Colorado National Monument · Colorado

Monument Canyon Trail

5.4 mi of trail, end to end · Monument Canyon Loop Hike: 5 mi loop in the Service's write-up · about 1,600 ft of climbing · 4,716 ft–6,125 ft · trail class Developed · hiking

ViewsExhibits

4,716 ft 6,125 ft · 5.4 mi high 6,125 ft

Along the way Lower Monument Trailhead Wayside Exhibit Upper Monument Canyon Trailhead Wayside Exhibit Monument Canyon

Trailheads Coke Ovens Trailhead 6,130 ft Drive there · Lower Monument Canyon Trailhead 4,720 ft Drive there · Monument Canyon Trailhead 6,133 ft Drive there

Monument Canyon Loop Hike 5 mi loop · the Park Service's write-up

4-6 Hours · no dogs · season In spring and summer, you will often find lots of wildflowers on these trails. Some people choose to backpack and stay overnight in the canyons for excellent views of the night sky.

Start Lower Monument Canyon Trailhead

gravel road leads to dirt parking lot, backdrop of sparsely vegetated canyon slops
Lower Monument Canyon Trailhead Photo: NPS Photo / A Jackson

Monument-Wedding Canyons Loop

Location: From the west (Fruita) entrance of the Monument, turn right onto Highway 340 (going east); after 2.1 miles (3.4 km) turn right just beyond mile marker #5 onto a dirt road that appears to be a driveway; go 0.1 mile (0.2 km) to the trailhead. Maps can direct you to Lower Monument Canyon Trailhead.

Mileage: ~5 miles (8.05 km) loop, +3.5 miles (5.63 km) one way up Monument Canyon from the meeting point with Wedding Canyon undeveloped trail

Difficulty Level: Moderate to steep

Elevation: 4,700 to 6,140 feet (1433 to 1871 meters) from lower trailhead to upper trailhead

Average time: 4-6 hours

Usage: Hiking and horseback riding permitted along the

lower 5 miles. Hiking only above 5 miles on Monument Canyon Trail.

Description (from lower trailhead): Shortly after beginning the trail, choose to go clockwise or counterclockwise around this loop. Starting towards the left fork, you enter Monument Canyon first. If you choose the right fork, you'll be starting in Wedding Canyon on an undeveloped trail. At the far end of the loop, you'll be walking beneath Independence Monument. If you choose to go farther into the canyon along Monument Canyon Trail, you'll get to walk below many of the park's major rock sculptures, including Kissing Couple and the Coke Ovens. Check out a photo gallery of this hike.

Pets Pets are not allowed on any trail in the Monument. Do not leave pets in a car - even with the windows down, it gets too hot. Service animals are welcome in any building and on any trail.

Accessibility This area is not considered accessible, due to uneven terrain, steepness, and lack of paved parking surfaces. This parking lot tends to fill up quickly on weekends and holidays.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

Other trails from the same trailheads

All 22 trails in Colorado National MonumentFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.