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<br />iJ&u2ti4 <br /> <br />, <br />j <br />L <br /> <br />SUMMARY OF THE PRELIMINARY WILDERNESS PROPOSAL <br /> <br />~ <br />I <br />,-. <br /> <br />r <br />I <br /> <br />THE NATIONAL MONUMENT <br /> <br />[ <br /> <br />location <br />Colorado National Monument is located in Mesa County on the <br />western slope of the Rocky Mountains in west.central Colorado, <br />approximately 200 airline miles west of Denver. Its west entrance is <br />3 miles south of Fruita, a town 20 mi les east of the Colorado/Utah <br />State line. The east entrance is 3 miles west of Grand Junction. <br />Colorado. The Rim Rock Drive, a scenic highland road, links the two <br />entrances. Major access routes to the monument are Interstate 70 <br />and U.S. Highways 6, 24. and 50 from Grand Junction; and <br />Interstate 70, and U.S:6 and 50 from Fruita. <br /> <br />[ <br /> <br />L <br /> <br />[: <br /> <br />Surroundings <br />The. monument lies on the northeastern tip of the Uncompahgre <br />Plateau. Down through the ages this plateau has been cut by a series <br />of canyons that end abruptly at the large Redlands fault and open <br />into the Grand Valley. Some of these canyons form the monument, <br />which in turn forms the southwest rim of the Grand Valley through <br />which the Colorado River flows. Within the Grand Valley,.along the <br />northeastern boundary, the land is primarily in private ownership <br />and is devoted largely to agriculture. with increasing residential use_ <br />Livestock grazing is the primary land use along the remaining <br />boundary, with most of the land in public domain administered by <br />the Bureau of land Management. <br /> <br />L <br /> <br />f1 <br />IJ <br /> <br />[ <br /> <br />[. <br /> <br />[' <br /> <br />Resources <br />Colorado National Monument's most significant resources are its <br />colorful and picturesque display of geological formations. "Colorful <br />Colorado" is truly reflected in the steep red and buff canyon walls; <br />spires, and monoliths that make up the outstanding erosional <br />features. Of great appeal are spindly monoliths that are the remnants <br />of fin-like rock partitions that. separate the maze of canyons. <br />Standing alone and towering hundreds of feet, they are ever a source <br />of wonder to visitors. <br /> <br />[ <br /> <br />L <br /> <br />[ <br /> <br />The pinyon/juniper woodland is the major ecologic zone of the <br />monument, and is typical of the Colorado plateau country. The <br />forest cover is interspersed with such bushy and shruby plants as <br />sagebrush, serviceberry, and mountain-mahogany. In the spring and <br /> <br />[ <br /> <br />"., <br />L <br /> <br />L <br />