THE PALISADE FRUIT AND WINE BYWAY
Bike rentals, wineries, lodging, events, bike maps and local tips for Palisade, Colorado
Biking around Palisade, a lush and fertile valley, and Colorado’s premiere wine-growing region at the base of the western Colorado’s Bookcliffs mountain range, is accessible to everyone – from novice to experts.
There are plenty of biking options in and around Palisade- from road biking to mountain biking to city biking on regular or e-bikes.
(Link to the Palisade Fruit and Wine Byway Route map here!) Bike rentals are available in town, though reservations are recommended to get the bikes you want (especially e-bikes) on busier weekends or event weekends.
Palisade is a small town with a variety of lodging options, though we recommend you book your lodging far in advance for the town’s biggest event, the Colorado Mountain Winefest, held annually in September.
BIKE RENTALS
Rapid Creek Cycles in downtown Palisade can get you set up with whatever you need – including cruisers, electric cruisers and hybrid road bikes. Bonus: Bikes have baskets on them to carry your fruits, vegetable and wine home from your ride.
Tip: If you are going on an event weekend, book your bikes ahead of time!
WINERIES
The Palisade Chamber of Commerce offers a full listing of wineries with tasting hours and links to their websites.
LODGING
Palisade is a small town with several lodging options. Links below take you to the Palisade Chamber of Commerce specific lodging listings.
EVENTS
The town’s premiere event is the Colorado Mountain Winefest held annually in late September.
FEATURED WINERY
Winner of over 300 Awards and an unforgettable Cabernet Franc.
They have their own wine club and will ship direct to you!
FEATURED LODGING
Wine Country Inn has everything you could ask for in a weekend getaway hotel: pool, hot tub, great breakfast and awesome wrap aroiund cowboy porch with rocking chairs. Perfect!
local info links
Featured Winery: Palisade, Colorado
Grande River VineyardsPeopleWineShopCabernet Franc!
(My favorite wine: Grande River Vineyards Cabernet Franc)
Grande River Vineyards is our 2020 pick in Palisade. My friends and I are still thinking and talking about the bottle of their Cabernet Franc that we shared. It was so good we just had to feature them. (Apparently we are not the first
to discover them. They’ve received over 300 awards for their wine.)
The People
Grande River Vineyards has quite the history in Colorado. It first planted grapes in 1987 and then produced its first wine in 1990. (It was the fifth winery to be licensed in Colorado.) In 2006, owner Steve Smith downsized the farming
part of the operation to focus on wine-making.
the Wine
The Smiths grow about 15 acres of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Voignier. They produce 5,000 cases of wine annually. The Cab Franc has received its share of awards including a Bronze at the Colorado Governor’s Cup Wine Competition.
What makes Colorado wines special? Explains Grande River’s website, “The rich mineral content of the soil, intense sunlight, Colorado River water and cool nights.”
Grande River Vineyards ships all over the world.
Also, check out their wine club where you can choose to have (3) selections sent to you every few months.
When you are in Palisade, stop into their tasting room which is open 7 days a week 9 a.m. to 5 pm excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
You can call Grande River Vineyards for additional information at 970-464-5867.
AREA TOUR GUIDES
Many visitors to Palisade like to do their own independent trips – but for those who would like supported tour packages, there are some really fun options (think horse-driven carriages and pedi-cabs!).
Palisade Tour Guides
If you want more of an organized tour for yourself or your group, you have some options from chaueffer-driven customized stretch limos to horse-driven carriage rides, to the Palisade Pedicab and Pali-Tours safari-type vehicles!
For more information, click on the “Take Me There” button below. We will link you to “Visit Palisade” for a full list of tour providers.
Featured: PALI-TOURS
We like the offerings of Pali-Tours, owned by Dave Smith.
The company will take you in their canvas top-open sided vehicle on wine tours, orchard tours, or other any other adventure!
And…they can also do bike pick-ups and river shuttles and can accommodate custom adventures, including help get you rental equipment, depending on your needs. That’s a great service for that area!