West Bench
Photo: halseike, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 11.6 mi
- round trip
- 124 ft
- climb
- 9,929 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
West Bench is a 11.6-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Grand Valley Ranger District, part of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. The route rises 124 feet from a low point of 9,733 feet to a high of 9,929 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced with horses and bikes allowed. The most comfortable months are July and August. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at about the same elevation run from highs near 68°F with lows around 42°F in July to highs near 64°F with lows around 40°F in August. The trail is open from July 1 to September 30, and the West Bench Trailhead parking area sits about 0.1 mile from Jumbo Lake Campground and Jumbo Campground. Crum Reservoir Trail and Mesa Creek are both within half a mile.
- Jumbo Lake CampgroundCamping0.1 mi
Jumbo CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain0.1 mi
Crum Reservoir TrailHikingPhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.3 mi- Mesa CreekHikingPhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.5 mi
- Kannah Creek WallRock climbing5.1 mi
- Grand MesaPier fishing5.7 mi
- Kaleidoscope WallRock climbing6.1 mi
- Ward CreekCanoeing9.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Crum Reservoir TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Scales LakeHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Mesa TopHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Lost LakeHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: halseike, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Kannah CrossingHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Mesa CreekHiking · Next doorPhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Glacier Springs Cutoff TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
OverlookHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
GRIFFITH SKI LOOPHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: Moo.The.Cow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- GRIFFITH SKI CUTOFFHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: Moo.The.Cow, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
