5 BIKE PARKS THAT ARE OPEN IN THE WINTER

(This list came to us in a press release from Rokform. We haven’t been to some of these locations ourselves, and we can’t vouch for all the information, but they sound good, so we thought we’d share them with you. We included Rokform’s info about their products, too, along with MBA Senior Editor John Ker’s thoughts about the Rokform case that he’s been using for the last few years.)

When the trails in your area are too muddy to ride or covered in snow, winter can be a huge bummer if you love mountain biking. Although heading out west does open up your options for warmer weather, many of the gravity parks are closed in the winter because of their altitude. But don’t despair, there are a handful of places to get your gravity fix year-round, and some may be closer than you think. We’ve rounded up the top 5 bike parks for winter shredding so you can keep cabin fever at bay.

 

Winter mountain biking in Duluth, Minnesota.

 

Windrock Bike Park – Oliver Springs, TN

If you live on the East Coast, one of the rowdiest places you can ride in the winter is Windrock Bike Park, just north of Knoxville, Tennessee.

This bike park has earned its reputation as one of the most challenging yet fun places to ride east of the Mississippi. And the ability to ride year-round here makes it possible to hone your skills instead of being stuck at home all winter long.

The vibe at Windrock is chill, with a little bit of wild and wooly tossed in. To get to the top, you’ll need to climb aboard a flatbed truck filled with benches towing a huge bike trailer. Sure, it’s less efficient than a ski-lift but gets the job done relatively quickly. At the bottom, there’s a bike repair and rental shop along with a general store that has essentials like snacks and drinks, but don’t expect a ski-lodge experience.

For those who can ride during the week and don’t mind earning their downhill runs through sweat equity, the bike park is open for daily self-shuttle riding for $10 a day. If you want shuttle service, you’ll have to wait until the weekend. Bike rentals are also available, including enduro and downhill options at competitive rates.

Pricing

$40 lift pass

$10 park access (self-shuttle)

Winter Trails Schedule

Monday – Thursday: 8 am to 6 pm (No Shuttle Access)

Saturday – Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm (Shuttle Access)

 

Bootleg Canyon MTB Park – Boulder City, NV

If you’re able to ride out west, Bootleg Canyon serves up plenty of gravity all winter long. Whether you want to take a cross-country road trip or your normal park riding is in the higher elevations of Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, this place has what you need.

There’s a network of XC trails at the base of the mountain that is open year-round, and if you’re looking for shuttle service, the local bike shop makes runs to the top on Saturdays and Sundays all winter long.

The trails at Bootleg Canyon give you a diverse range of challenges, with a little bit of everything for riders of all skill levels. If you’re seeking downhill action, take the shuttle to the top and hike up to the radio towers where you can drop into either “Snakeback” or “Armageddon” DH trail, which both branch off to numerous other trails, including the infamous “Poopchute.” If you’re looking for more mellow shuttle runs, check out “Skyline,” a rough all-mountain trail with high-speed sections and rock drops.

Don’t forget to bring plenty of protective gear because the trail surfaces at Bootleg are sharp, with major potential for multiple stitches if you have even a minor wash-out. At the least, bring knee pads and elbow pads, regardless of your riding style.

Pricing

Day passes are a reasonable $40, and if you really want a bargain, snag an afternoon pass for $20.

Winter Trails Schedule

The bike park is always open for riders under their own power, and shuttles are offered October through May on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to Dark.

 

 

Spirit Mountain Bike Park – Duluth, MN

If shredding in the snow is one of your goals this winter, Spirit Mountain Bike Park in Duluth, Minnesota, makes it possible. Every Sunday starting in January, riders can take their fat bikes out onto the lifts and shred the slopes alongside skiers and snowboarders.

Riders can ride anywhere in the park, including snow-covered mountain bike trails. Keep in mind, 3.5″ or wider tires are required, and bikes must pass an overall safety check. But if you don’t own a fat bike, they do offer rentals at Continental Ski and Bike.

Pricing

Lift tickets are $55, but riders can also gain access with a regular winter season pass. 

Winter Trails Schedule

Every Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm starting in early January.

 

Grand Targhee Bike Park – Alta, WY

Another bike park that gives you the full winter treatment is Grand Targhee in Alta, Wyoming. In the winter months, the trail crew busts out their snowmobiles and groomers to pack down a network of fat-bike trails. In fact, Grand Targhee was the first resort in the United States to embrace fat-bike trails on nordic trail systems. You’ll get access to seven miles of snow-covered MTB trails, along with 10 miles of groomed nordic track.

Pricing

Daily Trail Pass: $20

Winter Trails Schedule

Daily: 10 am to Dark

 

Coast Gravity Park – Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada

Open year-round, Coast Gravity Park is Canada’s first low-elevation mountain bike park. Located in Sechelt, a small town located on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, Canada, this bike park features hundreds of trails of all types. The Sunshine Coast has been a mecca for mountain bikers for a long time, and now riders can get the excitement and adventure of a gravity-fed mountain bike park as well.

Located in Porpoise Bay, just 10km from Sechelt, Coast Gravity Park overlooks the Sechelt Inlet and serves up 16 different trails that offer levels of difficulty for all riders.

If you’re a seasoned expert at riding downhill parks, you can find extreme high-speed gap jumps of 40-50 feet on “Flight Deck,” a mandatory-feature pro line. Stepping down to double black diamond, check out “Sliver” for some sweet wooden drops and optional doubles. And if you’re new to riding park, you can ease into the experience on “Mr. Green,” their machine-built, progressive mellow-grade line with no obstacles.

Note: Getting To Coast Bike Park Takes Planning

You’ll need to hop a ferry or puddle-jumper to get to Sechelt. BC Ferries has fares starting around $75, and saver fares start at $49. Your other option is using one of the local floatplane operators to pick you up from YVR, Victoria, or Nanaimo and fly you to Sechelt. One example is Sunshine Coast Air, with a plane that seats up to 4 with bikes. Super Saver Fares start at $99 with a 7-day advance booking online.

Pricing

Day passes are $65, and they offer discounts for multiple days. You can also book the entire park for you and your friends. Call 604 989-5431 for pricing and details.

Winter Trails Schedule

Park gates open at 9 am for registration, shuttles run from 10 am – 4 pm, and the gates close at 4:30 pm.

Protect Your Phone From The Elements This Winter

Riding through the snow and ice can be a fun challenge, but it can lead to wiping out more often. If your phone is in your pocket or mounted to your handlebar, keep it safe from hard drops and wet, salty conditions with one of Rokform’s Rugged Cases. Whether you’re using one of our bike mounts or prefer to pocket-carry, you can shred as hard as you want without risking your phone!

 

MBA’s Experience With A Rokform Phone Case

Rokform is famous for making rugged cases for phones. I have been using one of their cases for close to five years, and I’ve been extremely happy with the case. I hope I never have to use another brand of cellphone case.

I’ve accidentally dropped the phone on the pavement half a dozen times (if not more), and neither the phone (an iPhone SE) nor the case ever got damaged in any of those drops.

I also use Rokform’s dashboard mount in my car. The dashboard mount works perfectly with the magnet on the back of the Rokform case. The Rokform case locks firmly onto the dashboard mount in less than a second.

Then, with the phone in the case on the dashboard, I can hear and see the phone’s turn-by-turn directions whenever I’m driving to a new location. The Rokform case with the phone inside comes off just as quickly when I reach my destination.

—John Ker, Senior Editor/Mountain Bike Action