Mountain Biking
Colorado Mountain Biking and Breath-Taking Views
Nestled against Mt. Garfield and 30 minutes away from the Colorado Grand Mesa base, Palisade provides visitors with a scenic and central location for all levels of Colorado mountain biking and road biking. The ambitious rider could easily travel 30 minutes to the west and conquer the famous 18 Road Trail System in the North Fruita Desert, experience the thrills of downhill mountain biking on the Grand Mesa at Powderhorn’s Downhill Bike Park, and ride the striking red canyons of the Colorado National Monument - all in one weekend!
Since Summer 2020 – The Palisade Plunge: 32 Miles of downhill single-track bliss awaits. Travel from the top of the Grand Mesa through scenic meadows, groves of Aspen trees, rock gardens, and more. Descend 6,000 ft in elevation into the town of Palisade.
Visitors to Palisade, Colorado, can access over 51 mountain bike trails within a one-hour drive.
In addition, the area offers multiple scenic road biking and cruiser trips for those who enjoy a more relaxed adventure. Learn about road biking trails and the Fruit & Wine Byway here.
The Grand Valley includes the entire stretch from the famous Fruita desert trails, Grand Junction’s popular Lunch Loops on the Colorado National Monument, and Palisade’s favorite thrill seeker ride, the Palisade Rim Trail.
Downtown Palisade is only 45 minutes to alpine mountain biking and scenic road cycling through the highest flat-top mountain in the world, the Colorado Grand Mesa. Summer temperatures on the Grand Mesa can be as much as 30 degrees cooler than the valley floor, making it an excellent choice for guests who want to escape the summer sun.
See below for a list of trails located throughout the Grand Valley with links to supporting trail maps and travel time estimates.
Popular Colorado Mountain Bike Trails
Mountain bike trails within 15 min from downtown Palisade, Colorado:
Palisade Rim Trail – Extremely Difficult – Located 1,000 ft. above the valley floor, the Palisade Rim trail provides breathtaking views and thrilling adventure.
Palisade Bike Skills Park – Beginner – Part of the Riverbend Park area, this skills park is a great place to bring the family, practice your MTB skills and enjoy a day outdoors. Riverbend Park also provides easy access to the local River Trails, allowing biking travel from Palisade to downtown Grand Junction.
Bookcliff – Beginner – Explore the rolling hills between 25 & 29 Roads. The Bookcliffs border the entire north side of Palisade and are great for fun, non-technical desert riding.
Mountain bike trails within 30 – 60 min from downtown Palisade, Colorado:
Grand Mesa Mountain Biking – For those who want to escape the desert, the Grand Mesa offers beautiful wildflowers, aspen trees, and trail riding for all levels.
Flowing Park Loop – Intermediate
Mesa Top Trail – Intermediate
West Bench Trail – Intermediate
Powderhorn Downhill Bike Park – Powderhorn Mountain Resort offers three levels of downhill biking trails to help all riders develop and improve their downhill biking skills.
Mutton Buster – Beginner
Pinball Alley – Intermediate
Blue Ribbon – Difficult
18 Road Trails – This nationally acclaimed series of mountain bike trails are located in the Fruita, Colorado, desert, offering various trails from beginner through advanced/difficult skill levels. For a map to the trail head click here.
Chutes and Ladders – Difficult
Joe’s Ridge – Intermediate
Kessel Run – Beginner
Pumps Bumps Rollers (PBR) – Beginner
MoJoe – Intermediate
Prime Cut – Beginner
Sarlacc – Intermediate
Down Uppity – Intermediate
Frontside – Difficult
Western Zippy – Beginner
The Edge Loop – Lipan Canyon Section – Difficult
Edge Cutoff East – Intermediate
Edge Cutoff West – Intermediate
Vegetarian – Beginner
Lower Chutes and Ladders – Beginner
B03 – Intermediate
Zippety Do Dah – Advanced
Highline Lake – Simple, fun family trails for beginner to intermediate riders. Highline State Park also offers water-based sports activities and a small swimming area. Click for map.
