After Work Adventures | Wednesday, September 23, 2026
I headed up onto the Grand Mesa this afternoon to spend a few hours seeing how the fall colors were coming along like I try do each year around this time. As I was driving up the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway I found that there was still a lot of green lower down around the Mesa Creek area, but there were a few patches of nice colors here and there, including some oranges. Unfortunately, my favorite overlook at Skyway Point was already past it’s prime, so it was kind of a mixed bag this year and didn’t seem to be a great year for fall colors on the Mesa, which isn’t too surprising with how hot and dry it has been this past summer. Although the fall colors weren’t the greatest this time around, it was still nice to get up onto the Mesa for a few hours after work this afternoon.
I could already tell that the colors weren’t going to be that great this afternoon since there was a still a lot of green behind the Grand Mesa National Forest sign.
Green to Gold
Grand Mesa Green & Gold
There were a few small areas that did have some nice colors.
Lone Pine
Even though it was already past it’s prime, this was the view from Skyway Point.
Skyway View
The road was wet from a heavy, but short-lived downpour.
Grand Mesa Scenic Byway
Grand Mesa Fall Colors
After following the Old Grand Mesa Road on my way back down, I stopped to visit the Plateau Creek Petroglyphs since it’s been quite a long time since I last visited them.
Plateau Creek Petroglyphs
Ring Leader
Paw Prints
I decided to take the long way home and followed the De Beque Cutoff Road back to I-70 where I had a nice view of Horsethief Mountain.
Looking up at the Sunny Side Bench, which I just drove across a few days ago…
