do in Grand Junction, we highly recommend Divide Road and Unaweep Canyon. There are many pull-offs along Hwy 141 to stop and take in the beauty.

See Paul’s posts about our trip to Crawford State Park and the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We did both of those as one day trip from Grand Junction. Top Day Trips from Grand Junction is another great post.

Written by Michelle Aspelin

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®. MovetoGrandJunction.com and Michelle Aspelin Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

Dominguez Canyon Wilderness BLM Map

by
, , , ,

What are Some Cons of Living in Grand Junction CO?

Grand Junction Seems Perfect, What Am I Missing?

Are there cons of living in Grand Junction CO? Most of the posts on this website outline why we think moving to the Grand Junction area is a good idea. I have attracted home buyers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Oklahoma, and other states, plus, from within Colorado. Most of my buyer clients are moving to Colorado from another state. They ask a lot of questions about the area, and I try to share my personal perspective, experiences, and resources. My wife and I really enjoy living here, but there are a few cons of living in Grand Junction, and, in all fairness, we wanted to let you know about those too.

Grand Junction Airport Welcome Sign

When clients search for a new home, they typically make a list of the pros and cons of the property before they write an offer. It is rare for one property to “check all of the boxes”. That holds true for finding a new community to live in. While Grand Junction, Palisade and Fruita (collectively known as the Grand Valley) have a lot of great attributes, here are a few not so great facts. Here we go!

General Observations

It’s dusty here. You may want an unlimited car wash pass. You are in the high plains desert after all, but I have not seen dust storms like you would see in Arizona. However, dusty homes and dusty cars seem more common. Why wash it if it’s just going to get dusty again the next day? Plus, less washing conserves water. You may just have to get used to driving around in a dusty vehicle and dusting your home more often. We have a portable air purifier we like to use that we bought which really seems to help.

The nearest Costco is 2 hours away in Eagle/Gypsum on I-70. If you are a Costco fan, that is a bummer. We try and time our trips to Costco with other adventures. We do have a Sam’s club to tide over the bulk shopper cravings. Sorry Costco lovers, I understand your struggle. We almost got one in 2024 so ya never know.

There are jacked up trucks everywhere. There must be a bunch of rednecks in GJ! No, it’s because we are one of the greatest off-roading destination basecamps in the world. If you haven’t tried it, don’t knock it. I’ve been to Moab, Utah and it is a bucket list item whether you are into that sort of thing or not. The greatest sites around are many times down a 4×4 trail in the desert or the mountains. Back in MN, we called these Stump Jumper trucks. Around here it would be more like rock crawler trucks. Warning – don’t take your “stock Jeep” out on the trails in Moab. Those Jeeps have special equipment to handle crawling the beautiful rocky trails. Rent an ATV, those are so fun! Ask me about the times I have rented ATVs in Moab! There are a few photos on my post called Day Trips from Grand Junction.

If you like to travel by air, you can add about $250 to each trip for the puddle jumper that gets you to a larger city for connecting flights. You can also drive to Denver or Salt Lake City and fly from there. Montrose Regional Airport is another consideration for your departure airport and can be less expensive. We like to fly out of GJT even though it’s more expensive because it’s so darn convenient. Just 15 minutes away, no long lines, no traffic to worry about. Ready my post about our Grand Junction Airport Experience to learn more.

Although we are a medical hub, there is a shortage of medical professionals. For routine visits like a physical you may have to wait 30 days for an appointment. So, plan ahead. Maybe get all of your medical visits done in your current state before you move here.

Those darn goat heads! My relative came to stay at Camp Eddy for three weeks and was excited to ride his bike on the paved Colorado Riverfront Trail each morning. It didn’t take long before he got a flat tire from a goat’s head. Luckily, he got his tire repaired nearby. He was told you need inserts in your bike tires, even on pavement, especially if you ride along the river where these plants are. Do this up front so you don’t get stranded. What’s a goat’s head? It’s a weed who’s spiky, sharp thorn resembles the head of a goat. On a positive note, while his wife was stranded on the trail with his bike, waiting for him to go back and get the car, several people stopped and asked, “Do you have a rescue squad on the way?”. That was nice. Goat’s Head on Wikipedia

Housing Related Observations

Professional Resale Home Staging – Nonexistent. This was the first thing I noticed when starting my real estate practice in the Grand Valley. I walk into homes all the time that I wouldn’t deem ready for market. Some things in the real estate industry here are decades behind major metropolitan areas. This can lead to increased market times. I don’t feel the market times here match those of a major metro area. Besides, market times are calculated on the days from hitting the market to the closing versus the days it took to secure an offer. Most people request 30-60 days from the offer to close so an 88-day average market time as advertised here is actually much less. It’s just calculated differently. Don’t let the pictures sway you, I am able to help look through the clutter and help paint a picture of a great house.

