Phase one of the Palisade Plunge is open and we’re ready to ride. As of mid-June 2021, the lower half of the Plunge is open with the top half set to open mid-summer.

“It’s looking more and more like mid-July,” said Rondo Buecheler, co-owner of Rapid Creek Cycles, of the full opening.

Rapid Creek Cycles, Palisade Plunge Cycle and Shuttle, Pali Tours and Powderhorn Mountain Resorts are offering shuttle service for the ride.

During a press conference and “sneak peek” ride in September of 2020, a robust group gathered at the newly constructed Shirttail Point trailhead on the Grand Mesa to hear updates on the project.

“Mountain bikers love a challenge, and what’s shaping up right here is one of the premier challenges in the country for mountain bikers,” shared Cathy Ritter, director of the Colorado Tourism Office. “We are looking at this as a star attraction for this part of the state.”

Following the gathering at Shirttail Point, Bobby L’Heureux, co-owner of Spoke+Blossom and director of partnerships, rode phase one and shared how it was quite a memorable experience:

“We rode phase one of the Plunge — 17 miles starting on Lands End Road and ending in Palisade at the start of the Rim Trail. The start provided a little climbing with some amazing flow sections. As we continued, the trail became more technical and increasingly exposed — it’s well-made and very rideable if you have no fear of heights or problems with tight switchbacks.”

L’Heureux has completed many notable rides in Colorado and beyond, including Bowman’s Shortcut, Monarch Crest, The Whole Enchilada, Slickrock, Amasa Back and Cliffhanger and Hymasa/Captain Ahab.

“Not one of these trails prepared my nerves for what was ahead on the Palisade Plunge,” he shared. “This will become one of the most epic rides in the state and beyond. I strongly recommend only riding the Palisade Plunge if you are an advance rider and you have a very clear head the day you choose this adventure.”

Scott Winans, president of Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association (COPMOBA) and member of the Outdoor Recreation Leadership Council, led the group ride last September and shared how the trail will be a notable addition to the country’s list of epic mountain bike rides.

“The Palisade Plunge Trail will challenge users through a truly unique and unforgettable trail experience, providing access to remote public lands while traversing stunning alpine to high desert terrain as it connects the top elevations of the Grand Mesa to the Town of Palisade, 6,000 feet below,” shared Winans. “For over 30 years, COPMOBA has been a national leader in planning, building and maintaining trails. Through projects such as the Palisade Plunge, COPMOBA creatively engages local communities to improve our regional quality of life while simultaneously creating economic engines in our home towns. We intend for the Palisade Plunge to be a jewel of Western Colorado for decades to come.”

For nearly 10 years, COPMOBA has spearheaded the Palisade Plunge trail project — which takes riders from the top of the Grand Mesa (10,700 feet) to the Town of Palisade (4,700 feet) on a challenging, terrain-shifting and visually stunning singletrack trail.

Once completed, The Palisade Plunge trail will be one of only a handful of such trails in the country and is expected to contribute minimum $5 million annually to the local economy.

“I’ve been a bike advocate and in the bike industry for 25 years,” said Bobby Noyes, founder of RockyMounts, “and what we’re witnessing is monumental. This has been the finest collaboration in a community or the bike industry in the past 10 years … I’ve been involved in a lot of largescale bike advocacy projects, and this thing blows them all away.”

Originally published in the Summer 2021 issue.

Ride On: Palisade Plunge Phases Opening This Summer