Mountain Bike Rides Around De Beque
Grand Mesa
The Grand Mesa is a great destination for mountain biking. With over 300 miles of trails, there is something for everyone. From challenging singletrack to wide open fire roads, you are sure to find the perfect trail to suit your skill level. The terrain varies from meadows and aspen groves to rocky outcroppings and steep descents. With such a diverse selection of trails, Grand Mesa is the perfect place to experience the best Colorado has to offer on two wheels.
When travelling from the east on I-70, the "De Beque Cutoff" (county road 45 1/2 from the De Beque I-70 exit) provides the fastest access to the Grand Mesa. Stop into the shop and see us on your way for trail conditions and intel.
​
Powderhorn Bike Park
​
Rippin' DH trails for all skill levels, with lift access. Powderhorn is a fantastic place to cool off in the summer and get your gravity fix, followed by a relaxing time at the umbrella bar listening to live music. There are events going on throughout the summer, including the Revolution Enduro and the CMU Rumble college race.
​
Links:
​
Skyway and County Line
​
Skyway and County Line are two adjoining cross country ski trail networks that sit atop the Grand Mesa, developed and maintained by the Grand Mesa Nordic Council. In recent years, these trails have been ridden a bit more in the summer, and have turned into some really fun cross-country singletrack. The scenery is excellent as the trails meander through big forest and lakes.
​
Links:
​
Mesa Top
​
The Mesa Top trailhead provides access to a network of trails to the west, including the upper section of the Palisade Plunge. These trails can be combined in many ways to create interesting and scenic rides. Here are a couple of our favorites:
​
Rim View/West Bench Loop
​
A good intermediate-to-advanced ~8mi loop with fun, technical forested descents. To ride the loop counter-clockwise, start at Mesa Lakes Lodge parking area along highway 65. Take the West Bench trail west, take a left on the Rim View Connector, and another left on the Rim View trail back to Mesa Lakes.
​
Mesa Creek Shuttle
​
Steep and challenging DH trail. Take Forest Service road 105 to the upper (South) end of the Rim View Trail to begin the ride. Descend Rim View to Mesa Lakes Lodge, take West Bench trail for a short distance to the Mesa Creek trail intersection. Descend Mesa Creek down to highway 65 at the old Mesa Creek ski area parking lot.
​
Palisade Plunge
​
The full Palisade Plunge is 32 miles long and begins at the Mesa Top trailhead. The first 12 miles of this route are relatively flat, fast, cross-country trail that takes you to the edge of the Grand Mesa at Shirttail Point. From there, the trail drops steeply, with a high degree of technical difficulty and exposure. The ride from Shirttail point to Palisade is not for the faint of heart, but for advanced riders it provides a very unique and challenging experience, with over 6,000 feet of descending.
​
Links:
-
Shuttles
​
Rifle
​
Grand Hogback
​
The Grand Hogback in Rifle is an excellent network of machine-built trail that is the result of a collaboration between the Rifle Area Mountain Bike Organization (RAMBO), BLM, and the City of Rifle. Trails are being added each year, and include flow and tech trails for all abilities.
​
Links:
​
Palisade
Palisade Rim
Palisade Rim is a fun and challenging technical route that offers excellent views overlooking Palisade and the Grand Valley. There are multiple loops to link together rides of varying lengths, with petroglyphs to see at one of the trail intersections. The lower section of the Palisade Plunge comprises part of this trail network.
​
Links:
​
Coal Canyon and Stagecoach
Coal canyon is a lesser-known trail that provides access to the top of the Bookcliffs overlooking Palisade. It links to Stagecoach, which descends the front of the Bookcliffs into Palisade. This is a fun shuttle adventure for riders seeking something new.
​
Links: