An Early Spring 4x4 Loop of the Bangs Canyon Special Recreation Area

[roverrocks]

On Saturday April 12, 2014 my wife and myself wheeled a picturesque 20 mile loop within the BLM Bangs Canyon Special Recreation Area which lies in the uplands and mesas just south of the Colorado National monument and only a few miles SW of the 100,000 people of Grand Junction, CO. Few people get out into the vast bulk of this amazingly remote scenic area other than to stop at the Bangs Canyon TH and take one of several wonderful hikes that start there. A whole large system of trails for mountain biking, hiking, horses, jeeping, ATV's, and motorcycles lies there. Many many miles of fun and beauty ranging upwards from the Gunnison River lowlands to 1000/1500 feet higher into the pinyon/juniper uplands and mesas of the lower Uncompahgre Plateau. Lots of solitude and natural beauty here. The springtime wildflowers are just beginning to burst forth and as I am mesmerized by wildflowers this post if heavy with wildflower pictures. We saw few people on our daylong loop which was fine by us. One can see the large city of Grand Junction from many points along the 4x4 loop but it appears to be only a ghost town across the Gunnison River. This area is like a miniature Moab in many respects and is lots of fun to explore and wheel through it's varied terrain and natural habitats.

 

[roverrocks]

Bangs Canyon Early Spring Loop Cont.

More photos of our 20 mile loop of scenery and wildflowers.

 

[roverrocks]

Bangs Canyon Early Spring Loop Cont.

More photos.

 

[roverrocks]

Bangs Canyon Early Spring Loop Cont.

More scenery and wildflowers. The next day after we were here it was raining and snowing in the area which was much needed precipitation after our dry spring. April showers mean May flowers.

 

[roverrocks]

Bangs Canyon Early Spring Loop Cont.

Wildflowers and more wildflowers! I can never view or take pictures of too many colorful wildflowers.

 

[roverrocks]

Bangs Canyon Early Spring Loop Cont.

More pictures of the trails and flowers.

 

[roverrocks]

Bangs Canyon Early Spring Loop Cont.

The last pictures of our 20 miles scenic loop. Wildflowers and desert plants. If you are ever in the Grand Junction area and like desert scenery then the Bangs Canyon Special Recreation Area is well worth the visit as is the nearby amazing Colorado National Monument.

 

[WininUtah]

Nice TR, thanks for all the photos, really gives a good idea of what's out there. I'm big on Wildflowers. too!

 

[pmatusov]

I wanted to go there last summer, along with Colorado National Monument!