IMBA Urban Hot Spots: Opening Trails in a City Near You
IMBA Trail News
Volume 16, Number 5
Winter 2003
As we conclude the third year of the Urban Hot Spots program, we want to present some of the successes and challenges we've met while working with our outstanding affiliated clubs to improve urban access. So far we've campaigned in eight cities: Seattle, New York, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Sacramento, Houston, Cleveland and the San Francisco Bay Area. IMBA's focus on city riding will continue in 2004. Our goal, as always, is to help provide you, the IMBA member, with more great places to ride near your home. For more information on IMBA Urban Hot Spots visit www.imba.com/hotspots
Seattle, Washington
Population: 563,374
Hot Spot Campaign: February 2001
Before: While Seattle based Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club (BBTC) was solid, access was murky. The metro area was rife with numerous, don't-ask-don't-tell trail systems that were poorly built. Seattle mountain bikers lacked the steady professional representation often required to open new trails.
During: IMBA focused its efforts on giving the BBTC the strategic advice and resources to hire an executive director. IMBA also performed trailwork with the BBTC at Tiger Mountain, a popular but poorly constructed King County trail system. Finally, IMBA officials spent an evening beneath Interstate 5, listening to BBTC advocates describe the unique concept of a mountain bike trail below this major highway.
After: In fall 2002, BBTC hired a professional executive director. While the first professional leader moved on, a second E.D. has been on the job since last summer. Mountain bikers are now consistently represented at important trail meetings. Local advocates are also focusing on making Tiger Mountain a sustainable year-round riding spot by performing regular trailwork there. Baring unforeseen circumstances, the Middle Fork Trail in the Snoqualmie River Valley is slated to open to mountain bikers in 2004, on odd-numbered days of the month. Finally, trail construction on a 1.8-acre zone underneath I-5, dubbed Colonnade Park - named after the concrete structures holding up the interstate - is slated to begin this winter. When complete, Collonade Park, only five minutes from downtown Seattle, will provide an innovative twist on typical urban trail access.
More info: www.bbtc.org
San Francisco Bay Area, California
Population: 1,176,217
Hot Spot Campaign: July 2002
Before: Mountain biking was born in the Bay Area in the 1970s, but singletrack access here has always been tenuous. While the Bay Area has many great places to ride, long-standing conflict with zealous anti-mountain bikers has kept pressure on local advocates.
During: IMBA staff met with leaders from IMBA affiliate clubs to discuss ways to revitalize mountain bike advocacy efforts in the Bay Area. The working group tentatively agreed to hire a paid executive director to give riders a consistent, professional voice. IMBA gave a trailbuilding and trail management presentation to staff from parks throughout the Bay Area.
After: Following nearly two years of planning, the newly created Northern California Mountain Bike Association is on the verge of hiring an executive director. The association will represent clubs from throughout the Bay Area, as well as groups from Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. New trails have been built since the Hot Spot campaign. The Marin County Open Space District opened their first-ever new multiple use trail. This 2.5-mile trail was built with the assistance of hundreds of hours of volunteer labor by members of two IMBA clubs, the Bicycle Trails Council of Marin and the Forest Knolls Freewheelers. Meanwhile, work continues on a road-to-trail conversion at El Corte de Madera State Park, that will eventually offer mountain bikers a dozen miles of new singletrack.
More info: www.ncmba.org
Cleveland, Ohio
Population: 478,403
Hot Spot Campaign: August 2002
Before: Since there was no authorized trail access near the city, Cleveland cyclists were forced to drive more than an hour to ride singletrack. Furthermore, few advocacy clubs represented mountain bikers. Despite having abundant public land surrounding the city, Cleveland's trail access could rightfully be described as the worst in the nation.
During: IMBA and the fledgling Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) worked to improve the network of trails in state parks about an hour outside Cleveland. IMBA taught trailbuilding techniques to land managers throughout the Cleveland area. We also actively lobbied Cleveland Metroparks and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to open off-pavement trails to bicycle use.
After: More than five miles of trail has been constructed at West Branch State Park, the best, closest riding to Cleveland today. The local club CAMBA, created only 18 months ago, now has more than 130 members. Mountain bike access has received significant city-wide media attention. Finally, a new close-in legal singletrack riding destination is taking shape. We can't say more now but stay tuned.
More info: www.camba.us
New York City, New York
Population: 8,008,278
Hot Spot Campaign: September 2002
Before: Despite steady improvements in suburban access - highlighted by three new multi-use trail systems in Westchester County - mountain biking opportunities within the five boroughs of New York City were almost non-existent. An advocacy leader had yet to emerge within the city to legitimize our sport. The New York City Parks Department had a strict "no bikes" policy, with no change on the horizon.
During: IMBA's first step was to find a local mountain bike advocate with the passion and know-how to tackle difficult New York City issues. A month before the Hot Spot campaign, IMBA connected with Matt LeBow, an adventure race promoter and EMT from Staten Island. Matt met with IMBA staff during the Hot Spot campaign, and presented an ambitious vision for a mountain bike trail network linking several New York City Parks on Staten Island. IMBA officials also met with Westchester County land managers to enhance relationships and address concerns stemming from unauthorized trail construction.
