Within the western portion of Colorado State, the largest city is the city of Grand Junction. It is found 247 miles or 398km west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to the 2010 census, Grand Junction's population was around 58,566, making it the most heavily populated city on the Colorado Western Slope and the 15th most heavily populated city within Colorado State.
The city serves as the county seat for Mesa County and has a council-manager government. The city of Grand Junction serves as a vital commercial and transportation hub in the huge area between the Continental Divide and the Green River. Based on the 2010 Census, the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of roughly 146,723.
The city of Grand Junction is situated along the Colorado River. From the south, it receives the Gunnison River as well. The name "Grand" refers to the historical upper Colorado River, which was renamed in the year 1921. The word "Junction" is derived from the joining of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. The nickname "River City," has been given to Grand Junction for obvious reasons.
The Grand Valley, just a short distance from Grand Junction is a key fruit growing region. Grand Junction lies near this mid-point of Grand Valley which is a 48 km or 30 mile arching valley which was initially home to the Ute people. During the 1880s, the region was settled by white farmers. Over recent decades, many wineries have become established in the region too.
There are a variety of mesas and canyons which overlook the city on the west, as well as the Colorado National Monument, and a lot of the area is surrounded by public lands which are managed by the Bureau of Land Management. A famous series of cliffs which define the Grand Valley's northern portion are referred to as the Book Cliffs.
Located close to the city of Grand Junction is the Country Jam Ranch, that is just north at the Mack exit on I-70. This is a permanent festival site built for music festivals, like Country Jam, an event that has been held ever since the year 1992 and one which attracts thousands of country music buffs to the region.
The region near the city of Grand Junction is a well-known mountain biking location, with many bikers coming from the Salt Lake City area and the Front Range of Colorado. Several travel from as far away as California State to enjoy the area's abundant single-track trails. There are 2 key trails among others that are the Tabegauche and Kokopelli trails. They run all the way to Moab, Utah from near Loma.
During the economic meltdown called "Black Sunday," that took place on the 2nd of May, 1982; started by Richard Douglas Lamm, the Colorado governor then; when he called the President of Exxon. He stated that the Exxon Company will cut its losses while retaining mining rights to the uneconomic oil. This bust was felt statewide as Exxon company had invested over 5 billion USD into the State of Colorado.