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GJ to Rattlesnake Arches

DaveInDenver

Rising Sun Ham Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
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Location
Grand Junction
It's been a nice extended spring so we've been busy trying to take advantage of it. Last year we hiked out to see the Rattlesnake Arches and have been wanting to get back to hike the lower trail, which has better views of the arches in the area. On the upper trail you hike on top and see a few of the pot holes that have become open, which is cool in its own right.

None-the-less the weather is starting to slowly creep into summer. The heat is coming on. It's 88°F here at the house in fact. So the window on getting the low elevation and closed canyon trips is closing. Even river trips are being squeezed in since the Colorado is expected to hit max flow next week since the spring snow melt is well under way and the reservoirs need to be filled upstream.

So we took the chance to drive out to the Lower Rattlesnake Arches today. To get the trailhead means BLM ranching roads out to an old Jeep trail, where it eventually has been closed to make the trail. Many, many years ago it was possible to drive all the way to Pollock Bench in fact.

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View as you drop from the Upper and Lower trail intersection. Out in the distance is Pollock Bench, then the Colorado River, across the river is Kokopelli. Beyond that is I-70 and the Bookcliffs on the horizon.

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East Rim Arch:
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Cedar Tree Arch:
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From the house we go up through the Colorado National Monument, then link BLM road.

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