Great Places to Freeride on Public Land

Originally published in the IMBA Freeride Guide, September, 2006

Whistler Bike Park, Diablo Freeride Park, Ray's Indoor Bike Park - all are great freeride venues. Freeriding on public lands, however, is a very different story, with a wider variety of visitors, different liability concerns and fewer resources for upkeep and maintenance. That's not to say it can't be done. Check out these freeride centers, where mountain bike clubs have helped develop outstanding freeriding on pubic lands. Better yet, in most cases the only thing you'll pay for when you visit these areas are your post-ride beverages.

Bootleg Canyon
Boulder City, Nevada
Offers an extensive network of downhill and cross-country mountain bike trails, including the ultra-steep Ginger and the venerable Snakeback trails.

Bruce Peninsula Mountain Biking Adventure Park
Wiarton, Ontario
Features more than 30 technical trail features - including rock drop-offs, elevated boardwalks and suspension bridges - all in a pristine setting.

Central Park Advanced Skills Course
Forsyth County, Georgia
An outstanding challenging course, built and maintained by SoFa, the freeride chapter of SORBA, the Southern Off-Road Biking Association.

Kamloops Bike Ranch
Kamloops, British Columbia
Built in partnership with the Kamloops Bike Riders Association (KBRA), the City of Kamloops' Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department has completed the first phase of their Bike Ranch project, and it's already a success.

Legend Park
Clayton, North Carolina
Allen's Trail offers a 150 feet of elevated goodness, with options and drops. A skills zone near the parking lot offers multiple skinnies, graduated ladder jumps and a 3-pronged drop stunt. Legend is also home to "Hucksville," where riders can hit gaps, tables and drops of 15-plus feet.

Mount Work/Hartland Road Mountain Bike Park
Victoria, British Columbia
The only designated mountain biking area on Vancouver Island boasts a huge variety of trails and a well-crafted "Technical Training Area" with progressive challenges.

Post Canyon (http://www.gfra.org and http://www.camba.info)
Hood River, Oregon
Serious challenges await freeriders who venture onto Post Canyon trails, including oodles of North Shore-style stunts, big drops and the occasional road gap jump.

Santos Trail System
Ocala, Florida
With the Vortex freeride area, a deluxe skills park, and scads of cross-country trails, Santos is quickly emerging as a must-ride destination for mountain bikers across North America.

South Surrey Bike Park
South Surrey, British Columbia
Features a 7.5-kilometer forested trail network of beginner and intermediate singletrack with technical features, plus a central freeride area which includes dirt jumps, a trials area and a drop zone.

USACE Farmdale Reservoir Recreation Area
East Peoria, Illinois
Looping singletrack connects areas with stunts, steep descents and natural drop-offs. More riding, and more challenge, than you thought you'd find in Illinois.

More Resources:

IMBA's List of Freeride and Dirt Jump Locations

The suggestions offered in this and other IMBA trailbuilding articles do not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Trailbuilders and landowners are responsible for the safety of their own trails and facilities. Freeriding and dirt jumping are high-risk activities that can result in serious injuries. IMBA's goal is to help land managers and volunteers manage these risks by sharing information.

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	Great Places to Freeride on Public Land Originally published in the IMBA Freeride Guide, September, 2006 Whistler Bike Park, Diablo Freeride Park, Ray's Indoor Bike Park - all are great freeride venues. Freeriding on public lands, however, is a very different story, with a wider variety of visitors, different liability concerns and fewer resources for upkeep and maintenance. That's not to say it can't be done. Check out these freeride centers, where mountain bike clubs have helped develop outstanding freeriding on pubic lands. Better yet, in most cases the only thing you'll pay for when you visit these areas are your post-ride beverages. Bootleg Canyon Boulder City, Nevada Offers an extensive network of downhill and cross-country mountain bike trails, including the ultra-steep Ginger and the venerable Snakeback trails. Bruce Peninsula Mountain Biking Adventure Park Wiarton, Ontario Features more than 30 technical trail features - including rock drop-offs, elevated boardwalks and suspension bridges - all in a pristine setting. Central Park Advanced Skills Course Forsyth County, Georgia An outstanding challenging course, built and maintained by SoFa, the freeride chapter of SORBA, the Southern Off-Road Biking Association. Kamloops Bike Ranch Kamloops, British Columbia Built in partnership with the Kamloops Bike Riders Association (KBRA), the City of Kamloops' Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department has completed the first phase of their Bike Ranch project, and it's already a success. Legend Park Clayton, North Carolina Allen's Trail offers a 150 feet of elevated goodness, with options and drops. A skills zone near the parking lot offers multiple skinnies, graduated ladder jumps and a 3-pronged drop stunt. Legend is also home to "Hucksville," where riders can hit gaps, tables and drops of 15-plus feet. Mount Work/Hartland Road Mountain Bike Park Victoria, British Columbia The only designated mountain biking area on Vancouver Island boasts a huge variety of trails and a well-crafted "Technical Training Area" with progressive challenges. Post Canyon (http://www.gfra.org and http://www.camba.info) Hood River, Oregon Serious challenges await freeriders who venture onto Post Canyon trails, including oodles of North Shore-style stunts, big drops and the occasional road gap jump. Santos Trail System Ocala, Florida With the Vortex freeride area, a deluxe skills park, and scads of cross-country trails, Santos is quickly emerging as a must-ride destination for mountain bikers across North America. South Surrey Bike Park South Surrey, British Columbia Features a 7.5-kilometer forested trail network of beginner and intermediate singletrack with technical features, plus a central freeride area which includes dirt jumps, a trials area and a drop zone. USACE Farmdale Reservoir Recreation Area East Peoria, Illinois Looping singletrack connects areas with stunts, steep descents and natural drop-offs. More riding, and more challenge, than you thought you'd find in Illinois. More Resources: IMBA's List of Freeride and Dirt Jump Locations The suggestions offered in this and other IMBA trailbuilding articles do not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Trailbuilders and landowners are responsible for the safety of their own trails and facilities. Freeriding and dirt jumping are high-risk activities that can result in serious injuries. IMBA's goal is to help land managers and volunteers manage these risks by sharing information.


Help \| Site Map \| Copyright