COME TO LIFE / Colorado Wine Country: Grand Junction, Palisade & Fruita The area around Grand Junction is the heart of Colorado’s wine country, home to 22 wine-tasting rooms and a handful of spirits distillers and breweries. But delicious adult beverages are just one of the region’s great assets. COLORADO WINE COUNTRY: GRAND JUNCTION, PALISADE & FRUITA COLORADO 1 SIDETRIPS With its craggy hills and unparalleled collection of prehistoric artifacts, Dinosaur National Monument is worth the additional four-hour trek north along the Dinosaur Diamond Scenic & Historic Byway. There are thousands of fossil types in the monument, and it’s still an active research area. COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: WINE COUNTRY INN; WINERY, KEN REDDING; DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT, ERIC WUNROW. T WINTER FUN Family-friendly Powder-horn Mountain Resort is located on the Grand Mesa near Grand Junction, where skiers, riders and snowtubers see something more like the Grand Canyon than the typical alpine view. Powderhorn recently ex-panded with a new high-speed Poma lift so skiers can fit in more runs! DAY 1 The largest flat-topped moun-tain in the world, Grand Mesa is a 10,000-foot-high plateau topped by forest and more than 300 lakes. Mountain-bike trails, ranging from mild to intense, lace the area. There’s also the Riverfront Trail ’s new Monument View section, which runs 28 miles along the Colorado River from Fruita to Grand Junction. The Palisade Fruit & Wine Byway (1) is another way to see the area, routing drivers and riders through orchards, lavender gardens, vineyards, fruit stands and Colorado River views — and few hills. Ride out to the new Red Fox Cellars to taste their unique wines as well as a rotating selection of fruit wines and ciders from their draft system, all hand made from local fruit. Along the way, you’ll spy the Bookcliff Mountains , named for their shape and one of the only east–west ranges in the US. For dinner, Inari’s offers seasonal American fare and many local wines. Peach Street Distillers , a manufac-turer of locally made spirits, is a great place to taste some truly original spirits. Or have dinner at Grand Junction’s wildly popular Bin 707 Foodbar , where chef Josh Niernberg serves up a menu crafted from the Grand Val-ley’s best farmers, winemakers and brewers. Spent enough time in the car? Whitewater rafting the Green or Yampa rivers — both of which cut through the monument — is a stellar way to view the area’s ancient rock formations. On the way, stop in Rangely . Once the site of a Ute trading post, take see prehistoric rock art from the Ute and Fremont tribes in Canyon Pintado . Maps and information are available at the Rangely Museum , just east of town. The town is also a hub for hunters, fishers, golfers and rock crawlers. QUICK TIP 162 / Find a new best friend at SunCrest Orchard Alpacas in Palisade. Tours include the opportunity to “trek” (that is, walk) your own delightful alpaca pal beneath a canopy of peach trees. Those who do it right can expect a soft shoulder nuzzle from their furry companion. COLORADO.COM
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2017: Page 162
