Rattlesnake Arches
![Centennial Arch (also known as East Rim Arch) is the tallest and [arguably] most spectacular of the Rattlesnake Arches just north...](https://www.mountainphotography.com/images/xl/20261017-Rattlesnake-Arches-2.jpg "Rattlesnake Arches")
Centennial Arch (also known as East Rim Arch) is the tallest and [arguably] most spectacular of the Rattlesnake Arches just north of Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction. It has a 40-foot span and 120-foot height.
Looking up at Centennial Arch (also known as East Rim Arch) from below.
For months we've been looking forward to a 10-day road trip in southern Utah in mid-October. But as luck would have it, our timing coincided with torrential rain as tropical storms barreled over the Southwest. We waited a few days but by the time the weather cleared we didn't have that much time left to drive all the way out there. So instead we decided to stay closer to home and explore some new (to us) canyons near Grand Junction in Colorado.
Our first stop was Rattlesnake Arches. Situated above the town of Fruita, just north of Colorado National Monument, Rattlesnake Arches are known for having the highest concentration of arches outside of Arches National Park in Utah. We spent a couple nights camping in our truck near the trailhead and hiking the trails around the fantastic arches.