Devils Kitchen

Trail Features: Scenic Views devils-kitchen
Trail Location: Devils Kitchen TH on Rim Rock Drive
Roundtrip Length: 1.2 Miles
Trailhead Elevation: 5058 Feet
Total Elevation Gain: 275 Feet
Avg. Elev Gain / Mile: 458 Feet
Highest Elevation: 5206 Feet
Trail Difficulty Rating: 1.75 (easy)
Parking Lot Latitude 39.03176
Parking Lot Longitude -108.63067


Trail Description:

The hike to Devils Kitchen in Colorado National Monument begins from the Devils Kitchen trailhead, located roughly two-tenths of a mile from the East Entrance near Grand Junction. The trailhead is located on the east (left) side of Rim Rock Drive, the main road through the park.

devils-kitchen

At just over one-tenth of a mile from the trailhead hikers will reach a split in the trail. The Old Gordon Trail and the Echo Canyon Trail will branch off towards the left here. Hikers should stay to the right to continue on towards Devils Kitchen. After walking another tenth-of-a-mile the No Thoroughfare Canyon Trail will branch off towards the right. Hikers should stay to the left at this junction. From here the trail gently descends into a canyon wash.

At just under a half-mile the trail begins a fairly steep climb towards a group of rock monoliths and spires standing atop the canyon, located almost directly in front of you as you begin your ascent. These are actually the outer walls of the Devils Kitchen. Over the course of the next 0.15 miles the trail will climb roughly 170 feet. As it passes over the slick rock you'll ascend a few stone steps cut into the rock. As you proceed higher you should also be on the lookout for a series of rock cairns that will help guide the way to the top. As you climb higher hikers will enjoy some nice views of Grand Junction in the far-off distance.

Once at the top of the climb hikers will simply walk a few yards to the left in order to enter the Devils Kitchen, which is actually a large rock grotto surrounded by 50-foot rock walls, upright boulders and spires.








devils-kitchen-mapdevils-kitchen-elevation-profile