Kokopelli Loops – 150 miles of mountain biking trails on various terrain through the desert of Loma and continuing trails all the way to Moab, Utah. Choose from short beginner/intermediate loops or multi-day rides.
Mary’s Loop – Intermediate
Rustler’s Loop – Beginner
Horsethief Bench- Intermediate
Steve’s Loop – Intermediate
Wranglers – Beginner
Lion’s Loop – Difficult
Troy Built – Intermediate
Moore Fun – Extremely Difficult
Mack Ridge Connector – Difficult
The Grand Loop – The entire Kokopelli Trail is roughly 150 miles of various terrain ranging from technical single track to pavement. This scenic route travels from Loma, CO, to Moab, UT. This trail links with the Tabeguache and Paradox Trail to make one Grand Loop through southwest Colorado and Utah. The full loop is considered a bike packing trip, as most riders estimate 3-4 days to ride the entire section.
Colorado National Monument Road Biking – Ride amongst the stunning red rocks and astounding features of this breathtaking landmark. Mountain biking is not allowed on trails within the Monument, but you can bike Rim Rock Drive for a challenging climb and rewarding descent!
Lunch Loop Trail system – Located at the base of the Colorado National Monument is the famous Lunch Loop Trail system. This local hotspot showcases over 50 possible routes, various skill levels, and a popular beginner and kids’ bike park called Kids Meal. Click here for online resources regarding the Lunch Loops Mountain Biking Trails.
Ali Ali Loop – Intermediate
Ali Alley – Intermediate
Allstar – Beginner
Gunny Cutoff Singletrack – Beginner
Gunnector – Intermediate
Gunny Loop – Difficult
Big Sister – Intermediate
Brick House – Intermediate
Bunker – Difficult
Eagle Wing – Extremely Difficult
Eagle Tail – Difficult
Clunker/Holy Bucket Loop – Intermediate
Curts Lane – Intermediate
Curt’s Down – Intermediate
Bentonite – Difficult
PreNup – Difficult
Pucker Up – Extremely Difficult
Pet E Kes Conn – Intermediate
High Noon – Intermediate
Holy Cross – Difficult
Kids Meal – Beginner
Raven Ridge – Difficult
The Ribbon – Intermediate
Free Lunch – Extremely Difficult
Lemon Squeezer – Difficult
Leftover Lane – Difficult
Miramonte Rim – Intermediate
Moto Cross – Difficult
The Ribbon – Advanced
Time Machine – Intermediate
Andy’s Loop Cutoff – Intermediate
Butter Knife – Difficult – A challenging trail on Little Park Road, Butter Knife is over 12 miles of intense riding, twists, turns, and amazing views of the Colorado National Monument. Click for the map.
Kannah Creek – Intermediate
Gunnison River Bluffs Trail System – Beginner – 7 miles from Orchard Mesa to Whitewater, this historical trail runs along the Old Spanish Trail and overlooks the Gunnison River.
The Palisade Plunge
The Palisade Plunge is 32 miles of sweet riding, back-country singletrack that connects the top of the Grand Mesa (10,700 ft) to the Town of Palisade, CO, (4,700 ft) via – yes, 6,000 ft of relief! The Plunge is guaranteed to offer a fast, fun, and challenging ride.
The Plunge is a long, complex trail that has been built by a team from COPMOBA, Mesa County, the Town of Palisade, the City of Grand Junction, the Division of Parks & Recreation and other contributing partners.
Need to Rent a Bike?
Palisade Cycle and Shuttle, located in downtown Palisade, carries a great selection of mountain bikes, cruiser bicycles, road bikes, and outdoor gear for resale and rentals. Call ahead with questions and make sure your gear is reserved for your arrival. Ask about guided tours or pick-up area trail maps.
