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About Grand Mesa
About Grand Mesa
Grand Mesa is the largest flat-top mountain in the world, and it rises about 6,000 feet above the valleys around it. The top is lakes, forest, and alpine meadow instead of a summit, which is how it picked up the name "Island in the Sky." Nothing else in Colorado is shaped quite like it, and people come from a long way off to see that for themselves.
Ancient volcanic activity laid down the cap and glacial erosion carved the rest, and the result is a landscape with no real match in the state. More than 300 lakes sit on the mesa's surface and the trout fishing in them is the main reason a lot of people make the drive. Trail systems cover hiking and mountain biking at every skill level. The elevation keeps temperatures cool right through summer, which matters when the valleys below are running hot.
Grand Mesa National Forest covers more than 500,000 acres of undeveloped country, with camping, hunting, and wildlife viewing throughout. Elk and deer are common, black bears and mountain lions are present even if you rarely see one, and the mesa's wet, high microclimate supports plant species that do not grow anywhere else in the region.
Campgrounds and recreational facilities are spread across the top, which makes the mesa workable for families as well as for people who want to disappear into the backcountry. Cedaredge and Delta are the nearest towns and the usual access points. Protecting the area has kept it in the shape it is in, and it keeps drawing more visitors every year.
What sets Grand Mesa apart is the combination of the geology, the lakes, and the recreation on top of it. There is no substitute for it elsewhere in Colorado.
- Elevation
- 10,000+ ft
- Best time
- Summer
- Known for
- 300+ Lakes
How big is Grand Mesa?
Grand Mesa is the largest flat-top mountain in the world, and it rises about 6,000 feet above the valleys around it. The top is broad and rolling rather than a peak, and there are more than 300 lakes up there. It's an odd and impressive piece of geography once you're up on it.
What is there to do up on the mesa?
Fishing is the big draw given all those lakes, but the trail systems pull in hikers and mountain bikers too. The Grand Mesa National Forest covers most of the top, so there's plenty of room to spread out. Camping is easy to come by in the warmer months.
When should I go to Grand Mesa?
Summer and fall are the most comfortable, since the high elevation keeps things cool even when the valleys below are baking. Winter shuts a lot of it down for snow, though that brings its own crowd. If you want the lakes and trails, aim for the warm stretch.
What wildlife lives on Grand Mesa?
You've got a decent shot at seeing elk and deer, and black bears and mountain lions are around even if you rarely spot one. Birdlife is plentiful too. The mesa's high, wet climate also supports some plants you won't find elsewhere nearby.
How do I get to Grand Mesa?
The usual way up is Highway 65, which climbs onto the mesa from the valley. It's roughly an hour east of Grand Junction, and Denver is about four hours to the west. Plan the drive for daylight, because the road up gains elevation fast.
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