36 Hours in Grand Junction, Colo.: Things to Do and See

At the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range, spotting a small band of the 100-or-so horses that roam here is almost as exciting as seeing wildlife on a safari. The horses’ lineage traces back to ones bred by the Ute people until the group’s forced relocation in the early 1880s. The 36,113-acre range (free entry) is one of only three in the United States designated solely for wild-horse protection. Explore the range from the Coal Canyon trailhead, 18 miles east from Grand Junction. Hike a mile or two along a well-maintained trail into the main canyon. Even if you don’t come upon any horses, enjoy the rugged, open landscape dotted with fragrant sagebrush, as well as pinyon and juniper trees.

From the distillery, you need only walk two blocks to Pêche, where for almost seven years the husband-and-wife team of Matt and Ashley Fees Chasseur, both veterans of Michelin-starred dining, have overseen a tight menu that accentuates ingredients from the area’s many farms and ranches. In the small, bright dining room, savor fresh pasta with wild mushrooms ($38) or perfectly seared lamb chops accompanied by an eggplant relish, toasted focaccia and creamy ricotta ($68). That smoke occasionally wafting through the dining room? It’s not out of the open kitchen but rather from the crème brûlée ($10) finished tableside. The Chasseurs plan to open another restaurant, Tiki Bird, in downtown Grand Junction later this year.