Palisade Plunge Trail Receives $90K Grant

 gocopalisadeplungegrant

PALISADE, Colo.(KKCO) The creation of a world-class biking trail is moving forward in Palisade. The town has been granted $90,000 from Great Outdoors Colorado to begin planning the Palisade Plunge Trail.

“It’s just spectacular scenery, incredible views and just a lot of fun,” said Rondo Buecheler who made a proposal for the trail several years ago.  Buecheler said the idea for the trail came after learning how cattle climb the Grand Mesa.

“We’re going to have this epic trail that comes off the top of a 10,000 foot mesa and goes down 6,000 feet to downtown Palisade, and that’s exciting,” said Buecheler.

The trail will be the largest mountain biking trail in the area. It will span 30 miles long.

“This just adds, not just something that’s unique to Mesa County, but something that’s unique in the United States,” said Palisade’s Public Works Director Frank Watt.

Watt says the grant will fund environmental studies needed for construction, which they hope to begin in 2017.

“It will help all the businesses in downtown Palisade, because the bikers that come here will hopefully stay there. They’ll maybe have breakfast, dinner. They’ll check out the wineries, the brewery, the distillery,” said Buecheler.

Palisade plans to keep pedaling forward. The plunge will be the first step into making Palisade a downhill biker’s dream.

“Between Powerderhorn, Grand Junction, Palisade and Fruita, this is the one trail we don’t have; the epic, all day ride, and that’s what this gives us,” said Beucheler.

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