Try these new adventures in Grand Junction, Colorado

Among Grand Junction's spectacular red cliffs and winding canyons are the 11,000-foot Grand Mesa and the breathtaking 7,000-foot Colorado National Monument. Surrounded by an abundance of public lands – in fact, over 70 percent of the county is public land, Grand Junction is also a mecca for hunting, fishing, dirt bike and ATV riding.

You can expand on this stunning scenery with other attractions including three national scenic byways, rafting, boating, golfing skiing, extensive public art displays, museums, 23 nearby wineries, and a vibrant downtown featuring creative culinary options and shopping.

If you’re thinking of a summer visit to Grand Junction, Visit Grand Junction has announced many things to do in Colorado’s Grand Valley for 2018.  New mountain biking trails, water sport activities, summer events, and a sports shooting facility expand on outdoor recreation activities for which the Grand Valley is known.

Trails:

Opening this spring is a new segment of the One Riverfront Trail. Mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians and trail runners can start their journey on the nearly 30-mile-long Riverfront Trail in Palisade, travel through Grand Junction and now connect in Fruita to the Kokopelli Trail, which extends to Moab, UT.

Powderhorn Mountain Resort’s lift-assisted, downhill mountain biking attraction features a new 5-mile green trail – a smooth, all-level ride called the “Mutton Buster.”

Water Sports:

Colorado’s first cable wakeboarding park, Imondi Wake Zone, will open in summer 2018 on a 30-acre lake in Fruita. Imondi’s five-tower cable system will pull up to seven wakeboarders in a counterclockwise circuit featuring obstacles and ride rails. New learners can access a separate two-tower system.

Jet Boat Colorado offers “the most exciting boat tour on the Colorado River” with fishtails, speed runs and “cowboy spins” on the custom New Zealand-style jet boats. Additionally, a scenic option lets riders slow down and take in the beauty of the mountain scenery.

Summer Events

The Museums of Western Colorado’s Dinosaur Journey in Fruita will unveil a new exhibit, “Horns & Frills”, May 18 to Sept. 16; this exhibit will tell the secrets of dinosaurs’ combat and courtship and features new specimens, skulls and skeletons.

Dinosaur Journey will also offer “Dino Digs” from May 22 to Aug. 15. Guests can join professional paleontologists on half-, full- or four-day excursions and help discover ancient life-forms.

Music is part of the summer landscape as well. Two Rivers Winery in Grand Junction will present “Music in the Grapevines” at its outdoor pavilion one Tuesday a month from May to September. In Palisade,Garfield Estates Vineyard and Winery will offer a music series, “Wines, Vines & Harmony,” two Saturdays each month from July to September. Outdoor concerts are also planned at the Las Colonias Amphitheater in Grand Junction throughout the summer.

The Mountain Bike and Ultra Marathon/Relay Kokopelli 100 & 140 will take place September 7 and 8 on the entire 144-mile trail from Fruita to Moab.

Sports Shooting Facility:

The new Cameo Shooting and Education Complex will feature world-class shooting facilities, safety education and law enforcement training as well as competitions. The complex broke ground in March and will be partially open to the public this summer.

Grand Junction, the largest city in Western Colorado, is located at the junction of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers, between Salt Lake City and Denver on Interstate 70.

Information and photos courtesy of Gaylene Ore, Ore Communications, Visit Grand Junction, www.visitgrandjunction.com)

 

Loving the land at Reville Peak Ranch near Austin

Many folks who made a bundle on early dotcom businesses in the Austin area built mansions on the lake or dabbled in new tech start-ups. Vol Montgomery headed for the woods. An outdoor enthusiast, he bought 1300 acres of rugged Hill Country land in 1999 and opened Reveille Peak Ranch in 2010, a facility that attracts families as well as elite mountain bikers and marathoners who train there.

Quarry Lake is an inviting spot for water activities.

While Reville Peak Ranch has become an exceptional facility for mountain bikers, trail runners, and fitness trainers, it also appeals to people of all ages who appreciate nature and love the outdoors.  It showcases the Hill Country spirit of adventure by combining education and a love for the land into a variety of activities.

Just an hour’s drive from Austin, the ranch overlooks Lake Buchanan and Ink’s Lake in the chain of Highland Lakes. Located on the Llano Uplift, the ranch’s geography includes trails on the granite dome, through fields with plentiful wildflowers, and across dry creek beds.

Trails are available for all experience levels.

Numerous educational and recreational facilities make it a great place for a family day trip. Interesting geological formations, outstanding panoramas, and abundant plant and animal life provide an ideal setting for scheduled nature classes for all ages--or just exploring on your own.

