Mountain Bike parks are a new concept that has already significantly impacted the sport. These parks are the brainchild of rider organizations, often in collaboration with local businesses and government.

Mountain biking organizations are successfully raising money and collaborating with state and local governments to purchase or otherwise gain access to semi-urban land. The areas have become rallying-points for the local riding community, and trail development has drastically improved riding quality. Public parks benefit the riding community in many ways, the most obvious being a place to ride. Additionally problems inherent to recreational properties such as land management and safety have led to the maturation of the mountain biking community. Associations such as New England Mountain Biking, The Boulder Mountainbike Alliance and the International Mountain Bike Association have succeeded in negotiating at the state and federal level as well as funding the purchase of lands and patrolling trails. For example NEMBA purchased 47 acres of the Vietnam trail system in Milford, Massachusetts . The area is well known for freeride as well as a single track terrain and many natural features have been improved upon to create challenging terrain with a really good flow. I recall riding in Vietnam years before the NEMBA purchase and the contrast is profound. Today, trails like DSL (Dirty Little Secret) offer an enhanced riding experience, linking banked turns, jumps and drops along a single track trail with multiple lines for every level.

DSL Trail Video:
This development would not have been possible on a traditional mixed use trail. Thus the purchase of land by mountain bike organizations is allowing for the sport to progress, for the community to organize and for individuals to improve their riding experience one shovel at a time.

Perhaps the most impressive park being created is the Valmont Bike Park, a riding specific area in Boulder Colorado consisting of single-track, pump tracks and cyclocross circuits. The Boulder Mountainbike Alliance, the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation and the International Mountain Biking Association are all collaborating to construct the park as well as offer it free to the public.

We can only hope the trend continues and more and more semi-urban areas are preserved for riding. It will be interesting to see if the trend expands to include other sports such that the larger outdoor sports community is working toward the purchase and protection of valuable lands.

To participate; check out the following links:

NEMBA (New England Mountain Biking Association)
IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association)
Boulder Mountainbike Alliance