[ Fruita experiences an average of 300 days of sunshine per year.
]
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 12,646 people living in the city. The population density was .
As of the 2000 census, there were 2,610 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.65% White, 0.37% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...
, 1.16% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...
, 5.45% from other races, and 2.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.93% of the population.
At the 2000 census there were 2,447 households, out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city, the 2000 census population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city at the 2000 census was $32,929, and the median income for a family was $38,487. Males had a median income of $31,372 versus $20,752 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,024. About 8.3% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Fruita is a part of the Mesa County School District No. 51. The city has 5 public schools: Fruita Monument High School
Fruita Monument High School is a public high school located in Fruita, Colorado, United States, serving 10-12th grades. It is part of Mesa County Valley School District 51.
History
The first purpose-built high school building in Fruita was compl ...
, Fruita 8/9 School, Fruita Middle School, Shelledy Elementary School (public), and Rim Rock Elementary School (public).
Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mesa University is a public university in Grand Junction, Colorado. The university's other locations include Bishop Campus, which houses Western Colorado Community College in northwestern Grand Junction, and a regional campus in Mon ...
, founded in 1925, is the closest public higher education institution. It is located in the heart of Grand Junction and supports 13 departments and over 400 instructors. Western Colorado Community College
Western Colorado Community College (WCCC) is a division of Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado specializing in vocational studies. Unlike other institutions deemed "community college," WCCC is not a separate entity from its parent ...
provides higher education instruction for academic transfer programs and career technical programs with nine month certificate programs, two year associate degree programs, as well as other courses for career upgrade.
Recreation
The Fruita Community Center opened its doors in January 2011 supporting community recreation such as basketball, elliptical training, exercise classes, indoor and outdoor swimming, running, volleyball, and weight training. It is a city-owned facility and is located on 324 North Coulson Street.
Biking
The area surrounding Fruita is renowned for its mountain biking trails. The most notable include the North Fruita Desert/18 Road trail system (Chutes and Ladders, Zippety-do-da, Edge Loop, Joe's Ridge, Prime Cut, Kessel Run, and others), Kokopelli Trailhead region (Mary's Loop, Horsethief Bench, Lion's Loop, Moore Fun, Rustler's Loop, Steve's Loop, Troy Built, and others). Kokopelli Trail
The Kokopelli's Trail (also known as the Kokopelli Trail) is a multi-use trail (but primarily used by mountain bikes) in Grand County, Utah and Mesa County, Colorado in the western United States. The trail was named in honor of its mythic muse ...
is a continuous single and double track trail connecting nearby Loma
Loma may refer to:
Geography
United States
* Loma, Colorado
* Loma, Montana
* Loma, Nebraska
* Loma, North Dakota
Other countries
* Loma, Ladakh, a town in Ladakh, India
* Loma (woreda), a district in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peo ...
to Moab
Moab ''Mōáb''; Assyrian: 𒈬𒀪𒁀𒀀𒀀 ''Mu'abâ'', 𒈠𒀪𒁀𒀀𒀀
''Ma'bâ'', 𒈠𒀪𒀊 ''Ma'ab''; Egyptian: 𓈗𓇋𓃀𓅱𓈉 ''Mū'ībū'', name=, group= () is the name of an ancient Levantine kingdom whose territ ...
, Utah. In nearby Grand Junction, the popular Tabeguache trail system includes a shorter trails and a longer connecting trail to Montrose.
Road biking is also a favorite sport in the high desert climate of Fruita. Many ride the loop along the Colorado National Monument overlooking the Grand Valley. The Fruita Farms/Highline Lake Loop is also a favorite, stretching from the town to the lake and back. Heading west on old Highway 6 to Utah is another scenic road ride.
Downtown Fruita contains several bicycle shops that sell, rent, and service both mountain and road bikes.
Birding
Many common and rare birds can be seen here, including ash-throated and gray flycatchers, bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...
s, blue herons, pinyon jay
The pinyon jay (''Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus'') is a species of jay, and is the only member of the genus ''Gymnorhinus''. Native to Western North America, the species ranges from central Oregon to northern Baja California, and eastward as far as ...
s, and peregrine falcon
The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey ( raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey ba ...
s, as well as some rare breeds such as red-throated loon
The red-throated loon (North America) or red-throated diver (Britain and Ireland) (''Gavia stellata'') is a migratory aquatic bird found in the northern hemisphere. The most widely distributed member of the loon or diver family, it breeds prim ...
and red-necked grebe. The best birding locations are the Colorado River, Colorado National Monument and Highline Lake State Park. The Grand Valley Audubon and the Colorado Birding Society are good sources of local information on birding. See also List of birds of Colorado
In the U.S. state of Colorado 519 species of birds have been documented as of September 2022 according to the Colorado Bird Records Committee (CBRC) of Colorado Field Ornithologists.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the ''Ch ...
