Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument is a national monument in the state of Colorado. Established in 1911, Colorado National Monument features large canyons that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The park is particularly popular every July 4th when several people climb Independence Monument in celebration of when John Otto performed the same feat in 1911. John Otto is definitely the most recognized person in the history of the site.

Several animals roam the area, ranging from such species as sheep to coyotes.

History of the area
John Otto is the most recognized person in the history of the site. Traveling from the Yosemite Valley, Otto worked consistently in trying to get the monument to a status so that it would be preserved. He built trails so that people could more easily gain access to the remarkable canyons. Working with the local communities, Otto was very keen in getting the area to become a national park, and succeeded to a point when it became a national monument. John Otto would become the first custodian of the national monument and would work with various other people in getting the site to become attractive to visitors from all across the country and world. It took them ten years to create Serpents Trail, the monument's first road for vehicles. While doing all of this, Otto lived in a tent and had a salary of $1 a month. In the thirties the park began work on a new scenic road.

Since the creation of the park, the National Park Service has constructed various buildings around the site which has since been incorporated as units of the National Register of Historic Places.

Visitor information
The monument, which consists of 32 square miles, is a popular attraction in Mesa County, Colorado. The monument is open year round for 24 hours a day, though the visitor center's hours depends on the season. They include:

In order to get into the park, visitors must pay $7 per vehicle or $4 per individual person without a vehicle (bikes and motorcycles not included). After purchasing a ticket, it's good for seven days. Those under 16 years old do not need to pay. A $20 season pass is available to those who wish to be given access to the park for 365 days.