Mee Canyon Photo: Rick Wicker
A lot people think that the only place to backpack in Colorado is in the mountains. However, there are some incredible areas in the Colorado Plateau in western Colorado that are worth the drive. One of the best things about backpacking in canyon country is that you can go right now. You don’t have to wait another month or two for the snow to melt or the mud to dry.
Over the next month is the best time to visit the numerous canyons west and south of Grand Junction. After mid-May the temperature starts to climb into the 90’s and water sources start to dry up. What’s even worse is that these canyons act like ovens, causing the air temperature to become even warmer.
Two spectacular places to backpack are the canyons west of Colorado National Monument and south of Grand Junction in the Uncompahgre Plateau.
Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness, about 10 miles west of Grand Junction, has several deep slick rock canyons to choose from. You can drop down into Jones, Knowles or Mee Canyons. You will have to hike several miles into these canyons to find water. Each of these canyons meanders to the Colorado River. Nighttime brings on a chorus of frogs that is simply amazing. Avoid driving on the dirt roads in this area after a rain or if they are wet.
Dominguez Canyons are located about 20 miles southeast of Grand Junction. Big Dominguez Canyon is accessible from atop the Uncompahgre Plateau or from the Gunnison River at Bridgeport. Little Dominguez Canyon is best reached from the Gunnison River at Bridgeport. Desert bighorn sheep are occasionally seen in these canyons and well as tracks of mountain lions. Big Dominguez Creek flows year round. However, water in Little Dominquez can be sparse and usually found near the mouth of the canyon.
For both Black Ridge and Dominguez Canyons the water needs to be treated and depending on when you go the streams can be murky. Use a water filter that uses a ceramic cartridge that can be field-cleaned with a brush. Other filters will quickly clog and become useless.
For more hiking information on these areas visit the Bureau of Land Management, Grand Junction Field Office. Another excellent resource is Colorado’s Canyon Country - A Field Guide to Hiking and Floating BLM Wildlands by Mark Pearson.
Mee Canyon Photo: Lance Carpenter
Bureau of Land Management, Grand Junction Field Office
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