The viewing platform is right in front of a small pulloff parking area for the book cliffs view. The book cliffs are a range of eroding, steepsloping cliffs, also called. They are so named because the cliffs of cretaceous sandstone that cap many of the southfacing buttes appear similar to a shelf of books. Jan 29, 2006 helmet camera video while mountain biking in fruita colorado at the bookcliffs, joes ridge, chutes and ladders. The bike trails can be accessed from either 18 rd or 16 rd just north of the town of fruita. Book cliffs mountain biking save fruita is the mountain biking capital for colorado, and north of this town are many mountain biking trails leading up into the book cliffs. The town borders the colorado river, the uncompahgre plateau, and the book cliffs range on the northern edge of the grand valley.
These colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf outthere. Digging into the pocket of a nodule in the book cliffs area, working hard trying not to damage any crystals. Canyons and arroyos dominated by red rocks unfold to the west. The little book cliffs wild horse area darting team is a volunteer group which controls the population of wild horses in the area by shooting darts with a substance that prevents mares from becoming pregnant. Check out the towns newly revamped website for an overview of all the recreation opportunities in the area. Find these viewpoints on the park map download the sunrise and sunset times check out the photo gallery for inspiration.
Much of the area is desert valley floor with washes and sharp ridges. Very close to grand junction, fruita serves as a bedroom community for many who work in grand junction. Photos and commentary by steve garufi in fruita, colorado. Mountain bike the book cliffs, north fruita desert campground. Edge loop ride fruita 2020 all you need to know before. By the time grand junction was three years old, it had become apparent to its citizens that they needed a good coal supply if.
Stay local, avoid recreational travel, practice social distancing and check ahead for area and facility closures. Stretching 200 miles from grand junction, colorado to central utah, the book cliffs are the worlds largest continuous escarpment. The colorado tourism office cto and the leave no trace center for outdoor ethics teamed up to create a set of principles aimed at. During the winter the range is closed to any motorized vehicles you can walk in. The edge loop mountain bike trail, fruita, colorado mtb project. Grand mesa 34 pictures grand mesa is a large flat top mountain just south east of mount garfield. One of the finest examples of a building made of book cliff sandstone is the fruita, colorado catholic church. The book cliffs view shelter offers a panoramic view of wedding and monument canyons, as well as views of fruita and grand junction, the book cliffs, and the grand mesa. With quick access to the colorado national monument, the book cliffs, and the colorado river, youre sure to find something fun to do outside during your stay. Feb 05, 2019 edge loop on the book cliffs is a scenic loop that can only be fully run by rock crawlers. Event participants must park in the saddlehorn picnic parking lot. It was nothing wild i suppose, but it was a nice miniadventure in western colorado s grand valley, which has become my home. However, the first 34 of the trail when started in fruita at 16rd, or 18 rd, can be enjoyed by almost.
Book cliffs geological feature, utah, united states. This is a great start for your weekend and a perfect intro to fruita singletrack. Right across the border from world famous moab, its only slightly lesser known. Fruita colorado 18 road the bookcliffs mountain bike bill. The club has hired panpacific once again to help the club compile a legal comment regarding the proposed changes to the domiguezescalante area south of grand junction and whitewater. The book cliffs are a range of eroding, steepsloping cliffs, also called escarpments. Book cliffs and hunter canyon, colorado kiss cactus. At rei, we encourage you to get outside responsibly. Fruita is part of the grand junction metropolitan statistical area and within the grand valley. Fruitathis welcoming western slope town borders on obsessed when it comes to mountain biking. We like a nice town, not too busy but with some life, decent restaurants not all fast food within walking distance of the hotel, and reasonably priced. At the north end of the area lie the book cliffs, one of the longest, continuous geological features in the world. Jul 10, 2016 here, an insiders guide for mountain biking in fruita, with trails listed in the recommended order in which you might like to tackle them.
The area is especially popular in the spring and fall, when mountain trails are still covered in snow and the desert isnt too hot. The book cliffs are an enormous area that spans two states. Pretty desert and mountain region north of grand junction and fruita, colorado. Click below to read the comments and see other important information regarding this area.
Robb colorado river state park or highline lake state park. Fruita, colorado 29 pictures fruita is at the base of the book cliffs to the north sharing. The trail was built by a consortium of local groups and the blm as a recreational venue for dirt bikes, mountain bikes, hikers and equestrians. The book cliffs appear mostly along the southern and western edge of the tavaputs plateau. Fruita, co has emerged in recent years as a sweet alternative to moab, ut for those traveling from colorado s front range. Mountain biking, hiking trails, bike paths and science museums.
Fruita is the mountain biking capital for colorado, and north of this town are many mountain biking trails leading up into the book cliffs. Fruita is considered one of the premier mountain biking destinations in colorado, with the perfect combinations of terrain to challenge riders of all skill levels. Fruita also touches the colorado national monument, a scenic national park featuring views of canyons and giant rock formations, complete with trails and a campground. This camera is looking west above hwy and us 6 at the entrance to rifle. If youre a resident, you probably know that in addition to all the tourism and recreational opportunities here, fruita is a great place to live and raise a family. Just eight miles northeast of grand junction, the little book cliffs wild horse area encompasses more than 36,000 acres of rugged canyons and plateaus. Just a quick drive away, you will have access to the colorado national monument, the book cliffs, and the colorado river. Fruita may be a small town but it is close in proximity to all of the big town amenities. The book cliffs view shelter offers a panoramic view of wedding and monument canyons, as well as views of fruita and grand junction, the. Rifle colorado webcam colorado river bookcliff mountain. Here, an insiders guide for mountain biking in fruita, with trails listed in the recommended order in which you might like to tackle them. Baryte and calcite found in concretions ranging from a half an inch to over 6 feet with some concretions in a linear configuration, up to the size of a sedansaloon. We are planning to visit the area in september, particularly colorado national monument, and wondered where is the better place to stay grand junction or fruita.
