Western Colorado’s Plateau Creek Was Chocolaty Goodness After Snow
Western Colorado's Grand Mesa experienced rain, hail, and snow, in a relatively short amount of time on Sunday, October 23, 2022. With that, the Plateau Creek was flowing in rare form over the weekend.
Sunday's drive along Plateau Creek looked like something out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Do you remember when Augustus Gloop fell in the chocolate river?
Following Plateau Creek on Western Colorado's Grand Mesa
Plateau Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River, runs a good 50 miles or so through Mesa County, Colorado. According to Wikipedia, the creek rises in the Grand Mesa National Forest. It then flows mostly west past Molina along highway 330. It then follows State Highway 65, ultimately joining the Colorado River in Debeque Canyon, roughly 15 miles east of Grand Junction.
Grand Mesa Weather On Sunday, October 23, 2022
Upon arriving in Collbran on Sunday morning, the town had already received a small amount of snow. The thermometer on my car read 39 degrees.
If you make your way down Main Street in Collbran, you can walk a short trail following Plateau Creek. While this trail was not flooded on Sunday, evidence suggested Plateau Creek had recently overflown at that point.
Can You Float Plateau Creek?
Absolutely. According to Marc W. McCord via the website Southwest Paddler, boaters tend to run the eight-plus miles between the town of Mesa and the confluence with the Colorado River.
The website adds Plateau Creek drops from 5,500 feet at Vega Reservoir to 4,800 feet at the Colorado River.
Make The Drive, If Only For the Creek
Driving up the Grand Mesa is fun. You can head to Collbran, Mesa, or even Powderhorn. One of the pleasures of the drive would be following Plateau Creek up and down the Grand Mesa. There are several locations where you can safely pull over and enjoy the view.
Upon reaching Collbran, I recommend walking the trail along Plateau Creek. It's a short, pleasant little walk, located right off Main Street. There's plenty of parking nearby. The trail is paved and accessible to wheelchairs. When done visiting the trail, be sure to stop by one of the local restaurants or coffee houses.