Entry No. 78 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: arcade-play
Solve It Escape Games
An owner-designed escape room operation, not a franchise, with rooms like the Sherlock-flavored "Baker Street Five" set in Victorian London and a treasure-hunting "Pirate Cove" aboard a ghost ship, plus a medieval room in the works. What sets it apart is an outdoor escape adventure that weaves in real local Grand Junction information, sending you out into the city instead of a sealed room. All bookings are private, capped at 60 minutes.
The story
Most strip-mall escape rooms buy off-the-shelf catalog kits—standardized plastic locks, laminated clue cards, and recycled props glued to drywall. Solve It Escape Games, tucked near the corner of North Avenue and 1st Street, takes a different path. It is an independent, owner-designed operation where the puzzles, set pieces, and mechanisms are built by hand rather than unboxed from a corporate supplier.
You will find familiar thematic hooks on the room roster—from the Victorian mystery of the Sherlock-flavored "Baker Street Five" to the ghost-ship setting of "Pirate Cove"—but the real anomaly here is their outdoor adventure. Instead of locking you inside a windowless room, they hand you a trail of clues built straight out of Grand Junction’s street grid and local history, turning the actual downtown infrastructure into an open-air puzzle box.
What it's like
You’ll need to book in advance—all sessions are strictly private for groups of two to eight, meaning you won't be paired up with eager strangers. Inside the 1st Street location, the atmosphere is straightforward and uncluttered; you get a quick briefing, sixty minutes on the clock, and direct access to custom physical puzzles. If you opt for the city-wide outdoor trail, wear walking shoes, keep an eye on the high-desert weather, and call ahead to make sure the outdoor run is active.
The move: Skip the indoor box and take the outdoor city escape, solving clues built from actual Grand Junction history as you wander downtown together.
📍 Before you go Outdoor adventure is weather-dependent and by appointment; all rooms are private bookings for 2-8. Call (970) 628-0612 to confirm the outdoor game is running.
- 📍 Grand Junction (North Ave / 1st St area)
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Big night
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 801 N 1st St, Grand Junction, CO
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Board Fox Games & Coffee — Follow up a hour of high-pressure puzzle solving with a relaxed euro-style tabletop game and coffee downtown.
- Kodiaxe — Trade fine-detail cipher cracking for physical axe throwing less than a mile away.
- The Escape House GJ — Compare hand-built puzzle styles by hitting Grand Junction's other local escape room operation down North Avenue.
Good to know
Will my group be combined with people we don't know?
No. Every booking at Solve It Escape Games is entirely private for your group of 2 to 8 players.
How does the outdoor escape game work?
Instead of a sealed room, the outdoor game uses actual Grand Junction history and downtown landmarks to construct a puzzle trail you solve on foot.
How long do games last?
All games are timed for exactly 60 minutes.
Is the outdoor game always available?
The outdoor game is weather-dependent and requires an appointment. Call (970) 628-0612 to confirm conditions before booking.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · uncovercolorado.com · Yelp · visitgrandjunction.com
last checked: 2026-06-23