Colorado West Land Trust and the City of Grand Junction will host a chain-breaking ceremony May 20 at 4:30 p.m. at the Lunch Loops Trailhead to celebrate the completion of the final phase of the Monument Trail.

The event will feature food trucks and a group ride to commemorate the long-awaited connection between the Colorado Riverfront and the red rock landscapes at the base of the Colorado National Monument.

The three-mile paved trail provides outdoor recreation infrastructure that supports the local economy, promotes healthier lifestyles, and helps preserve the natural beauty of the region.

“As a cyclist myself, I understand the value of safe, accessible spaces for people to walk, bike and move through our city in ways that support both health and sustainability,” Grand Junction Mayor Abe Herman said. “This trail is more than a path; it’s a connection point, linking neighborhoods, promoting active transportation and enhancing quality of life. It’s also part of a broader commitment to building a community that supports a variety of travel choices for all residents.”

Once only accessible via single-track dirt trails, the Lunch Loop/Tabeguache area can now be explored by walkers, runners, bikers, kids on scooters, families with strollers and individuals of all ages and abilities. The trail winds through native vegetation, offering views of the Colorado National Monument, Grand Mesa and Bookcliffs, and it provides a safe, scenic way to experience nature up close.

The trail is now part of a multi-modal transportation network in which commuters can ride from home to work, students can safely travel to school, and mountain bikers can reach Lunch Loop without ever getting in a car.

The Monument Trail forms the backbone of the Redlands Loop, a 10-mile route that connects desert, riparian and lake ecosystems in one breathtaking ride through Lunch Loop, Connected Lakes, the Audubon Preserve, the Riverfront and nearby neighborhoods.

“The Monument Trail represents what we can achieve when we work together to balance recreation with conservation,” said Rob Bleiberg, executive director of Colorado West Land Trust. “It’s a legacy project that protects the land we love while making it more accessible to the community.”

The Monument Trail is the result of years of collaboration among Colorado West Land Trust, the City of Grand Junction, Mesa County, the Regional Transportation Planning Office and the Bureau of Land Management. Since 2012, Colorado West Land Trust has partnered with the city on nine land transactions, conserving 213 acres of public open space and raising more than $5 million to support land acquisition and trail development.

A $1.5M Great Outdoors Colorado grant provided the majority funding of the first part of the Monument Connect trail from downtown Grand Junction to the Lunch Loop trailhead that opened in 2019. This second and final part of the Monument Trail completes the trail from the Lunch Loop trailhead to Jurassic Flats trailhead at the footsteps of the Colorado National Monument. A $500,000 GOCO grant was provided for this final segment.

Additional partners include the Monument Stewards, Grand Valley Audubon, One Riverfront, The Cycle Effect, Riverside Educational Center, Eureka!, COPMOBA, Grand Valley Outdoor Recreation Coalition and the Mesa County Trails and Restoration Crew, all of which work together to promote recreation in balance with stewardship.

To learn more about the Monument Trail, visit cowestlandtrust.org/monument-trail.