Ride Guide: Grand Junction, Colorado

Three miles from downtown Grand Junction, the Lunch Loops trail system derived its name from its easy access for locals looking to trade a hot lunch for a hot lap. But there's more than enough on the menu to satisfy a vacationing rider. Dig in. Just watch the spice.

A la carte: Miramonte Rim Loop

By itself, Miramonte is a mini lap—less than two miles. But as the innermost of a spaghetti tangle of stacked-looped options, Miramonte Rim allows riders to sample the lower Lunch Loops trails. The ledge-tracing Leftover Lane and the swooping loop through sandstone sculptures on Time Machine will thrill intermediate riders, while the drops and steep rolls of Raven Ridge--and the spicy side hits sprinkled throughout the network--will challenge advanced riders. Regardless of which way you go, the views of the scalloped-sandstone Grand Mesa inspire.

The Lunch Loops buffet: Gunny Loop

The popular and venerable Gunny Loop features a little bit of everything Lunch Loops has to offer: punchy climbs, stutter-step chunk, even one short section of buffed-out S-turns that reinforce how technically demanding the other 99% of Lunch Loops can be. Shuttle the 1200-foot descent from Little Park / First Flats trailhead, or make it a roughly 13-mile loop from the Tabeguache trailhead via the Tabeguache trail. Either way, finish off the ride with a choose-your-own adventure route through the lower Lunch Loops; Clunker - Coyote Ridge - Ali Alley - Curt's ties together intermediate technical XC trails back to Tabeguache trailhead.

Five-star meal: The Ribbon

If the three-mile, 1600-foot descent of The Ribbon isn't in the canon of classic Southwest slickrock descents, it should be. The trail, easily shuttled via Little Park Road, almost immediately plunges riders into a lunar-like layer-cake of rock that would not look out of place in Moab. Memorable features abound, from the Toilet Bowl, a steep, nerve- and brake-testing rock roll, to the heavily canted Wine Glass, where riders can easily clock 50mph on the long straight stone corridor. If riders can tear their ideas from the slickrock under their tires, nearly the entire ride provides gorgeous vistas of Grand Junction and the surrounding Grand Mesa.

Extra spicy wings: Eagle's Wing

Free Lunch is the classic Lunch Loops double-black trail, but Eagle’s Wing boasts a more consistently satisfying descent (and fewer techy, pedal-catching traverses). At just under 3/4th of a mile, Eagle's Wing begins on a high-speed, high-consequence ridgeline punctuated by rock drops and short chutes before plunging into a gully with fewer no-fall consequences but plenty of demanding moves. Finish it off with a chaser of tire-sniping slabs on Pucker Up or Lemon Squeezer before a palette-cleanser of whoops on Moto.

Kids meal: Good Vibes - Snake Skin Loop

In addition to the top of the Gunny Loop, the Little Park / First Flats trailhead accesses several short trails that add up to a bite-sized version of Lunch Loops riding. Good Vibes climbs through a forest of scattered, stunted juniper, with short rock garden sections interspersed with smooth (by Lunch Loops standards) singletrack. Near the boundary with the motorized trail system, Snake Skin sheds elevation along a scenic rim; several small rock section will test riders' pedal finesse. Beginners could easily session the sub-three-mile loop to build confidence for longer trails in the area.

Related: Read More - Bike Destination: Grand Junction, Colorado