Sewer line issues in older homes can be an issue because years ago they were made of clay. You’ll want to have the sewer line from the property to the street scoped during your inspection period. It’s cheap insurance. The cost can be around $150.

Homeowner’s Insurance in more remote areas, like up on the Grand Mesa or in Glade Park, can be expensive depending on how close you are to a fire station or fire hydrant. Are you looking for more elbow room? That could come at a cost when it comes to insuring your remote property.

Certain neighborhoods with existing homes and even new construction developments have a history of foundation concerns. The water table is so close to the surface in some areas that piers or pilings need to be installed because soil is moving. About 25-30 years ago when Grand Junction started to take off, the builders were not aware of these soil conditions in certain areas. Some existing homes have had foundation repairs or are still dealing with issues. Soil testing is an absolute necessity in building new construction. This could cost you $1500 up-front depending on the lot size and number of soil borings needed.

The lot price may not be the lot price. Because of the soil conditions in some areas, your new home may require a pier system under your concrete foundation. Pilings are expensive and could add $20- $100k to your costs just to make the lot you buy buildable.

I represented new construction buyers in the Redlands 360 Easter Hill neighborhood.

There are no national builders in the Grand Valley. Now that could be considered a pro and a con. No Lennar or DR Horton here. Most are custom home builders run by small businesses.

New construction builders do not have the same level of cooperation with REALTORS® that I was used to back in a major metro area. If you are going to build new, make sure to talk to your agent about builder/Realtor® cooperation hurdles. Even more of a reason to hire an agent who represents YOUR best interests!

There are some areas to be more cautious about. We’ve got some neighborhoods that were built 40-50 years ago to create affordable workforce housing for the oil and mining industry employees. Sometimes low-cost housing is in areas with higher crime, but not always.

Are the unhoused an issue? I’ve witnessed homelessness but never had any issues or concerns. There are certain parts of town where they gather more often, but it’s nothing like the major metropolitan areas.

Land use and Zoning seem odd compared to where we lived in a western suburb of Minneapolis. This town was not planned out like the suburbs of a major city when it comes to zoning and land use. You may drive through an industrial park of commercial buildings to get to your neighborhood. Some people get turned off by that, but it’s just the way GJ is. We also have many small farms or ranches that have accumulated unwanted items over the years in their yards. You can literally have a gorgeous neighborhood next to a yard that looks unkept. They did do a good job laying out the streets in grid format. That makes it easy to get around town.

The month of October can be tricky for scheduling contractors and even professionals. Hunting is a major part of life in and around the Grand Valley and October is elk hunting season. People literally take weeks off at a time to attend elk camp with their family and friends. Traditions are an important part of living out west.

Many stucco homes. Coming from MN, buying a stucco home was a huge NO NO! In Minnesota I saw so many stucco issues with mold and even mushrooms growing on the interior walls. It wasn’t worth the risk. In this dry climate, however, it doesn’t seem to be an issue. I remain cautiously optimistic about stucco homes in the Grand Valley.

Home prices seem to be high. I hear clients say this all the time, “I don’t want to buy at the top of the market.” With any home purchase decision, I recommend this be a 10-year purchase, if possible. Our prices are going up because the demand is going up. Like most other communities, we also have a shortage of homes. The driver behind that is the high number of people moving to the Grand Valley from other states. The inventory is low, but the demand is growing stronger than most cities.

Connect with me for more truths about living in Grand Junction, Palisade or Fruita.

About ten years ago while on vacation in Whitefish, Montana (Glacier National Park area), we went into a local shop to buy some souvenirs. The clerk behind the counter was wearing a T-shirt that said, “My life is your vacation.” We laughed but now live that statement. I feel like I want to get a T-shirt like that now, for myself.

Although this post was about some of the negatives of living in Grand Junction, we feel the positives far outweigh those. Some of the best things about living here are the geographic proximity to so many wonderful areas and a great sense of community. To end on a high note, consider reading some of these popular (and funny) posts.

Retire in Grand Junction: Your grandkids and kids will thank you

What it’s Really Like to Drive I-70 from Denver to Grand Junction

Accolades for the Grand Valley

Move to Grand Junction. We’ve been waiting for you!

