Lunch Loops has some of the most frequented trials in all of grand junction.
Story By: Geon Nielsen, Outdoor Recreation
Photos By: Anaya Marissa
Outdoor activities are embedded in the Grand Junction way of life. There are many different activities you can do here in the valley. People go out and utilize all the parks and trails that Grand Junction offers every day. It has so many different outdoor facilities to offer its community, from running to hiking and biking.
With one facility specializing in cycling plus a beautiful view, Lunch Loops. With various trails, Lunch loops are a part of the Tabeguache trail system, located between Monument Road and Little Park Road. It is right by the Monument National Park, which has many different trails and activities. In the afternoon, you can go on a mountain bike ride up so many trails, hike, or run with your pets. You can also end your day dirt jumping all at lunch loops. All of these great trails are why so many people visit lunch loops each day.
The Lunch Loop Trailhead is made up of several trails with some of which are for biking only. Colorado National Monument.
Marissa Anaya April 15, 2024
Cyclists all over the valley go to lunch loops almost weekly for an excellent workout and fun for many people in Grand Junction. To train for their upcoming races, whether it is a collegiate race or a local race. It is the perfect place to train if you are a competing cyclist or a great place to go and pedal around. Matt Sterling is a mountain biker who lives in Grand Junction. He uses the amenities that lunch loops offer almost weekly to train for his upcoming races.
“ Lunch Loops is the best facility in Grand Junction to train for upcoming mountain bike racers. You can also go on a fun bike ride or ride the jumps.” Matt talks about how he spends his time at Lunch Loops.
Can you spot the biker? Some of the trails are higher up and contain rougher terrain than others.
Marissa Anaya April 15, 2024
There are various trails ranging in difficulty. From super easy and peaceful trails to extremely difficult trails like “Pucker Up” and “Free Lunch,” these two trials are designed strictly for mountain biking with challenging inclines and high-speed and rocky downhill sections. It is the perfect place for everyone to ride. Lunch loops are for all ages, from kids who just learned to ride to parents who want to go and pedal. Lunch Loops has a trail tailored to everyone’s riding style.
At the main parking lot for the Lunch Loop trails, there is a map that shows you all of the trails and terrain around them.
Marissa Anaya April 15, 2024
The first thing you see after turning into the parking lot is the dirt jump section. It is full of skilled baselines with jumps for any bike, from a BMX bike to a mountain bike. For all ages and skill levels, dirt jumps start small for small kids and go large for people with more bike skills. It is the heart of lunch loops, being their most used attraction.
With the weather warming up, families are out riding and hiking the Lunch Loop trails everyday of the week.
Marissa Anaya April 15, 2024
Hunter Gossage, a CMU student, only goes to lunch loops sometimes, but when he does, he makes sure to ride the dirt jumps.
“The dirt jumps are by far my favorite. They’re fun, and all my friends can ride them with me.” Hunter states how versatile the jumps are.
All the trails at Lunch Loops are accessible to the public, which is excellent for the community here in Grand Junction. You can mountain bike, hike, and walk your dog, all for free.
A popular trail is the Monument Trail that runs along the side of Monument Rd.
Marissa Anaya April 15, 2024
With so many people visiting this park daily, lunch loops have upheld their park and added amenities to help with the rise in people visiting. A large parking lot will be added next to the park. To help with the parking problems, with almost 120 different parking spots in the lot to choose from, you will never have to worry about parking when going to lunch loops. We also have a bathroom in the middle of the parking lot, with running water, and a women’s and men’s bathroom for everyone.
The main parking lot for the Lunch Loop trails is located off of Monument Rd and is about 1.9 mi from the entrance of the Colorado National Monument.
Marissa Anaya April 15, 2024
With so many different outdoor facilities and parks that Grand Junction has to offer, lunch loops are one of a kind. With all the different terrain and obstacles they have to ride, to the views and cliffs of the mountain you can see. Lunch Loops is a beautiful and fun place to ride, run, or climb. Next time you have some downtime, check out Lunch Loops!
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