Mountain bikers love Fruita because you can ride year-round with a few exceptions. While the rest of the state watches the mountains snow, Fruita riders pedal toward the North Desert to check out a new trail.

As if the 18 Road trail system wasn’t already a fun place to ride on the edge of the Bookcliffs, the expansion project gives riders a new option as of October 2026.

ESPN Western Colorado logo
Get our free mobile app

Fruita's 18 Road Trail Expansion Is Officially Complete

A Major Fruita Trail Expansion Is Now Open At 18 Road
Google Street

Read More: Fruita, Colorado Mountain Biking Made Easy for Beginners

The K2 trail is now open after Fruita’s 18 Road trail expansion project was completed. This is the last phase of the North Fruita Desert Trails Master Plan, a multi-year effort to expand and improve the trail system. A ribbon-cutting on October 10 officially gave riders their first chance at K2.

The project brought together the Bureau of Land Management's Grand Junction Field Office, COPMOBA, Mesa County, the City of Fruita, local businesses, professional trail builders, and volunteers.

What Kind of Riding Does K2-Play Offer?

Fruita’s latest addition to the 18 Road network is a trail named K2. This route adds about three miles of riding along the Bookcliffs to the trail system, which offers several options with varying levels of technical difficulty. If you would like more info about BLM’s Fruita trails, click here. Find out more about the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association here.

A New Trail Honors Kristina Kittleson

Getty Images
Getty Images

Read More: New Fruita Murals Bring Fresh Life to a Colorado Landmark

It’s always nice to know where a trail's name comes from. In this case, the name K2 honors Kristina Kittleson, a longtime leader and coordinator of the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association. Volunteers, local crews, and professional builders teamed up in the North Desert to complete the 18 Road project.

18 Road trails are specifically for non-motorized use (mountain bikes and approved Class 1 e-bikes). Dirt bikes and ATVs play nearby in a separate area.

LOOK: Seven Facts You May or May Not Know About Fruita, Colorado

The small town of Fruita, Colo. is full of big history.

Gallery Credit: Tim Gray

MORE: 7 Creepy Locations With Haunted Vibes in Fruita, Colorado

As we head into fall we've been doing a little research on haunted locations in Western Colorado. Did you know that Fruita, Colorado is one of Colorado's least haunted towns? Can you think of a place in Fruita that gives off creepy vibes? Open our station app and tell us where it is and why you think it's haunted.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

MORE: What's Inside this Creepy Door in Fruita's Devils Trail System?

It looks like the devil left a door open inside the Devils Trail System in Fruita, Colorado. Where did we find it and what was inside? Scroll through the photos to see what else we found along the D4 trail.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams