3 Reasons to Visit Colorado's Grand Valley
Colorado’s Western Slope has been described as the “Best Slope” and I can see why! The Grand Valley is located near the border of Colorado and Utah and includes the cities of Grand Junction, Palisade, and Fruita. This region is quickly becoming a wine travel destination and offers world-renowned mountain biking trail. If you’re looking for reasons to visit this part of the state, here are three!
1.WINE, WINE, AND WINE!
The Grand Valley is known as Colorado Wine Country. Think Napa, but smaller, more affordable, and less crowded! This region is a federally designated American Viticultural Area (AVA), meaning, you know it’s legit! The valley’s cool nighttime temperatures, high elevation, and 300 days of sunshine make this region ideal for growing grapes. The wineries here are also the highest in North America and second-highest in the world next to Argentina. There are more than 25 wineries, and a variety of ways to experience them. You can take a float trip down the Colorado River with Palisade Raft Trips with their Water to Wine package, rent a bike or an e-bike with Rapid Creek Cycles and cruise down the Palisade Fruit and Wine Byway, or hire a private shuttle tour around the area.
With a short amount of time and only one day to explore the valley, I opted for the e-bike rental from Rapid Creek Cycles. Initially, my goal was just to cruise around Palisade and see the sights but before I knew it, I found myself at a vineyard! Colterris Wines offers over 20 varietals of estate-grown wine. They have two different tasting rooms; Colterris at the Overlook and Colterris Winery near downtown Palisade. The winery offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains, lush vineyard, and is covered in shaded trees. They are one of only two vineyards in the world that create a White Cabernet Sauvignon and for my first (unexpected) stop in the valley, I was blown away by this place!
The real wine star of the show here in the valley was Whitewater Hill Vineyard! In the Grand Junction hills, just east of downtown, this stunning vineyard offers gorgeous views from their hilltop tasting room. Owner Nancy Janes has been producing wine here alongside her husband for over seventeen years. They make over 20 varietals of wine and have won numerous awards. It doesn’t get much better than sitting on a patio on a gorgeous sunny day overlooking a vineyard and mountains with incredible wine! If you’re in this area, I highly recommend stopping by for a tasting. If you’re like me, you may end up leaving with more wine bottles than you can carry!
2. OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
The Grand Valley is famous for its epic mountain biking trails spanning the region. With famous trails like the Lunch Loops, Kokopelli Trail, and the nearby Colorado National Monument, there’s no shortage of places to explore on two wheels. Don’t have a bike? No worries! Rent from Rapid Creek Cycles in downtown Palisade. Their expert employees will give you all the insider knowledge on the best places to ride. Experienced rider? Check out the brand new Palisade Plunge. This 32 miles of single-track, descends over 6,000 feet and is not for the faint of heart! Opening, July 23rd, be one of the first to drop down this adrenaline-packed trail.
Not into zipping down cliff edges on wheels? Try hiking around the Devil’s Canyon in Fruita. This gorgeous trail winds through beautiful wildflowers and stunning canyon views. The actual trail is 6.7 miles and loops around the top ridgeline. There are endless trail combinations in the area so you can choose your own length and difficulty. We followed the riverbed for about 2 miles before turning around. This region gets incredibly warm in the summertime so make sure you’re prepared with adequate amounts of water and it’s best to hike around sunrise or sunset for cooler temperatures.
3. QUAINT TOWNS AND FRIENDLY PEOPLE
There’s something about outdoorsy people, they just seem to love life a little bit more. And that shows in their friendliness to others. Being in the heart of mountain biking country, the Grand Valley is an incredibly warm and welcoming area. I loved exploring the summer street festival in downtown Palisade and driving through Grand Junction. But it was Fruita that really stole my heart.
I started my weekend adventure at Bestslope Coffee Company in downtown Fruita. This sustainably sourced and Fair Trade coffee company started back in 2016 by owner Tom Griffith. All of the coffee is roasted on site and their amazing food and baked goods are prepared right in their kitchen daily. Bestslope was voted best coffee in Colorado by Elevation Outdoors Magazine. And when you come here, you’re treated like family. I sat on the patio, enjoying my latte, watching strangers becoming friends and mountain bikers getting ready to hit the trails taking in their first cup.
Downtown Fruita is a walkable area with quaint shops and delicious restaurants. The next day as I strolled through, I saw patios filled with bikers talking about their latest rides and what adventures they had planned for the following day. This is everything you want small-town America to be.
Wine, adventure, and community. What else could you ask for in a must-see destination? Exploring Colorado’s Grand Valley feels like an untapped gem that’s just waiting for the world to find out. Escape the crowds of other wine country regions and come take in the best this area has to offer. Start your days with deliciously brewed coffee, hit the trails or the river for a day of adventure, and finish off with some of the best wine in the world. Now I see why this West Slope is called the Best Slope!
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