I love spending time on Colorado's Grand Mesa. It's the world's largest flattop mountain offering incredible camping, fishing, hiking, and views of 100 miles or more of Western Colorado from the overlooks at 10,000 feet.

Read More: Colorado's Amazing Mesa Lakes Lodge & Resort Is Up For Sale

Over the last year or so, we have seen the incredible Mesa Lakes Lodge go up for sale, Now we have another announcement that seems to indicate these tough economic times are taking a toll on one of Mesa and Delta County's outdoor gems.

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Grand Valley Ranger District Announcement

This week, we got very sad news from the Grand Valley Ranger District announcing that The Grand Mesa Visitor's Center will not open for the 2024 summer season. This news was shared by KREX and indicated that the visitor's center will remain closed due to budget and personnel restrictions.

Visitor Info Can Be Found Online

The announcement indicates that visitors to Grand Mesa can still find informative signs that detail attractions, trails, and safety guidelines around the forest. What you can't get this summer will be access to the cool souvenir t-shirts only found in the visitor's center, the snacks and camping supplies, and the awesome 3-D map of the Grand Mesa which is such a cool and informative way to learn more about the trails, wildlife, and history of the largest flattop mountain on Earth.

Read More: Explore Colorado's Grand Mesa With Tips from Forest Service Staff

We'll Leave the Light On For Ya

The Grand Mesa Visitor's Center will leave the bathrooms open for the summer, and if you are near the visitor's center building, you will still be able to access the free guest wi-fi. Information and resources can still be accessed by calling the Ranger District Office at (970) 242-8211. Hopefully, the Ranger District can find a way to re-open this vital resource for the countless visitors, campers, and tourists who visit the Grand Mesa each summer. The visitor's center was one of my favorite places to frequent because of all the cool information found inside. We will sure miss checking it out.

LOOK: Take a Tour Colorado's Grand Mesa Visitor's Center

Got question's about Colorado's Grand Mesa? Look no further than the helpful forest service staff waiting inside the Grand Mesa Visitor's Center during the summer months. The rangers can give you advice on areas to visit, provide more info about trails you are interested in, and great places to camp and fish that you may not already know about.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams

MORE: 25 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Colorado's Grand Mesa

A trip to the top of the world's largest flat-top mountain is one of the highlights of visiting the western slope. Colorado's Grand Mesa sits at just over 11,000 feet outside of Grand Junction. Scroll through the photos below and find out 25 things you should know about visiting the summit during any season.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams

Western Colorado's Best Hikes: The Grand Mesa's Trail to Lost Lake

Each year, hikers in western Colorado have to wait until at least June to be able to visit the Mesa Lakes trail on the Grand Mesa. After checking on it a couple of different times this spring, we are happy to say that the snowmelt is mostly finished and you can now hike the trail to Lost Lake.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams