Grand Junction dirtbag beta

Hey there MP community!

I'm moving to Grand Junction in a month or so to work for the US Fish and Wildlife doing some fisheries work for the season. I do NOT plan on paying for rent this summer, so I was wondering if anyone out there has info on good places for camping just outside of Grand Junction. Ive seen that public land surrounds the area, but where would YOU want to park your truck for the night for some peace? Cottonwood>juniper (of course).

My plan is to climb pretty much every weekend, and possibly after work most days (if daylight permits). I've climbed extensively on the Utah side of the boarder west of GJ, but haven't ventured that far east from there. Desert rock is my #1, so let me know if you need a climbing partner for your tower top outs or crack climbing adventures!

Cheers,
Michael

I lived in my truck for a year in Grand Junction, so hopefully I can be of some assistance. How far/long are you willing to drive to get some shuteye on a weeknight/weekend? The answer to this could help you narrow in where to shoot for.

You sound like the perfect person to talk to! Well some weeks I'm going to be looking for a camping spot every night, hopefully no further than 30 minutes out of town. But on weekends I can drive as far as it takes! Are you still living in GJ?

Michael Akland wrote:Hey there MP community! I'm moving to Grand Junction in a month or so to work for the US Fish and Wildlife doing some fisheries work for the season. I do NOT plan on paying for rent this summer, so I was wondering if anyone out there has info on good places for camping just outside of Grand Junction. Ive seen that public land surrounds the area, but where would YOU want to park your truck for the night for some peace? Cottonwood>juniper (of course). My plan is to climb pretty much every weekend, and possibly after work most days (if daylight permits). I've climbed extensively on the Utah side of the boarder west of GJ, but haven't ventured that far east from there. Desert rock is my #1, so let me know if you need a climbing partner for your tower top outs or crack climbing adventures! Cheers, Michael

Michael, I don't have any beta on free camp site areas on BLM lands and such. but I've camped in all three of these areas around Grand Junction with good results.

There is the Desert. mostly MTB crowd.

The Oasis in the desert . All users found here with pay showers and laundromat.

Or the River through the desert . All the amenities along with (distant) highway noise within tolerable levels.

Camping in the hills would be nice when the temperature Is up.
Any local people's advice would be greatly appreciated.

Good luck with your journey!

I do still live in GJ. Unfortunately I'm residing in a more permanent structure than my truck. I miss the dirtbag life. Based on the season you'll be here I think your best option is going to be in the Unaweep Canyon area. There are two distinct options here, Nine Mile Hill and Divide Road.

Nine Mile Hill is more of your right by the highway, boulder a bit after breakfast sort of spot. There are a couple road spurs that could take you far enough away from the road to actually get you some peace and quiet, although they will require 4WD (you have a truck though.) This is the close, but not as comfortable or quiet option. Twenty ish minutes away, and just a bit of climbing nearby. It's worth looking into as a convenient place to park.
Nine Mile Hill

Divide Road is further up Unaweep Canyon, totally worth the drive on a weekend, and somewhere I spend a ton of time camping during the summer. The big granite walls off Hwy. 141 are not bad, either. Divide Road does see a lot of RV, redneck traffic, but if you have 4WD you can get off the main road and feel miles away from the generators. I won't tell you the location of my secret camping spot, but this one is my pretty amazing fallback plan.
The Spot
It's a ways out there, but once you're on top of the Mesa on Divide Road you can pretty much take your pick.

If you hit Kannah Creek or Edgewater Brewing (best beer in town), and had a few too many drinks, crashing in the Lunch Loops (on Monument Rd) parking lot is legal. I only got woken up by the cops once (they just left me alone after that.) These are all of your free options. Obviously pay camping is available closer, but I'm a cheap bastard.

Thanks guys! This is more than enough to get me started! Michael: where exactly are the lunch loops on Monument Road? I see a bunch of dirt road circles on the south side of the road from a golf course, is that it?

I spent a couple weeks camping on divide road in unaweep canyon. it's all primitive but quiet, private, and plenty of close by climbing.

if you don't want to camp the whole time you might try couch surfing.

Hey. I have done some long term b.l.m. camping out north of fruita at the book cliffs. It will eventually get overrun by mountain bikers. unaweep/ divide or escalante.I'll keep you posted on climbing availability.

That's them. They're on the south side of the road right past Mariposa Dr. (on the north.) Dynamite Shacks and Bullet Hole Boulder areas are just north of the lunch loops btw.

Also some nice places to camp up at Glade Park area. Prob not the best option for early spring, but it's much higher in elevation and would be way nicer once the valley starts warming up in the summer months (not sure what season you'll be working).

Hello All,

Welcome Michael to the area. I would like to ask that you do not camp on Nine Mile hill. It is currently not permitted as we have had so many issues with homeless people, and dirt bag people trashing the area. Please continue on to Divide road, or even Cactus Park as it is closer. There is also Glade Park, which may be the closest option for you for public land. I live down town and if your rig is one in which you can sleep in you are welcome to stay occasionally in the driveway if you don't feel like driving out somewhere to camp. I used to work for the USGS which is in the same new building you will be based out of and know many of the people you will working with. Hit me up if you need any information about the area climbing or otherwise.

Good luck,

Jesse

Jesse, when did camping on Nine Mile Hill become frowned upon? I have long lamented about the condition that some people leave our favorite bouldering areas in. Just to name one specifically - The Bone Park has way too much broken glass and other redneck artifacts laying everywhere. Is there a line of communication between the BLM and WCCC that we could maybe open to get the area cleaned up/open again for overnight use? I love this area and hate how trashed it gets sometimes.

For over a year now BLM has not permitted over night camping. We have a good relationship with the BLM but I tend to agree that it is not sustainable to have it available for overnight camping do to how trashed it is. I encourage anyone who sees any groups that are paint balling, camping, living, burning, or partying to report it immediately to the BLM. When they were doing their resource program we fought to even be able to park off of Hwy 141 due to how trashed the area gets from the public and the evolving management policy of shutting it down in order to protect it.

Damn. I had no idea. Could we maybe update the Nine Mile Hill page to reflect that information?

Hello All, I just called the BLM office to get a better understanding of the situation and it appears that the proposed resource management plan is still being worked on and up until they release the final plan camping is allowed on BLM in Escalante- Dominguez NCA. Which portions of nine-mile hill are included in. There are large swaths of city and private land that you may not camp on throughout 9 mile. The current 14 day limit applies. I would recommend downloading a blm map. Sorry for the confusion and bad info. I do know that closures and such are in the works. But enjoy it now! Human waste needs to contained btw.

-Jesse

I spent several years in the late 90's & early 2000's chilling in and amoungst the boulders on the 9 Mile Hill, there are a bunch of nooks and crannies to find a place for your rig. There is also a long history of climbers dirtbaggin it there. It's a shame the feds want to shut it down, seem like there are gates just popping up everywhere these days. I for one am getting sick of it.

There used to be some good spots up on Little Park road above the houses before Bangs Canyon but those are all gated up these days.

For proximity the desert behind the Airport is great there are too many washes to dissapear in back there and hide a campsite, but I would hesitate to leave anything. That place is a redneck wastland, you might come back to 12 gauge holes in everything.