Visited the Auto Museum in Gateway, Colorado and boy am I glad we did. If your a car enthusiast,…read morethis museum is a must see. The collection of automobiles they have is very impressive. They had assorted cars dating back to the Model T all the way up to the modern day muscle cars. The museum is nestled in a gorgeous Unaweep canyon. The drive through the canyon is as enjoyable as the car museum. Beautiful bluffs and rock formations on all sides of your trip through the canyon. The museum area also offers a small cafe that has food items for sale, so you can get a quick lunch. Such a wonderful and beautiful place.

Amazing car collection. Every vehicle looks brand new, if not better. This is something the whole…read morefamily would enjoy. They have very rare vehicles here so it's a once in a lifetime experience for most.

Stopped by to check out the ruins of the Driggs mansion. Built by two Italian stone masons for…read moreLawrence Driggs, a lawyer, author and Texas cattle rancher, between 1914 and 1918, when he homesteaded in Unaweep Canyon. The land where the mansion stood was sold to 3 Grand Junction businessmen who turned it into a hunting lodge. The local rancher who then acquired the property took the roof off the mansion because he wanted to discourage trespassing. The building was fortified by an archaeological company to ensure the structure would stand the test of time. It is an example of the homesteading efforts in the canyon. Unfortunately the structure is on private property and not open to the public. It would have been cool to be able to look at the sandstone blocks and mortar work. We pulled off to the side of the road to take some photos of the structure. Some talkative cattle were nearby and it was amusing to hear them 'speak.'

Don't miss this one! When we first arrived in Fruita, Colorado. The Colorado National Monument was…read morenot on our list of things to visit. We would of totally missed it if it hadn't been for some people we met at a restaurant. Colorado National Monument is not a National Park; it is a National Monument managed by the National Park Service. It's name doesn't portray the beauty and magnitude of this gorgeous park. It is a 23 mile drive and is often called the mini-grand canyon. The towering red rock monoliths and the Canyon views were absolutely incredible.

What bliss this is…read more Colorado National Monument is basically the smaller in scale sandstone-stacked cousin of the Grand Canyon, but without all the horrific traffic and crowds upon crowds, especially at the start of summer. This place has miles of views with gorgeous towering cliffs, dramatic canyons and many trails for walking and hiking. You can also see the Grand Mesa (the world's largest flat-topped mountain) and the Book Cliffs from the monument. And it has that Grand Canyon feeling when you look at its depth -- as though you are looking directly into a painting. Along about a 20-mile highway (with an east and west entrance) you can enjoy the full views. There are plenty of places to pull over and park to take a look or to plan for a hike. And be very, very careful. The main drive is very deeply beloved by cyclists, so be sure to drive slow and keep eyes on the road. Do not miss Independence Monument. This is a glorious rock spire. also, the Kissing Couple is adorable. The Coke Ovens are these beautifully shaped domes -- some of my favorites in the area. Also, be aware of wildlife. I did not get lucky, but there are regular sights of bighorn sheep, coyotes, red-tailed hawks, eagles and many other animals. I did see a pretty spectacular aerial fight between a hawk and a raven during a recent visit, though. Also, be sure to check out the visitor center on the west side. It has some natural history exhibits and a gift shop. There is also the Saddlehorn Campground, which is very well maintained and has a good number of spots, but not all with sprawling city or canyon views. All told, there are three loops with nearly 80 sites. Some are small and best for a pair and others that are good for a couple of tents on one site. Overall, bring lots of water and snacks, because it is dry and sometimes feels desert like. And do not over rely on cell service, as there are a number of dead zones.

Cisco, Utah, is one of the most fascinating ghost towns you'll ever come across on a Utah road…read moretrip. Located right off Interstate 70 near the junction with State Route 128, this abandoned town has an incredible history that makes it worth a stop. Founded in the 1880s as a water and supply station for the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, Cisco quickly grew into a busy frontier town with saloons, hotels, and shops serving travelers and workers. By the early 1900s, Cisco became known for sheep shearing--processing as many as 100,000 sheep in a single year. The discovery of oil and natural gas later fueled another boom, making Cisco one of Utah's busiest energy towns. But when diesel locomotives replaced steam engines and I-70 bypassed the area, Cisco fell into decline. Today, Cisco is largely abandoned, with crumbling buildings and desert winds telling the story of its rise and fall. It has appeared in movies like Thelma & Louise and inspired Johnny Cash's song "Cisco Clifton's Fillin' Station." It's eerie, rugged, and authentic--exactly what you'd expect from a ghost town. If you're traveling through eastern Utah, don't just speed past. Cisco is a hidden gem for history lovers, photographers, and explorers. https://linktr.ee/reessroots

