6 Fun + Funky Stops Along Palisade's Fruit And Wine Byway

Colorado’s bike-crazed Grand Valley is famed for its singletrack, but in its eastern reaches, the town of Palisade also embraces a lifestyle fit for skinnier tires. The Fruit and Wine Byway is Palisade’s namesake road and path route, running the course of Colorado’s largest wine region and offering no shortage of stops to satiate oneself en route. The full byway is actually three separate routes. The big loop, dubbed the East Orchard Mesa Loop, stretches 25 miles from downtown across the mesa before turning back and winding along the Colorado River and a series of scenic country roads. The seven-mile West Cruiser Loop heads from downtown towards the Palisade Rim Trail, crossing the river and then hugging its bank back toward town. For an easier ride, the mellow East Cruiser Loop runs five miles, starting and ending downtown. Embark on all three, and you’ll cycle past Palisade’s top wineries and fruit stands, with ample cozy hideouts to indulge both your sweet and saucy sides.

The Fruit and Wine Byway is in a constant process of evolution, with new wineries and shops regularly opening, meaning that no two trips down it need be the same. This route is meant to be undertaken on two wheels, and it can get as raucous as your crew is game for. You’ll never pedal more than two miles for a tasting, and the full byway covers more than two dozen tasting rooms. These six funky stops en route liven up the ride with flavor, festivities and fresh reasons to pop the cork.

THE BLUE BERYL WINERY

3587 G 7/10 Road, Palisade

The Blue Beryl Winery opened in 2022, but its roots stretch back to 2011. That’s when Courtney Kiel, co-owner and winemaker, planted vines on the property where she grew up, which now serves as the winery and tasting room. Kiel, also an artist who specializes in oil painting, designs the bottle labels by hand, and along with her husband, retrofitted the property into a chic modern tasting room that displays larger pieces of her artwork. “We’re combining the love of fine art and wine while also recognizing that wine is a fine art in and of itself,” she says. The central focal point is the cistern, completed for the 2023 season to aesthetically display the mother-daughter team’s labor.

“Our deep familial Palisade roots give an authentic look into the history of Palisade and how it grew to become so popular for tourism,” Kiel believes. “Our water cistern that we turned into a wine cellar and display case is originally from 1905, around when Palisade was first founded.”

Have your smartphone camera ready not only to capture the tasting room’s naturally-lit interior but also the rugged peak of Mt. Garfield and the jagged Book Cliffs range, located just behind the tasting room. This is the closest you’ll get to the Grand Valley’s most famous summit on this tour, and it makes a great first stop if embarking on the East Cruiser Loop.

SPUN 237

Bower Ave., Palisade

When opting for the West Cruiser Loop, pullover straight away to peruse the yarn, knitting books and confectionary at Spun, Palisade’s local sewing, knitting and crocheting shop. Located on the edge of downtown Palisade and with a striking view of the Colorado River and the Grand Mesa behind, Spun offers knitting classes (register in advance) along with supplies and design inspiration. Or, just pop in to peruse the book collection or to pick up a gift for the crochet crafter in your life — and, of course, to top off your own supply.

“If you have the desire to create and the curiosity to learn how to use new tools, then you will have fun at Spun,” says owner Cayenna Hanna. A stop here is easy to work into any Fruit and Wine Byway route, as its downtown location fits into trips west, east and up to East Orchard Mesa. It’s also just down from Palisade Cycle and Shuttle where you can rent a bike for your outing.

CLARK AND CO.’S DISTILLING

3926 US-6, Palisade

Here’s a local’s word to the wise: when downtown Palisade is busy, pedal out to Clark and Co.’s Distilling to enjoy a from-scratch cocktail and a burger on their patio adjacent to the Colorado River. Clark’s, as it’s known around town, is smack in the middle of the East Cruiser Loop, a perfect place to grab a bite after a tasting at Colterris Winery and before stopping into Bookcliff Vineyards, Vines 79 or Sauvage Spectrum.

The Clark family has been instrumental in the Grand Valley’s agricultural and agritourism industry for seven generations, owning one of the largest and most diverse orchards in the valley along with a seasonal fruit stand. The best part of dining at the new distillery is that you can experience the fruits of each of these endeavors in a single stop, and yes, that pun was intended. The spirits and cocktails are largely built from what’s grown onsite.

PALISADE PIES

3415 C 1/2 Road, Palisade

For over two decades, Hermosa Vineyards and Whitewater Hill Vineyards have served as the lynchpins of the Fruit and Wine Byway’s furthest reaches. Pedal this far out, and you deserve that chilled glass of Sauv Blanc upon arrival, especially on days when the thermometer pops near triple digits. You should satisfy your sweet tooth en route, however, with a stop at Palisade Pies. Here, Anita Hix has been baking award-winning pies stuffed full of locally-grown fruits since 2018. Her second outpost in the valley— she also runs Anita’s Pantry & Produce. The location is a perfect mid-point break in your ride to grab a coffee and pastry, post up on the patio among the vines and get out of the sun for a bit.

If you plan to continue for the full loop, stop to take a dip (at least your feet) in the river on the ride back to downtown Palisade. After joining the bike path headed south from 32 Road, pedal for just under a mile to reach an intersection where you can head left to hit D Road or right to stay on the bike path towards Palisade. Just past the intersection, on the right side, is a cozy secluded beach perfect for cooling off.

BLAINE’S FARM MARKET

3419 Front St., Clifton

Peaches are synonymous with Palisade. Blaine’s Farm Market, under new ownership by Steve Klein for the 2023 season, slings some of the best in town. Here’s the thing, though. Show up before the late-June peach rush, and you can take advantage of in-season cherries and apricots. After the peach season, it’s apple time into October. Colorado-made artisan foods and handcrafted specialty items can be found here alongside locally grown veggies, locally canned and bottled dressings and beverages, and the confectionary necessary to best prepare said harvestables. Grab some fruit to go, because not overindulging is not experiencing Palisade fully. Add in a couple of farm-fresh eggs, and you’re experiencing true farm-to-table eating.

“Providing sustainably grown local fruits and vegetables and giving back to our community is at the heart of everything we do,” Klein says.

TWP WINERY AND FARMHOUSE

3334 F. Road, Clifton

As the crow flies, TWP — Twee Wingerd Plaasor “Two Vineyards” in Afrikaans — is a few blocks off the Byway’s main thoroughfare. But, its seclusion is TWP’s true appeal. The name is an ode to South Africa, the home country of co-owner Edwin Mocke, who, alongside Shari Cahill, opened the winery and accommodations property in 2022. This is the place to head after your loop is complete, and you’re ready for a hearty meal and a relaxing vineyard setting in which to crash. Choose from one of four suites in the white-walled, contemporary-Western-themed property, and recount your day on the Byway by the fireplace.

Originally published in the Summer 2023 issue of Spoke+Blossom.