.
Boating
Locals recreate at Highline Lake State Park
Highline Lake State Park is a Colorado state park. It is home to two lakes, Highline Lake, elevation and Mack Mesa Lake, elevation . It is well known for its birdwatching opportunities and has two wildlife migratory waterfowl overlook kiosks wh ...
for lake boating sports such as jet skiing
A personal watercraft (PWC), also called water scooter or jet ski, is a recreational watercraft that a rider sits or stands on, not within, as in a boat. PWCs have two style categories, first and most popular being a runabout or "sit down" whe ...
, water skiing, ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice fishers may fish in the open or in heated enclosures, some with bunks and amenities.
Shelters
Long ...
and fishing, as well as birding
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...
, hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histo ...
and camping
Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more natur ...
. The Colorado River's Ruby Canyon
Ruby Canyon is a roughly 25 mile (40 km) long canyon on the Colorado River located on the Colorado-Utah border in the western United States, and is a popular destination for rafting. The canyon takes its name from the red sandstone cliffs ...
is a favorite day and multi-day trip for kayaking and rafting
Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...
. Boaters also put into the Colorado River at the James M. Robb – Colorado River State Park off State Highway 340.
Golf
Adobe Creek National Golf Course, located at 876 18 1/2 Road, offers three nine-hole courses nestled along Adobe Creek and the Colorado River. There are four golf courses available in Grand Junction.
Hiking and horseback riding
There are hiking and horseback riding trails of variable lengths available in nearby McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area
The McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area (MCNCA) is a National Conservation Area located in Mesa County, west of Grand Junction, Colorado. The MCNCA has rugged sandstone canyons, natural arches, spires, and alcoves carved into the Color ...
including Devil's Canyon, Pollock Bench, Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness (Knowles Canyon, Mee Canyon, Moore Canyon, Rattlesnake Canyon), Colorado National Monument
Colorado National Monument is a National Park Service unit near the city of Grand Junction, Colorado. Sheer-walled canyons cut deep into sandstone and granite–gneiss–schist rock formations. This is an area of desert land high on the Colorad ...
(Canyon Rim Trail, Coke Ovens Trail, Liberty Cap Trail, Monument Canyon Trail, Otto's Trail, Serpent's Trail, Window Rock Trail), Dinosaur Hill, Highline Lake State Park
Highline Lake State Park is a Colorado state park. It is home to two lakes, Highline Lake, elevation and Mack Mesa Lake, elevation . It is well known for its birdwatching opportunities and has two wildlife migratory waterfowl overlook kiosks wh ...
, and Rabbit Valley.
Parks
Town parks in Fruita include Circle Park at the junction of Mesa Street and Aspen Avenue, Comstock Park at 725 Galena Circle, Heritage Park at 210 I-70 Frontage Road, Little Salt Wash at 1135 18 Road, Raptor Skate Park at 273 North Cherry, Reed Park at 250 South Elm, Roberson Park at 280 West Roberson Drive, Triangle Park at 103 South Coulson Street, and Veteran's Memorial Park at 342 Hwy 340. The James M. Robb Colorado River State Park encompasses 890 acres located on State Highway 340.
The Colorado National Monument
Colorado National Monument is a National Park Service unit near the city of Grand Junction, Colorado. Sheer-walled canyons cut deep into sandstone and granite–gneiss–schist rock formations. This is an area of desert land high on the Colorad ...
is almost of semi-arid wilderness, rising more than above the city of Fruita. Native wildlife such as eagles, bighorn sheep
The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns might weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subsp ...
, and mule deer
The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer.
Unlike the related whit ...
can be seen in the area.
The Riverfront Trail system follows the Colorado River through Mesa County through cottonwood groves, wetlands
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free ( anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...
, and marshes. It is home to over 200 different species of birds, three endangered species of fish, and an abundance of small animals. The trail project is still in progress and plans to connect Fruita to Palisade via a paved recreation trail. The project is a collaboration of several cities, Mesa County, and state agencies and overseen by the Colorado Riverfront Commission.
