Skip southern Utah for the rugged majesty of Grand Junction, Colorado

When the crowds descend upon Arches National Park in southern Utah, you can be about 100 miles away enjoying the world's second largest concentration of natural arches at Rattlesnake Canyon in Colorado. This scenic stretch is one of the many under-the-radar areas to visit near Grand Junction, where natural wonders vastly outnumber people.

Witness Nature's Trifecta

Grand Junction takes the great outdoors to a whole other level. In and around the city, you will find a "bonanza" of mountains, canyons, high desert, forests, lakes and rivers, The New York Times said, with more than 1 million acres of public land to explore.

The "towering spires of sandstone and cliffs" at Colorado National Monument were formed by "erosion, not human hands," said Rocky Mountain PBS, and can be appreciated during hiking, biking or driving along the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive. Devil's Kitchen Trail and Serpents Trail are two of the most popular paths for hikers, and every visit should coincide with the sunset, which somehow looks more majestic from the top of a red rock. Stay even later for some "truly impressive stargazing," Lonely Planet said, made possible by a lack of light pollution and "crisp, clear skies."

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The Colorado National Monument, along with the Grand Mesa and Rattlesnake Canyon Arches, make up a trio of geographical delights known as Nature's Trifecta. Grand Mesa, the world's largest flat-topped mountain, "towers" over Grand Junction like an "11,000-foot-high dinner table," National Geographic said. More than 300 "picturesque" lakes dot the mesa, and hiking along the Crag Crest National Recreation Trail takes trekkers to "11,189 feet and above seven of the world's 10 biomes." In the fall, see the spectacular fall colors from Highway 65, a designated Colorado Scenic Byway.

The 35 arches in Rattlesnake Canyon are "one of Colorado's best kept secrets for a reason," Travel and Leisure said. It takes "time and grit" to get to Rattlesnake Canyon, and the "easier" way involves driving to the upper trailhead in a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle then taking a six-mile round-trip hike. The "more strenuous" adventure involves a 16.4-mile round-trip hike, but whatever route is chosen, you will be "treated to a series of jaw-dropping arches along the upper rim of Rattlesnake Canyon."

Don't forget the wine

Grand Junction comes by its name honestly: it is at the intersection of the Colorado (formerly known as the Grand) and Gunnison Rivers. This is good news for water sports enthusiasts, who can go rafting, kayaking, paddle boarding and tubing, as well as even wine drinkers.

Historically, growers have "enjoyed plenty of water for cultivating grapevines and fruit trees in an arid climate," Afar said. Grand Junction and nearby Palisade are home to more than 30 wineries and tasting rooms, living up to its "Food & Wine"-bestowed designation as "the new Sonoma." Merlot, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz all grow well in the area, and one way to try a little of all is by attending the Colorado Mountain WineFest held annually in September.

The indoor side of Grand Junction

Outside activities draw visitors to Grand Junction, but there is also a thriving historic downtown filled with boutiques, restaurants, wine-tasting rooms and craft breweries, with no franchises in sight. Art on the Corner, the first outdoor sculpture program in the U.S., got its start in 1984, with organizers aiming to create an "uplifting" experience following the oil shale bust, the Daily Sentinel said. Today, more than 115 sculptures and murals are on permanent display around town.