The 30th Rim Rock Marathon and Half Marathon runs this Sunday, November 1, and for the Redlands it mostly comes down to one time: 7:15 a.m. That's when the Colorado National Monument's east entrance closes, according to the 2026 athlete guide from the Grand Junction Sports Commission. It's also the morning clocks fall back, and the guide reminds runners about the daylight saving change on 11/1. If you hike or ride from the Grand Junction side, plan on a Sunday that starts with a closed gate and an extra hour you didn't use.
The race used to sit much more inside the neighborhood. Nine years ago the start line was out on Redlands streets. The course has since moved up the hill and toward Fruita, so the Redlands now sees the first few minutes of the event and very little after that.
Where the start line used to be
The National Park Service's archived release for the 2017 race puts that year's 8:00 a.m. start east of the South Camp Road and Monument Road intersection, 0.8 miles outside the east entrance. Set the 2026 guide next to that release and you can see how far things have shifted.
| 2017 race | 2026 race | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, November 4 | Sunday, November 1 |
| Organized under | Special use permit issued to Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction Sports Commission |
| Full marathon start | Near South Camp Road and Monument Road, 8:00 a.m. | Devil's Kitchen Picnic Area, 7:30 a.m. |
| Half marathon start | Highland Overlook, 9:00 a.m. | Near Artist Point, 9:00 a.m. |
| Finish | Downtown Fruita | Fruita Community Center, via James M. Robb State Park trails |
| Field | About 500 marathoners and 300 half marathoners expected | The largest field in the event's history, per the event director |
In his letter in the guide, Ben Snyder, executive director of the Grand Junction Sports Commission, calls this year's field "the largest field we've seen for the Rim Rock Marathon and Half Marathon." So the field is bigger, and it gathers farther from Redlands homes. Full marathoners ride buses from the Fruita Community Center, which leave by 6:40 a.m. The only drop-off allowed is at the Devil's Kitchen Trailhead parking lot across the road from the start. Half marathoners have to ride the bus, with no drop-offs at all. Neither start line has any parking.
The point for the Redlands is that the race buses runners in from the west and keeps them inside the Monument. Unlike 2017, the 2026 guide doesn't put a start line on Monument Road or South Camp Road.
Sunday morning on the east side, in order
These times come straight from the organizer, and the event page marks start times as subject to change.
- 6:40 a.m. The last marathon buses leave the Fruita Community Center for the start.
- 7:00 a.m. The event FAQ says westbound traffic closes starting at this time.
- 7:15 a.m. The athlete guide lists this as the east entrance closure.
- 7:30 a.m. The full marathon starts at Devil's Kitchen.
- 9:00 a.m. The half marathon starts near Artist Point.
- 9:15 a.m. Cutoff for full marathoners at Red Canyon Overlook, mile 6.0.
- 11:00 a.m. Cutoff at Highland View, mile 12.2.
- 12:30 p.m. Final cutoff at the Saddlehorn aid station, for both races.
The FAQ and the guide give two different times, 7:00 for the westbound closure and 7:15 for the entrance. They describe two separate controls. Either way, if you want to get up Rim Rock Drive from the Grand Junction side before the race, you'll need to be through well before 7:00 a.m., and that's 7:00 on the newly set clock.
Inside the Monument, runners use the closed westbound lane, and all vehicle traffic goes eastbound and has to follow traffic laws. Runners will be strung out along the full marathon's aid stations at Cold Shivers Point Overlook, Red Canyon Overlook, Fallen Rock Overlook, Highland View, Monument Canyon View, Saddlehorn Entrance and Balanced Rock View, with the last one at mile 24.6 in James M. Robb State Park. Expect a lot of runners on the road for most of the morning.
The DS Road question
The Glade Park turnoff is where the east-side closure matters most, because DS Road leaves Rim Rock Drive inside the Monument.
In 2017, the park service gave specific instructions. Drivers going from Grand Junction to Glade Park were told to take Little Park Road between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m., which the release called "paved and only slightly longer." Drivers coming from Glade Park into town could take Little Park Road or Rim Rock Drive eastbound. Two-way traffic between the Grand Junction entrance and the DS Road turnoff was expected back around 9:30 a.m. The westbound lane then reopened in stages from the east side as runners moved west.
That was a different course, with a start outside the gate and a later start time. The 2026 athlete guide and FAQ list no reopening time for Rim Rock Drive and no Glade Park detour. If you need to get to or from Glade Park Sunday morning, take the 2017 pattern as history, not as this year's plan. Check the National Park Service's current conditions page or call the Sports Commission at 970-639-1387 before you go. Little Park Road connected Grand Junction and Glade Park in 2017 without touching Rim Rock Drive, and nothing in the 2026 materials changes that.
Where the race can be watched
No spectating is allowed anywhere on the Monument this year. The guide cites safety and recommends James M. Robb State Park or the Fruita Community Center instead. The organizer is fine with signs and noisemakers but asks for no confetti.
So if you live in the Redlands and want to cheer, you'll be driving toward Fruita. Outside the Monument, runners use the left shoulder of Highway 340, running against traffic, and then follow the trail system through James M. Robb State Park to the finish. Highway 340 stays open in both directions. Watch for runners on the shoulder as you get close to Fruita.
Closer to home, Highway 340 also runs through the City of Grand Junction's Broadway and 23 Road roundabout project. The City's May 29 notice said construction would start June 1, with completion anticipated in December 2026. The City's traffic advisory for the week of October 19 had Alcove Drive closed at 23 Road, with detours on Vista Grande Road or Columbine Drive. It kept Highway 340 two-way at 35 mph through the work zone and warned of delays. Those advisories change every week, so check the latest one before Sunday.
For the full picture, overall marathon and half marathon awards are at 11:30 a.m. at the Fruita Community Center, 324 N. Coulson St. Marathon age-group awards follow at 1:30 p.m. The post-race facilities there, including the pool and hot tub, are for athletes only. The guide credits a long list of partners. Alpine Bank is the title sponsor and Intermountain Health handles medical support. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office and its Citizens on Patrol program help with safety, and the Colorado Mesa University Track & Field team provides more than 80 volunteers.
The Monument after race day
Once runners and buses are gone, the east entrance is back to normal. The park service's conditions page lists Rim Rock Drive as open and the visitor center open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. That page was last updated August 15, so check it before you head up. A private vehicle pass costs $25 and covers seven days. Wednesday, November 11, Veterans Day, is on the National Park Service's list of 2026 fee-free days for U.S. citizens and residents. That makes it a good weekday to drive Rim Rock Drive in both directions without the race.
Living near the east entrance means a few mornings a year when road access depends on someone else's schedule, and Rim Rock Sunday is the one worth putting on your calendar. If you want to understand how Monument access, Highway 340 work and the Redlands' location fit into a home decision, Laura Black can walk you through it. Schedule a Consultation.