After: Soon after the Hot Spot, IMBA designated Matt LeBow as its official IMBA New York City metro area representative. Through Matt's leadership, there have been a number of exciting breakthroughs. Foremost among these is enhanced relations with the New York City Parks Commission, who now use IMBA trailbuilding techniques as a blueprint to teach park trainers. The Staten Island Greenbelt has also approached local advocates about the possibility of opening trails to mountain bikers. Finally, an exciting opportunity is on the horizon at Fresh Kills, the New York City landfill located on Staten Island. This capped and restored area could soon have new multi-use trails.
More info: Email Matt LeBow at
Houston, Texas
Population: 1,953,631
Hot Spot Campaign: January 2003
Before: Mountain bike trail access in Houston has historically been controversial. The heart of the dispute is Memorial Park, a downtown oasis where mountain bikers have been fighting for access for years. A poorly constructed trail system drew the ire of a Houston conservation group concerned about the environmental impacts of cycling. Infighting among Houston mountain bikers accentuated the problem, prompting IMBA to designate Houston as the city with the worst mountain biking trail access in 2000.
During: IMBA staff and Greater Houston Off Road Bicycling Association (GHORBA) volunteers met with officials from Memorial Park to teach sustainable trailbuilding techniques and educate them on how mountain biking can work on trails. The groups also focused on taking a more regional approach towards mountain biking in the Houston area, by developing trail opportunities in parks within an hour's drive of the city.
After: GHORBA and IMBA successfully convinced city officials that mountain biking is a legitimate activity. As a result, Memorial Park is not going to close trails to cycling. Instead, a five-mile singletrack will be constructed in the park in 2004 that, when complete, will give mountain bikers a 14-mile trail system. GHORBA has also been active in trail projects outside Memorial Park. In Huntsville State Park, REI sponsored the construction of three new bridges on popular mountain biking routes. In Jack Brooks Park, GHORBA volunteers contributed 1,000 hours of work, building water drainages and making the trails environmentally sustainable. Finally, the club is working in Steven F. Austin Park to build 10-12 miles of new singletrack.
More info: www.ghorba.org
Chicago, Illinois
Population: 2,896,016
Hot Spot Campaign: June 2003
Before: In Chicago politics, who you know has a lot to do with what you get. While pioneering Chicago advocates started building connections in the early 90s, access allies in key positions have been hard to find. Legal trail riding in Chicago was limited to Palos Forest Preserve - an area designated as a city park because remnants of the Manhattan Project made housing construction there impossible.
During: IMBA affiliate club Chicago Area Mountain Bikers (CAMBR) began making significant headway in the city's political system, thanks to consistent representation at important trail meetings. During the Hot Spot campaign, this momentum continued, as IMBA leaders worked with city officials to promote mountain bicycling. IMBA and CAMBR also constructed trails in the Palos Forest Preserve.
After: In Fall 2003, CAMBR leaders convinced city officials to walk the trails at Palos Preserve with them. "When they saw all the work we had done on trails, and how difficult it really was, they saw what a valuable resource we are," said CAMBR advocate Ed Bartunek. CAMBR was subsequently given permission to build a new trail at Palos. In early November, 42 mountain bikers spent the day constructing 1/2 mile of new singletrack, open to mountain bikers.
More info: www.cambr.org
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
Population: 382,618
Hot Spot Campaign: June 2003
Before: The Twin Cities have historically been a paradox for mountain bikers. While this urban area has outstanding facilities for road cycling, running and cross-country skiing, mountain bicycling trail access has lagged behind. City officials were hesitant to accommodate mountain biking because of concerns about environmental and social impacts.
During: In terms of actual trail miles built during the visit, the Twin Cities event was the most successful Hot Spot campaign to date. IMBA and the local affiliate Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists (MORC) built approximately 10 miles of serpentine new trails and taught land managers new trailbuilding techniques. Highlights included a new, challenging trail constructed at Lebanon Hills Park that includes rock drops, log crossings, bridges and other features that have traditionally been missing on Minneapolis/St. Paul trails. Quality Bicycle Products, an IMBA Above-and-Beyond corporate supporter based in Bloomington, organized a mountain bike ride and a tour of their facilities. The ride played a key role in the Hot Spot campaign: land managers who had never ridden off road were provided bikes and an introduction to the sport.
After: The Hot Spots campaign was just the beginning of new trail projects in the Twin Cities. MORC is working to reroute the popular Minnesota River Bottom Trail around heavily eroded areas. When complete, this trail will offer cyclists approximately 15 miles of legal singletrack. The club is also working to complete a multiyear project to make the eight-mile Lebanon Hills trail system 100 percent singletrack. Of course, all this work takes volunteers, and thankfully, MORC is now 400 members strong.
More info: www.morcmtb.org
Sacramento, California
Population: 407,018
Hot Spot Campaign: November 2003
Before: While there are mountain biking opportunities near Sacramento, access to legal singletrack within city limits was non-existent. Furthermore, a growing freeride segment had nowhere to ride within an hour of town.
During: To directly address the lack of open singletrack in Sacramento, local advocates led a ride with city officials and land managers on the American River Parkway trail system, located just minutes from downtown. The parkway's trails are normally closed to mountain bikers, but local advocates and IMBA were able to secure a special use permit for the event. The ride was held to help government officials understand our sport and needs. IMBA also met with California State Park and U.S. Forest Service land managers to discuss freeriding solutions and management.
Future: The Sacramento IMBA Hot Spot campaign took place just a few months ago, but already the visit has attracted attention from major media outlets in the city. The local club, the Sacramento Area Mountain Bike Association, is gaining momentum and work will continue to improve cycling opportunities in the area.
More info: www.sustainableentrerprises.com/SAMBA