Paul on 4 Wheeler in Moab Utah

Moab Trip

Text/Call 612-306-9558

PAUL ASPELIN, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE
Serving Mesa County
Licensed in Colorado

Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Learn more about my experience and how I serve my clients 

by
, ,

Relocating to Grand Junction is all about Location

It’s All About LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

I am amazed at the number of unrepresented home buyers that are relocating to Grand Junction who attend open houses. These buyers come into town for a long weekend to get a feel for the area. They casually attend open houses to gauge the real estate market.

It’s no secret that thousands of people each year are considering relocating to Grand Junction with all the recent national press and accolades the Grand Valley has received. Grand Junction has become a hotbed for attracting home buyers and retirees from all over the country. What’s not to like? A mild climate with four seasons and unlimited access to outdoor activities. Plus, views that will continue to amaze you for years to come. Moving to Grand Junction isn’t about buying a home, it’s about experiencing a new lifestyle.

I AM Your Grand Junction Relocation Guide

Your Grand Junction Relocation Guide is Paul Aspelin. Here he is standing in front of his Toyota TacomaIf you are going to take the time to plan an exploration trip to see if relocating to Grand Junction is in your future, just call me! Whether by plane or car, allow me to make the most of your time while you visit. I understand many of you are early in your decision-making process. Still, “thinking about it” is all part of the natural process. I get it.

Read my post about being your personal Grand Junction Relocation Guide!

I am truly excited to show off this valley and a few homes along the way. I am happy to give people an afternoon or entire day of my time for them to decide if Grand Junction is right for them. No strings attached. I understand that location, location, location is at the heart of every home purchase, but have you ever thought about the true meaning of repeating that word three times?

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Grand Junction Airport

Flying over Grand Junction – read about our Grand Junction Airport Experience

The first “location” refers to the city itself, or in our case, the entire Grand Valley. Does the city have the amenities you need? Where is the nearest grocery store? How about a Target, Best Buy, or local farm to table dining options? How far away is the nearest airport? Does it have a quaint downtown area? Is there a sense of community? Do I feel safe? The questions differ for everyone, but the process remains the same. Everyone starts from a 10,000 ft point of view.

The second location is filtered down one more segment to which part of the broader area interests you? Will you end up relocating to Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, Whitewater, Glade Park or up on the Mesa? Some of this will be dependent on the price range you are considering, but not always. Do you want to be able to walk to downtown? Are certain schools important to you? Do you have a need for some elbow room and acreage? Is a view important? Would you like to walk out your back door and be on world class trails within minutes? Is the distance to your work something to take into consideration? Where are the new construction developments in the area? Everyone has different wants and needs.

Finally, the third location narrows things down to neighborhoods and the actual home location within those neighborhoods. How does it feel when you first drive down the street? Are yards well taken care of or do they look like everyone is having a year-round yard sale? Is there a large undeveloped parcel behind the neighborhood that offers space now, but in the future is designated to be a rock quarry? Are you looking for newer homes or one with a more historic feel?

These are just some of things people relocating to Grand Junction take into consideration while they process if a move is right for them.

Why choose to Retire in Grand Junction post by Paul Aspelin

Your Grand Junction Relocation Guide

Now, imagine if you had a guide to help narrow things down. A guide who could also give you insight into what people do in their free time? From farmers markets to summer concerts in Los Colonias, or best day trips from Grand Junction or tips on where your best chance to see bighorn sheep might be? There is so much more to understanding an area than aimlessly driving around and attending a few open houses.

I understand the thirst for knowledge and understanding an area before moving. I tell people all the time that there is no more obsessive Googler than someone looking to relocate. I know, I was one of them for two years before I moved which is also why I started this blog. Let me make the most of your time while you are here. Even an afternoon together can set you off in the right direction to explore on your own the next day.

You may have wished you had a friend in the area to show you around, now you do. Call/text me with confidence 612-306-9558. Want to move to Colorado now?

You might also enjoy my post called Retire in Grand Junction- your kids and grandkids will thank you and What I Learned After Living Here for 3 Months. Things to do in Grand Junction: Easy Hikes, oh, and the one called What It’s Really Like Driving I-70!

MOVE2GJ with Paul Aspelin

Check out my custom license plate!

Move to Grand Junction… we’ve been waiting for you!

Text/Call 612-306-9558

PAUL ASPELIN, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE

I am your personal Grand Junction Relocation Guide
Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me an email.
Learn more about my experience and how I serve my clients 

© 2025 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR® MovetoGrandJunction.com Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

by