Why Go: Not every ride in the Centennial State features lung-searing alpine climbs. On the Rockies’ Western Slope, where the Colorado River emerges from the Book Cliffs near Grand Junction, the little farming town of Palisade is a relative flatland of peach orchards, lavender gardens and, recently, an up-and-coming wine industry.
Road Notes: This laid-back route, which traces rural farm roads along the Colorado River, encourages our favorite kind of agritourism: wine tasting, as it passes more than half a dozen vineyards, and at least as many farm-fresh fruit stands. It’s no Napa, but with its lack of pretension and the dramatic backdrop of 11,000-foot Grand Mesa, it might just be better.
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Distance: 24.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 884 feet
Starts From: Palisade, CO