Here’s what the average visitor will find: Fishing is easy in stocked waters 200 feet deep. Canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards are available for rent. Other amenities include a two-story, 10,000 square foot covered pavilion overlooking the lake, full-service commercial kitchen, koi ponds and twin waterfalls, sand volleyball court, and observation deck suitable for live entertainment. The spring-fed Quarry Lake is available for SCUBA diving and swimming. There’s even a wedding-perfect mountain overlook graced by a rustic wooden cross that Montgomery himself experienced.

Experience the serenity of a mountain top retreat.

The heart of the property is the trail system—more than 62 miles of combined single track and boulevard trails, plus 9 mile, 6.2 mile, and 3.2 mile loops of low-moderate trails (one is stroller friendly), 15 miles of newly developed single track trails, and plenty of natural obstacles from rugged limestone outcrops.  Reville Peak Ranch has hosted several major events for mountain biking and running, but Montgomery encourages all outdoor enthusiasts to experience the variety of trails on the property.

Wildflowers bloom profusely in spring.

All facilities, which guests have called “elegantly rustic” and “environmentally savvy,” are constructed with natural and recycled materials. Environmentally and geologically sensitive areas on site may be accessed on guided tours. View the land as it’s been for centuries—natural, beautiful and unchanged—and look for native wildlife including birds, deer, gray foxes, rabbits and armadillos.

Camping is available at 250 primitive sites or six RV spots, but if you want a bit more comfort after your outdoor adventures, accommodations are available in nearby Burnet or Austin.

Gate fee is $10 per adult and $5 for kids 12 and under. Reveille Peak Ranch is located at 105 CR 114. Be sure to bring your camera.

Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier

 

 

 

Don't call it off-season: Visit Grand County, Colorado in spring or fall

When visitors think of northern Colorado, two seasons come to mind: summer and winter. But there’s a great time to visit after the music concerts and festivals of summer have ended and before snow-packed activities of winter begin. If the opportunity to savor the scenery and hike or bike in relative serenity is more your style than shuffling through crowds, consider visiting towns in Grand County during the fall.

Aspens around Winter Park, Colorado glow in autumn
as leaves turn golden

Fall is an absolutely glorious time to enjoy the amenities—natural and manmade--of the Winter Park-Fraser Valley region, located 65 miles west of Denver. Golden aspens glow in the sunlight during late September when temperatures are cool in early morning and shirt-sleeve warm in the afternoon. There’s still time before snowfall to enjoy the lakes, either boating or fishing, or to check hot-air ballooning off your bucket list.

Here are some favorite activities to try before the snow returns (or after it melts):

Arrive in Grand Country from Denver by driving Berthoud Pass, a scenic highway that twists and turns its way through thick forests and past gushing waterfalls, summiting at the Continental Divide.

Water flows to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from
the Continental Divide in Colorado.

There’s a reason the region is called “Mountain Bike Capital U.S.A. It doesn't matter if you are a serious gear head or just interested in seeing the mountains in a new way, there are 600 miles of mountain bike trails that will satisfy beginner to expert bikers.

Saddle up. In Grand County, horseback riding isn't just a hobby — it's a way of life.

Grand Lake offers many recreational opportunities.

Sail on Grand Lake, Colorado's largest natural lake,which is known for spectacular views of peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Spend a night outdoors and get reacquainted with nature at one of Grand County's many public campgrounds.

Play a round at Pole Creek Golf Club in Winter Park, which has 27 holes on three courses. You’ll love how your game improves in the thin air. Golf balls not only travel further at higher altitude, but they spin less, too, meaning straighter approach shots (in theory anyway!).

You won't worry about where the golf ball lands when you have
scenery on the golf course this beautiful to grab your attention.

Paddle a canoe or kayak or cast your line on Monarch Lake, a small, scenic lake at the foot of the Indian Peaks southeast of Lake Granby (which is also a great fishing spot). On some days, your only competition for fish will be nesting ospreys.

Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is an exquisite
drive in fall--before it's covered with winter's snow.

Head to Rocky Mountain National Park and drive Trail Ridge Road. It’s a postcard in your windshield, a breathtaking view at every turn. Hike trails along the way, or bike down Trail Ridge Road when it is open.

Wild Horse Inn is an excellent place to relax and enjoy any
season in Winter Park, Colorado.

On the other hand, if your idea of the perfect vacation is peaceful relaxation in a rustic setting, check into Wild Horse Inn, an intimate bed and breakfast just outside Winter Park. A little further down the road you’ll find the larger Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort and Spa with more amenities—a great place if you prefer restful fun with a bit of zing for your holiday.

Think of Grand County as a four-season destination, with lesser-visited late spring and fall among the most glorious times to arrive.

Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier