Check out the series pilot for more information about bike parks in general.
Plainfield Bike Park, Plainfield, Illinois
Designed, built, and funded by volunteers, the Plainfield Bike Park has jump lines for all skill levels, as well as a pump track and a technical skills area. Gathering 20-40 riders a day, the progressive design allows beginners to better their skills until they can eventually master the advanced lines. “The park has created a riding spot for hundreds of kids that had nowhere to ride before,” said Kevin Marley, Plainfield Bike Park Coordinator.
Rockburn Skills Park, Elkridge, Maryland
Opened at the beginning of June, 2012, Rockburn Skills Park is the newest park in this series. With a 5,000 square foot pump track and three different jump/flow lines, there are features catering to every skill level. According to Melanie Nystrom of the Mid Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts, the park is set to significantly impact the local community. “We finally have an area where any ability [can] hone [their] bike skills before heading into a large and sometimes intimidating state park. Also, the dirt jump crowd no longer needs to sneak in the woods to build jumps,” said Nystrom.
Highbridge Bike Park, Manhattan, New York
“Highbridge confounds expectations,” said Chris Trombley, President of the New York City Mountain Bike Association. And with all the features builders have packed into a small city park in the densest metropolitan area in the country, he’s right. Just look at the lengthy list of features that Highbridge provides: 3.5 miles of super rocky cross country trails, a freeride trail with “jumps, drops, berms, steeps, rock gardens and other challenging features,” and an extensive dirt jump park, according to Trombley. “The Highbridge jumps include a pump track, a jump line with eighteen jumps that transition from beginner to expert, multiple berms and transfer lines, and a mini slope style course, which is under construction.” While Highbridge might not have the mileage to get a good workout in, they have the technical features and advanced challenges to equip locals with all of the bike handling skills they could desire!
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