The Monument Canyon Trail passes through an archetypal landscape of canyons, sandstone pinnacles, and open desert. The trail begins at Monument Canyon's Upper Trailhead and drops 900' in just .9 miles to the canyon floor. This initial descent follows fifty million years of geological history including sedimentary rock deposited during the Upper Jurassic and Upper Triassic periods of the Mesozoic Era.

Sandstone pinnacles on the Monument Canyon Trail

Monument Canyon seen from the Upper Trailhead

Beginning the initial descent into Monument Canyon

Encased by high walls of Wingate Sandstone, the trail cuts through the Juniper-filled floor of Monument Canyon

The Kissing Couple red-rock formation

The impressive Independence Monument, a 450' free standing sandstone monolith. Named on July 4th, 1910 when John Otto, the founder of Colorado National Monument first flew the American Flag from its summit. It is also the site of his wedding to Beatrice Farnham who inscribed the first line of the Declaration of Independence on its base.