The World's Largest Flattop Mountain

EXPLORING GRAND MESA

Grand Mesa is a massive forested area surrounded by semi-arid lowlands. It is a hidden oasis of lakes, meadows, and forests barely visible from the valley below.

Only by traveling to the mesa via the Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway can a visitor fully appreciate this colorful and magical world. Within a short distance you travel from fruit-laden orchards to hillsides covered with pinon and juniper, to forests of spruce, fir, and aspen.

The scenery along Highway 65 is spectacular. Travel through forests and meadows which abound with wildflowers and enjoy breathtaking views from the mesa’s 11,000-foot summit.

Along the route, you’ll find turnoffs to numerous picnic areas, cabins, lodges, and lakes. Grand Mesa offers nine fee campgrounds, as well as many opportunities for dispersed camping. Stop by the Grand Mesa Visitor Center to view interpretive exhibits and a unique high-altitude native garden. Browse through thr bookstore, or ask the Forest Service staff where the fish are biting.

The Grand Mesa Visitor Center at Cobbett Lake is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer months. Also plan a visit to the Land’s End Observatory located along the 12-mile spur of the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway along the Land’s End Road (Forest Service Road 100 off Hwy. 65). The observatory is open seasonally, and the restored Raber Cow Camp Cabins are located nearby.

While hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting are popular during the warmer months, Grand Mesa is also popular for winter sports. Cross-country and snowmobile trails, along with year-round lodging on the mesa, make Grand Mesa one of the best winter sports locations in Colorado.

THE STORY OF GRAND MESA

The Spaniards named Grand Mesa “Mesa Grande,” meaning a “large table,” an apt description for the world’s largest tabletop mountain. The story of Grand Mesa lakes is one of dynamic geological processes and determined men.

The work of glaciers and a weathering process known as “slumping” created the depressions, then industrious men used the topography to build reservoirs for water in the valleys.

Grand Mesa’s surface has resisted erosion thanks to a thick capping of basalt that has provides an erosion-resistant “armor-plating.” However, the armored surface of the mesa is continually eroding as the result of water collecting in the cracks in the lava and freezing and then thawing, which wedges off chunks of the mesa. Lava blocks have been measured to move from one-half to four inches per year from this action.

When the valleys surrounding Grand Mesa were settled in the 1880’s, the ranchers realized that irrigation was necessary for crop production. They used shovels and plows to dig ditches and water rights were established - first with a gun and later by the courts.

To provide a dependable summer-long supply of water, more than 200 reservoirs were built on Grand Mesa. The hard work was preformed by bare hands and strong backs, along with horses, wagons and drag lines, long before mechanized earth-moving equipment was invented.

HIKING ON GRAND MESA

With breathtaking mountain views and vast open spaces stretching out as far as the eye can see, you may feel as though you are standing at the top of the world when you hike the upper loop of the Crag Crest Trail on Grand Mesa.

Crag Crest National Recreation Trail is a 10-mile-long circular trail rising from the east and west trailheads, with a 6.5 mile-long path stretching across the top of the Crag Crest. The crest portion of the lofty trail rises from 10,375 feet at the west trailhead, to 11, 189 feet at Eggleston Lake (the east trailhead).

At the crest, the trail is about three feet wide with steep drop-offs on both sides and awesome vistas.

For a shorter hike, try the 1.5-mile trail which encircles Mesa Lakes. There’s no significant change in elevation, so the trail can easily be hiked in one hour. The Deep Creek Trail and Lost Lake Trail branch off the Mesa Lakes Shore Trail. The Mesa Lakes area received a major facelift in 2006 to upgrade camping and day use facilities, parking, and handicap access.

Trailheads for the Lost Lake Loop Trail can be found at both the north and south ends of Mesa Lake. The trail climbs from an elevation of 9,900 feet at the lake to 10,500 feet at the top of the mesa. Once on top it continues through islands of spruce and fir, interspersed with meadows filled with wildflowers. This 12-mile trail is rated moderate.

The seven-mile West Bench Trail begins at the Mesa Lakes Ranger Station. Suitable for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, this trail offers incredible views of the valley below.

The Grand Mesa Visitors’ Center offers a variety of maps and books detailing the many trail atop Grand Mesa. For a short introduction to the natural wonder you’ll find on the mesa, take ¼-mile-long Discovery Trail which starts behind the visitors center. This moderately easy walk highlights the beauty of Grand Mesa at a series of interpretive stops.

Other trails in the vicinity of the visitors’ center include the easy trail connecting Cobbett Lake to Ward Lake and the Crag Crest trails, and the Island Lake trails, which circles Island Lake and connects to the campgrounds and boat launch. Another interesting trail is the Baron Lake Trail, an easy 1.3-mile trail which connects the Ward Way Picnic Area to Baron Lake. It passes by Alexander Lake and offers ample opportunity for watching wildlife, and connects with the 1.25-mile Ward Lake Trail.

When you’re hiking, be prepared for sudden changes in weather, and keep an eye out for der, elk, and moose, which were recently transplanted onto the northern slope of Grand Mesa.

CAMPING ON GRAND MESA

The U.S. Forest Service operates 10 campgrounds on Grand Mesa, all of which have toilet facilities. As the snow melts, and the campgrounds begin to open, that information will be made available on the Grand Mesa website, www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/recreation. Information about fees, elevations, amenities, and total number of sites at each campground is also available on the website. Camp sites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reservations for Cobbett Lake Campground may be made by calling 1-877-444-6777 or online through recreaton.gov.