Mountain biking in fruita colorado book cliffs youtube. From western slope vietnam war memorial to north fruita desert, the fruita area offers 26 different types of family activities, including. Helmet camera video while mountain biking in fruita colorado at the bookcliffs, joes ridge, chutes and ladders. Book cliff edge loop fruita grand junction colorado youtube. A nodule where a pocket of barite and calcite crystals may have been found, in the book cliffs area. View grand junctions wild horses visit grand junction. Colorado national monument 66 pictures colorado national monument is on the south side of the grand valley. Home to wild horses, theres always something new to see or do in the bookcliffs.
The upper end of joes ridge chilling in the truck contemplating another loop. The beauty of mount garfield left and the book cliffs from a neighborhood in palisade. Compared to mountain passes such as indepdence pass or cottonwood pass in the heart of colorado, douglas pass probably seems modest, but its a scenic area thats worthy of a visit. The bookcliffs define the skyline of grand junction.
The geography is identified by the bordering colorado river historically known as the grand river on the southern edge of town, the uncompahgre plateau known for. Further, being located on the banks of the colorado river and having the book cliffs to the north, plus having colorado national monument and thousands of acres of public land nearby, the town is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah, in the western united states. Colorados western slope is making all the right moves. Standing on top of the book cliffs, more than 2,000 vertical feet above the grand valley basin, one begins to realize why the edge loop in fruita, colorado, is indeed epic. The railway line heading used by coal trains and the california zephyr amtrak train. And with the exception of a few privately held parcels of land, almost 96% of the 2. I drive this trail during late fall and winter, because of the cooler temperatures, and the lack of tourists in the moab area, and i think its. These colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf outthere colorado.
Surrounded by magnificent but easily accessible mountains the grand mesa, the colorado national monument, and the book cliffs, as well as hundreds of acres of public land, fruita offers the best in highdesert adventure getaways. If you are near grand junction, the fruita campground or island acres. If youre looking for the best trails around james m. Book cliff company stone cutters and masons constructed several buildings and many foundations at carpenter, using stone from the company quarry near the cliffs. Located approximately 10 miles northwest of grand junction, the city of fruita features some of the most varied outdoor recreation opportunities in the state of colorado. The broad grand valley, carved by the colorado river, opens beyond fruita canyon. The north fruita desert special recreation management area includes 72,000 acres and 250 miles of designated recreation routes. The wild horse area is pretty tough to get to in a regular carsuvjeep. An epic loop combining the best of fruita singletrack and 360 degree views from the book cliffs. Book cliffs view, fruita, colorado trail run project. Wild horses at little book cliffs grand junction forum.
Looking for a local nursery and landscaping company in the grand junction, co area. Nearby are renowned mountain biking trails, dinosaur sites and red rock hiking. The geography is identified by the bordering colorado river historically known as the grand river on the southern edge of town, the uncompahgre plateau known for its pinyonjuniper landscape, and the book cliffs range on the northern edge of the grand valley. The edge loop mountain bike trail, fruita, colorado.
Surrounded by stunning land features such as the grand mesa, book cliffs and colorado national monument, the grand valleythat is, grand junction, fruita and palisadehas long been a beloved home to and a destination for outdoor lovers. This is a great place to hike, especially in the spring and fall when the weather is mild and the horses are readily seen. Photos and videos by steve garufi in fruita, colorado. Fruita, co is bordered by the colorado river to the south and the uncompahgre plateau and book cliffs to the north. Experience the mountains, high desert, sheer cliffs and plateaus with a fruita mountainbiking adventure and a roadbike circuit through the colorado national monument. Head north on cherry street and take the first right onto aspen. The pass is located in remote western garfield county, and is accessed from state highway 9 between the towns of loma and. Hike photos october 6, 2012 at the trailhead, the weather was perfect. Even during the months it is open i would not advise that you take a rental vehicle into this area as it would definitely violate the contract and cause you grief. Hiking, biking, 4wheeling, fishing, hunting and mountain biking are all. The sarlacc trail is located in the little book cliffs above the 18 roadnorth fruita desert area north of fruita, colorado. The distinctive formations offer plenty of hiking, camping and more. Grand junction 15 mi 24 km, utah 17 mi 27 km, montrose 73 mi 117 km, glenwood springs 99 mi 159 km, denver 255 mi 410 km, salt lake city.
The book cliffs trail system consists of five interconnecting trails chutes, edge loop, frontside, prime ribjoes ridge, and zippity on both single and double track. Rifle colorado webcam colorado river bookcliff mountain west. Beginning near helper, utah, and joined at green river, utah, by a second escarpment, the roan cliffs, the 2,000foot 610metre tall mountain wall, winds a 250mile 400km course along the tavaputs and roan. Youll want to camp with the cool kids on 18 road, also known as the book cliffs. The book cliff mines were coal mines located near grand junction, colorado, united states. The northern horizon is an escarpment of the dark book cliffs topped with the lightercolored roan cliffs. This is a great start for your weekend and a perfect intro to fruita. It is located 18 miles 29 km east of the utah border near the 39 parallel. The bookcliff mountain is the feature of the view, note the same bookcliff formation is above grand junction. The shorter drive times and wide variety of trail options makes it a great family spot. Nov 12, 2019 experience the mountains, high desert, sheer cliffs and plateaus with a fruita mountainbiking adventure and a roadbike circuit through the colorado national monument. Technically, the edge loop is the mega epic loop that starts on the forest floor, climbs to the top of the book cliffs and eventually loops back around to the desert floor.
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