Hiking Adventures in Palisade, Colorado

By: Hailey Coughlin

Hiking Adventures in Palisade, Colorado

Palisade, Colorado is known for its fruit and wine byway. This is an amazing road that will take you to all the amazing wineries and orchards in Palisade. It also has wonderful hiking, biking, and rafting. This article talks about the two closest hikes to Palisade, Colorado. Stay tuned for biking trails!

Palisade Rim Trail

This hiking/biking trail is just 5 min from downtown Palisade. This is a dog-friendly trail, with beautiful views of the Colorado River and Mt. Garfield. It has Indian carvings along the way that are a must-see. The smaller loop is 3.3 miles. It is great for a Saturday morning hike before you start your day. It goes up to 616ft in elevation gain, the first mile is a bit steeper than it flattens out. The Indian carvings are at the halfway point on the left rock walls before you start heading back down. It can get pretty toasty in the summer months in Palisade. It is best to hike in the spring or fall. On this trail, you will meet bikers, runners, and hikers. It is a moderate level hike that will take under 2 hours.

Mt. Garfield

This hike is 3.6 miles long and in 2 miles gains 1.945 ft in elevation. This is a difficult hike and will take 3-4 hours. This hike is located right outside of Palisade along I-70. Dogs can use this trail but must be kept on a leash. This hike can be hiked year-round. It gets very hot in the summer months and chilly in the mornings in the winter months. (alltrails.com). This hike begins by hiking straight up a ridge, then goes into hiking switchbacks, then you will reach a nice valley, then hike up a ledge. To reach the beautiful outlook there is some scrambling up some rocks. You think you have made it to the top after the scramble but keep heading straight till you reach the flag pole.

Suggestions for this hike