Went in for a map but they only have maps for purchase. Restrooms available. Informational items…read moreand souvenirs offered. You can also donate to the public lands in the state of your choice. That was cool. Some nice flexible metallic, UV resistant stickers. Walking staff accessories. Fun stop.

Super friendly and helpful people staff this place. Inside, you will find dioramas and displays…read moreabout points of interest, as well as a small shop selling hats, postcards, toys, and various sundries. The bathrooms are clean. It's worth a stop!

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.

Bottom Line: Welcoming and helpful staff, clean bathrooms, water bottle refilling station and…read moreplenty of parking. Upon arriving in Ouray my husband and I stopped at the Visitor Center. For starters, I like that the building seems to be an old train depot. We were immediately greeted by Patty and she was incredibly welcoming and helpful. She was able to answer all of our questions about sites, hiking, parking and stuff to see on our trek back down to Durango. Also, she did an awesome job juggling multiple visitors. After a long drive we also appreciated the clean restroom and place to refill our water bottles. Oh, and there was plenty of parking out back. I can't imagine a better welcoming to Ouray!

Stopped in at the visitor center on our drive through town as he wanted a map of the area. It's a…read morecute building with an upstairs and downstairs. There was a volunteer who got testy with me when I went looking for the locally made goods their signage seemed to advertise. Apparently I was wrong and they don't sell goods there. There's a spot to take a selfie with the landscape of Ouray - they have a picture hung where you can do that. And there's a lovely photo of trees with their fall colors as well. Lots of maps and informational brochures. And a water bottle filler plus restrooms. It's a good place to stop for information and to take a break.

Closed for the season. Reopening in May. Luckily the restrooms were open so we headed in. There's a…read morewater bottle filler station which was handy. The women's restroom was fairly clean. Not stocked with toilet paper but they had hand soap so that was fine. Parking lot not large but enough. Also the start of the Discovery Trail is right there and Cobbett Lake.

Kind friendly owners who are willing to take the time to help you get what you need. And very…read morehelpful on what flys to use.

Friendly visitor center. Highly recommend as a first stop when arrive at the city. Lots of…read morebrochures and again, a friendly visitor guide! Jacki K, thank you!

From the owner: Glenwood Springs, located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains between Aspen and Vail, is famous for…read moregeothermal amenities and outdoor adventures. You can fish the Gold Medal waters of the Roaring Fork or raft the epic Colorado River, ski, board or snowmobile at affordable Sunlight Mountain Resort, hike or bike dozens of trails, eat at world class restaurants, soak in more than 32 mineral hot springs pools, steam in a hot spring fed cave, or take in thrills at America’s only mountaintop theme park. Glenwood Springs appeals to all ages and abilities.

Back in June 2022, I went to Canyonlands National Park (NPS). I dropped by their visitor center to…read morepick up some magnets as I always do. It's a very nice visitor center with tons of souvenirs. The center wasn't that big, but organized and clean. Staff was friendly and very helpful. Tons of people looking around and shopping. They have lots of goodies and souvenirs. Restrooms are outside... they have actual little potty stands in a building. So do drop on by and check them out when you're at Canyonlands NPS. You may find something nice to bring back home as a remembrance of your lovely visit. Happy Canyon'ing!

Island in the Sky is the most popular/visited part of this massive national park (Canyonlands)…read more This is because it is the most easily accessible part for most people traveling in regular cars/RVs (whereas other parts of the park e.g. the needles require high clearance/AWD). This visitor center is clean, nice, and well equipped. The NPS staff are friendly and helpful and the info video is very interesting (that's where I learned about the other three main sections of the park!) and runs often. The gift shop is located here too, and there are water fill stations. Do note that the bathrooms here are all the "glorified portapotty" kind where you don't flush/there is hand sani but they are not air conditioned and do have that classic outdoor bathroom smell. Nevertheless, they were fairly clean/well taken care of. The parking situation is decent; there is one main row of spots that do fill, but there is a lot of turnover so I did get a spot quickly and most folks behind me did too while others were leaving. Of note, the overlook just across the street from the visitor center of the monument basin is one of the best views in the park -- definitely stop here for pictures before you go!

This visitor center is on the smaller side, but packed with information about points of interest…read moreand great hikes. There is a small gift shop area that is standard through all the NPS visitor centers. The parking lot is small and many people had to park on the side of the road. Pit toilets - as this is a water scarce area, I can see why they would want to avoid the water usage from all of the visitors they receive. If you need potable water they do have a spigot out in front to refill water bottles. It's the only place to get water in the park.