Western Colorado Botanical Gardens

Established in 1994 on a 15-acre site along the Colorado River, the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens occupies a long-term lease with the City of Grand Junction. Thousands of volunteer hours cleared the initial debris before construction began, leading to the opening of the tropical greenhouse on November 8, 1997, to a crowd of 2,500 people. The grounds feature the Cactus Garden, Antique Rose Garden, Children’s Secret Garden, Western Heritage Garden, and Celebration Plaza. Inside, the tropical rainforest and butterfly house display orchids and host koi fish, turtles, tortoises, and native butterflies introduced in 1998. Visitors can browse the Botanical Gift Shop for garden and Colorado-related items before attending hosted events or weddings. Admission is $9 for adults, with discounts available for seniors, students, military, and children, and members of over 300 other U.S. botanical gardens enter for free under the Reciprocal Admission Program.