This is an interesting ghost town. He had come through on a bike ride and wanted to show it to me…read more There didn't seem to be anyone about. But there are many buildings to look at. Most of them are run down and their roofs have collapsed but the General Store building looked pretty good. And there's a bus attached to a structure which looks like an outhouse. And a snake sculpture winding in and out of a bus. A Winnebago and truck which I read in an article was converted to living facilities for artists who want to work on their craft. I read an article which said that in 2015 the town was purchased by Eileen Muza who works to repair the town and make it a livable space. She also lives there in an airstream I believe. You can apply on her website for the artist residency. And subscribe to the town newsletter. I thought I read somewhere that the General Store could be rented as an Airbnb. But it seems like the General Store is actually open ! It's called Buzzards Belly General Store. Looks cool on their Instagram. And the old post office is the one which can be rented on Airbnb. Makes for an interesting place to stay. Only drawback is no running water so bring your own. I've started following Eileen on Instagram because I think it's amazing that she's working to restore this town. If you visit on your road trip please pick up after yourselves and don't invade her privacy by entering buildings which are occupied. Also read that she relies on fundraisers and the Airbnb rentals to keep the town up. So help out if you can. I didn't get to walk around as we were on a time crunch but I'd go back and hopefully get to shop at the General Store and maybe even meet Eileen.

This is a cool little place to check out. If you have been on the road for a while need a walk and…read moresee something then pavement then stop and check out some history.

Three stars for some ambivalence here... The house tour is fascinating, super unique, with 5,000…read moresquare feet of living space with a ton of original furniture, fixtures, home decor and objects in general to look at. Most of it was HAND BUILT by the owners many decades ago. Really cool! But twelve actual minutes to run through it? Really? The docent was nice enough but obviously doesn't care about his job. It was almost funny how he was moving us through as fast as the candy on Lucy's conveyer belt. I reluctantly recommend the tour because the house/history is amazing, but the tour itself desperately needs a new guide and at least double the time to enjoy it. The girl at the front that sold the tickets was a delight: she enthusiastically answered our questions and actually seemed to enjoy engaging with guests.

This felt like a bit of an adventure. We took the directions listed to find this place and…read morewondered if we had found ourselves in one of those "you missed the wrong turn" kind of scary adventure movie. But we finally saw a sign posting the parking to the Wall Art - and we were so glad we hadn't turned around. This place is amazing! To think of this art lasting for so many thousands of years, so that we can still see it today gives you such a moment of awe. This place is fairly unknown so we had so much space and time to explore without gobs of other people. It was truly a magical experience - which I will stop trying to express as I just don't have the words to describe. However, I can say that I highly recommend a visit to this very lonely, yet magical place.

It is so fascinating to see Barrier canyon style pictographs. It is easy to access (but due to that…read morevandalism is high) and quite a variety of pictographs and petroglyphs can be seen. In winter, mostly only us and had quietly admired the ancient work. I wrote more detailed descriptions in my blog. https://himebackpacker.blogspot.com/2025/06/barrier-canyon-style-rock-art-sego.html

I took my 2.5 year old son here to pet some animals, and he loved it so much he cried for 20…read moreminutes after we left. This place is a hidden little gem that everyone should visit. It's so unique with all their little tiny houses and the animals. Each house has a theme like the teddy bear house, the old lady in the boot, mother goose, grandma's house, and so many more. The gentleman who owns it is very kind. The admission is free, but they appreciate a $5 donation per person. My son was allowed to pet and feed all the animals, and he got to hold a bunny. He was in heaven!! We will go back here for sure, especially for the pumpkin patch and for Christmas.

I picked up a few pumpkins with my fiancee this October. I heard that this was their first year…read morewith a pick your own pumpkin patch. We enjoyed the hay rack ride, which was my fiancee's first ever. We loaded up with all of the other kids and parents and did a tour (or a lap) around the pumpkins. We then were dropped off where we started and set off with a wagon to get the perfect pumpkin. We had a great time. The weather was wonderful. The only disappointment I had was that they did not have food or anything to purchase other than pumpkins. I was thinking caramel corn, caramel covered apples, some sweets, nothing available. Being their first year, I'm sure they will figure it out for next year.

Great spot to visit. It's like a 15 minute stop max. Several off roading options around s there tooread more

It's petroglyphs on a huge boulder, from different native cultures, from different eras…read more The boulder has 4 sides, and each side has petroglyphs, including one which is a depiction of a woman giving birth, hence the name. From Moab, you drive along the Colorado on a somewhat remote, but paved road. The road goes deep into the canyon, bordered by several remote camping areas and trail heads. There are a few mobile homes along the road as well, and a small wooden house partially built into the rock walls of the canyon. We also saw three walls, for lack of a better word, built of stone, like those found in ancient ruins. Unfortunately, they were on private property with "No Trespassing" signs, so we didn't go check them out. Anyway, once you no longer see homes, the road goes on for maybe one more mile, then turns to unpaved gravel. Dirt bikes, utvs and other vehicles all use this road, and because it is a "shelf" road, it can be a little scary. Just go a little slower than you normally would, and you'll be fine. The rock sits below the level of the road, as does the signage, so you may drive by it, but there is enough room to both pull over or turn around. There is no parking lot. If you're into any sort of history, but especially native cultures, this is a nice little piece of it to check out. 38/2021