The Grand Junction Field Office seeks public comment for the proposed Palisade Plunge trail by April 13th, 2018. This proposed 34 mile singletrack trail will traverse the top of the Grand Mesa and descend approximately 6,000 feet to the Town of Palisade. With the entire trail open to mountain bike and foot trail users and sections open to equestrian riders, the Palisade Plunge will offer unique trail opportunities for outdoor recreation users of many types. Your support is needed to ensure this project moves forward.

The BLM issued the following announcement:

GRAND JUNCTION FIELD OFFICE
PALISADE PLUNGE
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT (MARCH 15, 2018 to APRIL 13, 2018)

Comments should be postmarked by Apr. 13, 2018, and may be submited to the BLM Grand Junction Field Office, Attn: Palisade Plunge Trail, 2815 H Rd, Grand Junction, CO 81506 or via email to blm_co_gj_public_comments@blm.gov. Click here for Press Release.

Public Comment Meeting:

The public is invited to learn more and to provide comments for the project at the public meeting that will be held on March 21st at the Palisade Community Center, 120 W. 8th Street at 5:00 PM. Bureau of Land Managment (BLM), United States Forest Service (Forest Service), and Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) staff, along with representatives from the Town of Palisade, Mesa County, City of Grand Junction and other partner organizations will be available to answer any questions. For information on how to comment and the purpose of the public comment period please visit our Meetings page.

Project Overview:

This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared by the BLM Grand Junction Field Office (GJFO) in cooperation with the Forest Service and the BOR to analyze the proposed construction of 31.6 miles of new singletrack trail and maintenance and use of approximately 34 miles of overall trail. The Palisade Plunge proposal is a collaborative effort between the BLM, the Forest Service Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest (GMUG), BOR, the Town of Palisade, Mesa County, City of Grand Junction, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association (COPMOBA). The trail is one of Governor John Hickenlooper’s “Colorado’s 16” initiatives to support trails and promote outdoor recreation in Colorado. Local governments and tourism organizations are also very supportive of the project and view it as a key opportunity for economic development.

Proposed Action:

The Proposed Action is for the BLM and Forest Service to approve construction and maintenance of 31.6 miles of new singletrack trail for mechanized use in Mesa County, Colorado. The primary use of the trail is envisioned as a long-distance descent for mountain bikers and other non-motorized recreationists from the top of the Grand Mesa to the Town of Palisade. The trail would also be open to two-way traffic, and hikers and bikers who wish to ascend from the Palisade Rim Trailhead or from other approved access points to the trail. The trail would also be open to equestrian use from the Mesa Top Trailhead to the boundary between NFS land and BLM-administered public land at Milepost (MP) 18.24. The trail would be closed to equestrian use from this point to the terminus at the west end. Portions of the trail (MP 11.6 to MP 30.4) would have a winter closure for wildlife from December 1 to May 1.

The entire Palisade Plunge Trail would be approximately 34 miles long, with three proposed short connector trails that would provide access to and from existing trail systems such as the Palisade Rim Trail. A new trailhead would also be established at Shirttailpoint on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The trail would extend from BOR managed land on near G Road/US-6 along an existing singletrack trail on the west side of G Road/US-6 to North River Road. The trail would then follow the roadway into the Town of Palisade.

Please Note: The proposed trail alignment is saved as a KMZ file. Please visit our Maps – Data page to download files.

Palisade Plunge Map PDF