Last spring, as I rested on my tailgate after a particularly challenging pedal in Fruita, Colorado’s 18 Road trail system, my riding partner looked up from her phone and said, “Did you know there’s a bunch of wineries just a few minutes away from here in Palisade?” Until that moment, I had assumed the area’s post-ride sustenance options were limited to microbrews and french fries. But with that one Google search, we discovered Palisade, an adorable little town just east of Fruita along Interstate 70 that offers an unexpectedly civilized way to spend the après hours during a desert mountain biking trip on Colorado’s Western Slope.
PALISADE’S WEATHER PHENOMENA
While farmers have long cultivated peaches in Palisade (the town has held a peach festival every August since 1930), this picturesque corner of Colorado’s Grand Valley, where red rocks frame verdant farm fields, is also known for its grapes. Multiple factors contribute to the area’s ideal fruit-growing conditions, including its proximity to the Colorado River, which runs right through town, and the valley’s alkaline soil. But more frequently credited for Palisade’s sweet bounty is the “million dollar wind.”
“Frost impacts much of Grand Valley, except for here in Palisade, which is protected from cold temps by warm winds coming down off of Grand Mesa through De Beque Canyon,” says Jessica Buford, president and CEO of the Palisade Chamber of Commerce.
The technical term for Palisade’s unusually warm breezes is “katabatic winds,” resulting from the compression and subsequent warming of air descending from Grand Mesa, which, at 500 square miles, is the largest mesa in the world. Whatever the reason, agritourism booms in Palisade, earning the town its reputation as both the peach capital and wine capital of Colorado.
FIRST, WE RIDE
Mountain bikers visiting Grand Valley have no shortage of terrain to explore, from smooth desert singletrack to scenic riverside cruising. The Kokopelli Loops, accessed from the Loma exit off the interstate, are among the area’s most well-known rides, winding through classic red-rock terrain with flowy singletrack, punchy climbs, and sweeping views of the Colorado River. Just north of Fruita, 18 Road offers a completely different experience, with fast, rolling trails carved into the Book Cliffs and routes that range from beginner-friendly flow trails to technical descents popular with advanced riders. For expert bikers craving a double-black diamond backcountry adventure, the 32-mile Palisade Plunge drops a staggering 6,000 feet from Grand Mesa’s top to the desert floor above Palisade. Catch a ride with Palisade Cycle & Shuttle (palisadecycle.com) to this super challenging point-to-point route’s highpoint start.
Closer to town, the Riverbend Park Trail provides a much more relaxed option, following the Colorado River on a scenic, 3.7-mile, out-and-back route past cottonwoods, beaches, and the new Harky’s Boat Launch and Swim Beach. On Monday evenings at 6 p.m., gather for the casual group ride at Spoke and Vine Motel (spokeandvinemotel.com), where cyclists finish the route with drinks, food trucks, and live music.
WINE TIME
Most of Palisade’s 38 (and counting) wineries cluster around the charming downtown area or lie just southwest of town along the Colorado River. While all are worth visiting (maybe not in one afternoon, however), The Blue Beryl Winery (theblueberylwinery.com) stands out. Guests sip while gazing at views of Mount Garfield, and co-owner and winemaker Courtney Kiel paints the art featured on every bottle.
For a grander wine tasting experience, visit Colterris Winery (colterris.com), Colorado’s largest estate-grown winery, operating three tasting locations in Palisade. Sauvage Spectrum (sauvagespectrum.com) is known for its sparkling wines, including the popular sparkling rosé, made with minimal intervention to highlight the region’s high-desert terroir. Downtown, the Ordinary Fellow Winery (theordinaryfellow.com) pours multiple varietals inside a renovated peach-packing warehouse flanked outside by food trucks, shaded patios, and the next-door whiskey distillery, Peach Street Distillers (peachstreetdistillers.com).
Sample wine from almost all of Palisade’s wineries, as well as other Colorado vintners, during Colorado Mountain Winefest (coloradowinefest.com), held in Palisade at Riverbend Park on Saturday, Sept. 19.
STAY AND EAT
Within walking distance of downtown, the Spoke and Vine Motel is modern, clean, and comfortable, with a cool mid-century modern vibe. To owners Jody Corey and Jeff Snook, details matter, like delivering hot coffee and granola from the local Slice of Heaven Bakery to guests’ rooms every morning. Corey and Snook also own Fidel’s Cocina & Bar (fidelspalisade.com). Named after the couple’s dog, the creative Mexican restaurant serves killer margaritas and pork carnitas tacos in downtown Palisade.
Nearby Fidel’s, Pêche (pecherestaurantcolorado.com) offers a dining experience on par with Utah’s Hell’s Backbone Grill. Its homespun vibe serves as backdrop for some of the West’s most well-executed fare. Over in Fruita, Hot Tomato Pizza (hottomatopizza.com) makes pies with house-made dough that are so good, they’ll make you pedal that much farther to earn the extra carbs.
Few places blend adventure and indulgence as effortlessly as Palisade, Colorado. There, the perfect day doesn’t end at the trailhead but with a glass of locally produced wine, raised in tribute to the landscape that makes both the ride and the sips possible.
Getting Around
Palisade’s Fruit and Wine Byway (visitpalisade.com/blog/fruitwinebyway) maps out three well-marked tasting-room routes suitable for exploration by bike: the easy 5-mile, downtown-only East Cruiser Loop; the 7-mile and seven-winery West Cruiser Loop; and for the truly hardy, the 25-mile, very scenic East Orchard Mesa Loop.
Tour one of the so-called “Fruit Loops” with your own two wheels or rent a ride (including electric cruiser bikes) from Palisade Cycle & Shuttle (palisadecycle.com). Let someone else do the pedaling on the Peachy Pedicab (peachypedicab.com) or book a tour on the Palisade Trolley (palisadetrolley.com), which offers customizable tours Sunday through Friday and a four-hour Trolley Hop on Saturdays.
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