Many winter ski resorts have hopped on board with converting their steep terrain into summer lift-served bikepark playgrounds in recent decades. So, whether you would like to try lift-served mountain biking for the first time or planning a fantastic summer mountain bike road trip. I’ve compiled a list of bikeparks near me in the United States so you can spend more time riding excellent trails!
Let me tell you, they’re a lot of fun. Bikeparks are also a wonderful place to improve your abilities, confidence, and fitness. Downhill mountain riding is still a workout, even if you receive a ride to the top!
If you’re unfamiliar with bikeparks, you might be astonished to learn that there are dozens of them around the United States. Almost every state with mountains has at least one bikepark (sorry, Oklahoma and Kansas…. ). They range from the gold standard of Deer Valley in Utah to the modest but formidable Highland Bike Park in New Hampshire.
Some Bikeparks Near Me and Around the World
Only a few years ago, the number of bikeparks — gravity-based riding centers with a lift to the top of the hill – was relatively restricted.
More and more ski resorts are seeing the potential for summer earnings, and tiny bikeparks with vehicle-and-trailer lifts are cropping up all over the place away from the larger summits. Longer MTB seasons (ski resorts normally only run lifts for a brief summer season) and more diversified terrain have resulted as a result of this.
Here’s our pick of some of the best mountain biking near me:
1. Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Whistler is unlike any other place on the planet. The first and still the greatest, the British Columbia resort features a large choice of trails for riders of all levels and styles.
All accessible through fast, contemporary lifts and finishing in a gorgeous town where nights can be spent at the skatepark, indoor airbag, jumps, or on a trail ride into the woods.
Crabapple Hits and Dirt Merchant, for example, provide some of the best places to go mountain biking near me. There are plenty of green and blue-graded courses for beginners.
2. Portes du Soleil, France/Switzerland
The name of a wide region of interconnected cities and bike parks stretched over France and Switzerland, including Châtel, Les Gets, Morzine-Avoriaz, Morgins, and Champéry, is Portes du Soleil, which includes Châtel, Les Gets, Morzine-Avoriaz, Morgins, and Champéry.
The most spectacular development is at Châtel, where a full-time trail staff shapes and maintains dozens of tracks and trails, complete with gigantic berms, several jumps, and even big hucks. Morzine is the place to go for iconic downhill slopes and the greatest après-ride atmosphere.
3. Åre, Sweden
There’s no place like re for a northern European bike park experience. Its large Swedish hills gradually fall into lakes and forests on all sides. It creates a magnificent scene, particularly in the golden light of a long Scandi summer evening.
On the machine-made trails, the courses are wonderfully crafted, with massive banked curves and entertaining, safe jumps. There are also plenty of natural possibilities for those seeking an out-of-park experience.
4. Vallnord, Andorra
The little state of Andorra, nestled among magnificent Pyrenean peaks, has traditionally been a great lure for mountain tourists because of its tax-free discounts. Andorra’s yearly World Cup downhill and cross-country events. As well as the fact that Commencal is truly the country on the map in terms of mountain biking.
Vallnord is the country’s biggest bike park (Soldeu is also close by). It’s multiple downhill and freeride tracks, enduro possibilities, pump track, 4X track. Kids’ ride section make it a great destination for all gravity-centric riders. The package is with low-cost lodging and food, pleasant weather, and a lengthy season.
5. Queenstown, New Zealand
New Zealand’s outdoor capital offers a wide range of mountain and water-based activities, including a robust mountain biking scene. The popularity of the Skyline gondola bike park has increased dramatically in recent years, as has the development of this must-see off-season attraction.
At Skyline Bike Park in Queenstown, NZ, Ryan Howard rides alongside Bernard Kerr and Bas Van Steenbergen.
Many of the world’s professional riders go to Queenstown throughout the winter months for downhill laps, trail rides, and nights by the lake. The lift also has one of the world’s longest opening seasons.
6. Sölden, Austria
Let’s go on to something entirely else now. Mountain riding in Sölden is very much for the public. It’s essentially a lift-access trail center, with gentle gradients, artificial surfacing in certain spots, and few huge jumps. This is a novel take on July ski resort riding, with tracks geared toward trail and enduro bikes — the emphasis is on flow and man-made singletrack.
The municipality is investing extensively in mountain biking, thus the trail network is expanding every year. There are two pump tracks, hotels and businesses support mountain biking, and the scenery is breathtaking.
7. Coast Gravity Park, Canada
The Coast Gravity Park has been a destination of pilgrimage for any serious gravity rider visiting western Canada. It’s creat by the Coedastal Crew, a group of top riders from British Columbia.
The park’s wonderfully smooth berms and textbook jumps were in many movies and photoshoots, but there’s more to it than that.
Twelve designated trails of various ability and aim cater to the majority of cyclists. It makes this list of the best resorts in the world not because of the number of trails or the infrastructure.
However, because it exemplifies what a year-round rider-created bike park can look like, freeing gravity riding from the need for chairlifts (trucks transport riders back up the hill) and pushing the boundaries of track construction while doing so.
8. BikePark Wales
Wales is a mountain riding paradise, with trail centers and bikeparks strewn throughout. While Revolution Bike Park, Black Mountains Cycle Centre, and Antur Stiniog are all remarkable in their own right. BikePark Wales is the most comprehensive gravity-based attraction in the country.
This little hillside in the southern lowlands has something for everyone, from simple, meandering, and flowy singletrack to enormous jump lines and downhill tech.
Daily uplift services are popular and often have to be reserved months in advance (there’s also a climbing route and a push-up track).
9. EVO Bike Park, France
Another progressive bike park inspired by Coast Gravity Park, demonstrating once again that mountain bikers don’t require ski resort infrastructure to have fun.
EVO Bike Park is located on a small, off-the-beaten-path property in the south of France, and it is the place to go in Europe for year-round huge hucks. As a result, the majority of the runs are for specialists exclusively, and those who like airtime at that. Uplift is done in large trucks, and room is limited, so make a reservation ahead of time.
Final Thoughts
Following statistics from bike riders, I notice that most of them have this common excuse of “I don’t have bikeparks near me”. The list of places above are very important parks to have a lovely mountain biking experience.