Rodeo
Rimrock Rodeo takes place from June through August every Tuesday evening through the summer. A series of events showcase riders: there is a "Mutton Busting" event and the Professional Rodeo Riders "Grand Entry" event.
Running
Fruita runners take part in town races such as the July PteRANodon Ptrot, the February Sweet Heart Run, and the annual Rim Rock marathon held in November atop the Colorado National Monument. Trail running is also popular and takes place on any of the hiking trails. The Desert RATS Trail Running Festival includes 5, 10, 25, and trail races in April, as well as the Desert RATS multi-day supported trail race along the Kokopelli's Trail from Loma to Moab.
Arts and culture
The city is scattered with public art sculptures, some metal, some stone. There are two private galleries, Rose Hue Gallery and Rye Gallery. In addition several businesses rotate displays of local artists' work. Every summer the City of Fruita puts on a summer arts camp for children and adults. The natural landscape and recreation have inspired countless painters, photographers, and sculptures to create works of art. The Fruita Arts and Culture Board supports and advocates for artists and activities in town.
Major music events of the region include the Summer Thursday night concerts Country Jam and Rock Jam in the nearby town of Mack. Shows also take place during the annual Fat Tire Festival and the Fruita Fall Festival.
The Mesa County Public Library - Fruita Branch is housed in the Fruita Community Center at 324 North Coulson Street. Nearly , the facility includes a reading room with fireplace, program room and meeting rooms.
The ''Fruita Times'' newspaper, the ''Grand Junction Sentinel'', and the ''Grand Junction Free Press'' serve the current events needs of the region.
There are several active civic groups, including the Fruita Lions Club, Fruita Masons, and Fruita Rotary Club, as well as the non-profit Fruita Thrift shop that has been supporting the town's activities for over 50 years.
The city was involved with the 2000 independent cult horror movie "Machine Head".
Festivals
Fat Tire
Single-track mountain biking enthusiasts and friends have been celebrating the hundreds of miles of mountain bike trails around the area of Fruita and western Colorado at this festival since 1996. The three days include races, live music, a beer garden and parties. It is held every year at the end of April.
Mike the Headless Chicken
Fruita is known for Mike the Headless Chicken
Mike the Headless Chicken (April 20, 1945March 17, 1947) was a male Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off. After the loss of his head, Mike achieved national fame until his death in March 1947. In Fruita, ...
, a chicken who lived for 18 months after his head was cut off. Lloyd Olsen, the remover of Mike's head, continued to give him food and water with an eye dropper. He grew to be almost . Mike went on to tour the country as a side show. A festival in his honor is held each May in Fruita.
Fall
Voted "Best of the West" by the ''Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
The ''Grand Junction Daily Sentinel'' is the largest daily newspaper in western Colorado, with distribution in six counties.
History
I.N. Bunting of Pennsylvania and Howard T. Lee founded the newspaper in 1893. In 1911, future U.S. Senator Wal ...
's'' readership in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2009, the Fruita Fall Festival started in 1910 as a harvest festival for the local fruit production industry and has evolved to a major event. It includes three days of events with music, carnival rides, a parade, a bed race, a baking and canning contest, a youth pet and talent show, two stages of music, and arts and crafts vendors. The event is celebrated on the last full weekend in September.[Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce, , ''Fruita Festivals'', 2011-02-11]
Transportation
Air
The nearest commercial airport is Grand Junction Regional Airport
Grand Junction Regional Airport is northeast of Grand Junction, in Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Owned by the Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority, it is the largest airport in western Colorado and third largest in the state, behi ...
(GJT) in Grand Junction east. Allegiant Airlines
Allegiant Air (usually shortened to Allegiant) is an ultra low-cost U.S. carrier that operates scheduled and charter flights. It is a major air carrier, the fourteenth-largest commercial airline in North America.
Allegiant was founded in 1 ...
, American Airlines
American Airlines is a major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the largest airline in the world when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue passeng ...
, and SkyWest Airlines (flying as both United Express and Delta Connection) provide direct service to Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, t ...
. Charter companies Colorado Flight Center and Denver Air Connection providing connections to nearby regional destinations.
Bus
Fruita is on Route 8 of the Grand Valley Transit
Grand Valley Transit is the public transportation
Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by ...
, the operating regional bus transportation system. The bus connects Fruita stops with the Mesa Mall on U.S. Highway 6
U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...
and 50 at the 24 1/2 Road.
Highways
Fruita lies off exit 19 of Interstate 70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the c ...
