What to do on a rainy weekend in Western Colorado? Plenty. You can still get out. Just be prepared! The high country is opening up now, and while afternoon rainstorms have been common for the past few days, temperatures are comfortable.

In fact, now is a great time to take a drive over the Grand Mesa. Volcanic in origin, The Grand Mesa is the largest flattop mountain in the world! Its summit area covers 800 square miles (1,288 km). The Mesa averages 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) in elevation and towers 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) above the surrounding Colorado and Gunnison river valleys.

In addition to its geological notoriety, the Grand Mesa is well known for its numerous natural lakes. In all, some 300 lakes and reservoirs lie on the benches and top of the Grand Mesa. Of these, roughly a third provide the aquatic habitat needed to sustain trout populations on a year-round basis.

As timing would have it, everyone will have the opportunity to fish without a license on Saturday June 6th, and Sunday June 7th as part of the annual “Colorado Free Fishing Days.”

The free fishing days are set aside each year for the first full weekend in June as part of ongoing efforts by the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) to introduce people to the sport of fishing. Check with the Colorado Division of Wildlife (www.wildlife.state.co.us) or any of the numerous sporting goods stores in town for more fishing information, maps and a great guide provided by the DOW called “Fishing the Grand Mesa.”

To reach the Mesa from Grand Junction, travel east on Interstate 70 for 20 miles to the Grand Mesa/Powderhorn exit (#49). That’s Colorado Highway 65, a National Scenic and Historic Byway. The Byway trip, which takes you over the top of the Mesa and down the other side, is 63 miles (101.4 km). Allow at least two hours to drive the entire byway, or 90 minutes along Highway 65 and 30 minutes round trip on the spur road to an area called Land's End.

That spur is not paved, but it's a well-maintained dirt road that offers an absolutely spectacular view of the Grand Valley below, and the Grand Mesa Forest Service just opened the road yesterday (June 4, 2009). There were a few rather large snowdrifts they had to blast through to get the road opened.

On your way up to the mountain, you'll pass through a small town called Mesa, then a few miles further, you'll find the entrance to Powderhorn Ski Area on your right. It's a great little family-oriented ski area in the winter, and there's plenty of stuff to do in the summer.

Continue further up the mountain and the first group of lakes you'll come to is the Mesa Lakes Group. A nice lodge with great cinnamon rolls sits nestled in the pines just past Jumbo Lake. (A little perspective is needed here – Jumbo Lake is tiny!)

There are numerous other lodges on the Grand Mesa. Contact the Grand Junction Visitor and Convention Bureau (www.visitgrandjunction.com) for more information on those.

Sparkling lakes, wildflower meadows and forests of shimmering aspen and pine.... rain or shine, you really should check out the Grand Mesa. Go prepared, though. Be ready for sun with good sunscreen, hat and sunglasses. Be ready for rain and possibly a little chilly weather with a good jacket. Temps droped to 39-degrees F the other day.  If the sun is out, though, be ready for mosquitoes because they're the real deal on the Mesa! But as long as you're prepared, you're going to love it!