, along U.S. Highway 6
U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...
and 50 and at the western end of State Highway 340. The State Highway 139 connects west with the northern city of Rangely and Dinosaur National Monument.
Rail
The nearest passenger train station is southeast at the Grand Junction Amtrak station. This station is served by the ''California Zephyr'' train. It was originally built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to ''Rio Grande'', D&RG or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow-gauge line running south from De ...
. The mainline, now used by the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, tr ...
, runs east–west along the city which serves industrial rail use.
Notable people
* John Otto (1870–1952) – trailblazer and first superintendent of the Colorado National Monument
*Elmer Riggs
Elmer Samuel Riggs (January 23, 1869 – March 25, 1963) was an American paleontologist known for his work with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois.
Biography
He was born in Trafalgar, Indiana, and moved with his fam ...
(1869–1963) – paleontologist from the Chicago Field Museum
The Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH), also known as The Field Museum, is a natural history museum in Chicago, Illinois, and is one of the largest such museums in the world. The museum is popular for the size and quality of its educational ...
*Pat Ament
Pat Ament (born September 3, 1946) is an American rock climber, filmmaker, musician, and artist who lives in Fruita, Colorado. Noted for first ascents in the 1960s and 1970s, he is the author of many articles and books.
Climbing career
Ament bega ...
(born 1946) – climber, author
*Maggie Baird
Maggie May Baird (born ) is an American actress, screenwriter, and former theater troupe teacher. Baird grew up in Colorado performing music, and studied theater and dance at the University of Utah, before moving to New York City, where she pe ...
(born 1959) – actress, screenwriter, singer-songwriter, mother of singer Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell ( ; born December 18, 2001) is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single " Ocean Eyes", written and produced by her brother Finneas O'Connell, with whom ...
* George Elder (1921–2022) – Major League Baseball player
See also
*Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...
**Bibliography of Colorado
The location of the State of Colorado in the United States of America
This is a bibliography of the U.S. State of Colorado.
__TOC__
General history
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*Sibley, George. ''Water Wranglers - The 75- ...
**Index of Colorado-related articles
This is an alphabetical list of articles related to the U.S. State of Colorado.
0–9
* .co.us – Internet second-level domain for the State of Colorado
* 4 Corners
** 4 Corners Monument
* 6th Principal Meridian
* 10-mile Range
* 10th ...
** Outline of Colorado
*List of counties in Colorado
The U.S. State of Colorado is divided into 64 counties. Two of these counties, the City and County of Broomfield and the City and County of Denver, have consolidated city and county governments. Denver serves as the state capital. Counties are ...
*List of municipalities in Colorado
The U.S. State of Colorado has 272 active incorporated municipalities, comprising 197 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments. At the 2020 United States Census, 4,299,942 of the 5,773,714 Colorado residents (74.47%) l ...
*List of places in Colorado
A
B
C
D
E
F
G-O
* List of places in Colorado G through O
P-Z
* List of places in Colorado P through Z
References
{{Reflist ...
* List of statistical areas in Colorado
**Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area
Mesa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 155,703. The county seat is Grand Junction. The county was named for the many large mesas in the area, including Grand Mesa.
Mesa Coun ...
*Colorado National Monument
Colorado National Monument is a National Park Service unit near the city of Grand Junction, Colorado. Sheer-walled canyons cut deep into sandstone and granite–gneiss–schist rock formations. This is an area of desert land high on the Colorad ...
*Fruitadens
''Fruitadens'' is a genus of heterodontosaurid dinosaur. The name means "Fruita teeth", in reference to Fruita, Colorado (USA), where its fossils were first found. It is known from partial skulls and skeletons from at least four individuals of d ...
* Grand River
* Grand Valley
* James M. Robb – Colorado River State Park
*Mike the Headless Chicken
Mike the Headless Chicken (April 20, 1945March 17, 1947) was a male Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off. After the loss of his head, Mike achieved national fame until his death in March 1947. In Fruita, ...
* Old Spanish National Historic Trail
References
External links
City of Fruita website
CDOT map of the City of Fruita
Fruita tourism website
Fruita Chamber of Commerce
Dinosaur Journey Museum
{{authority control
Cities in Mesa County, Colorado
Colorado Western Slope
Cities in Colorado {{Parent cat , child_level=county , type=
, metacategory =Cities in Colorado by county
, commonscat=Cities in Colorado , geogroup=y
, seealso=Colorado , main=List of cities in Colorado , child_no_parent=21452707 , parent_no_child=21452710
...