Shredding the Junk Yard Bike Park

Junk Yard Bike Park 

Did you know the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center has a bike park? As the river level and temperatures drop in the valley, now is the time to get out the bike and ride the Junk Yard Bike Park!

Mountain biking in the Arkansas River Valley is world-class, with many trail options for all riders and skill levels. Still, sometimes, it is best to leave the single track behind and work on skills such as pumping through rollers, riding off of a significant drop, or feathering your breaks through a tight turn. Implementing these bike maneuvers to overcome obstacles is paramount for safe and fun trail riding. However, sometimes, it is best to practice these skills off the trails in a more controlled environment, such as a bike park. The Junk Yard Bike Park at RMOC is a thrilling way to advance your skills on a bike, and it offers a change of pace from single-track riding.

The Junk Yard Bike Park is one of the many adventures you can choose from at RMOC, and it offers a challenge for riders of all levels. If you are an advanced rider and love getting vert, try gapping over the buried car feature. If you are an intermediate rider, there is a medium-sized flow track with a few drops that can be used to advance to the significant gaps and jumps. If you are new to bike parks or a beginner rider, the skills area and smaller pump track would be a great place to start. Moreover, a bike park is perfect for starting if you have never been on a mountain bike trail. Even our mountain bike guides start their day in the skills area before advancing to the single-track environment.  

All of the ramps and lips at the Junk Yard Bike Park are compacted dirt and offer a faster rolling but forgiving surface compared to a paved bike park. Compacting the dirt and shaping the features of a good bike park takes hours of maintenance and is required for rider safety and enjoyment. That is why it is critical to ride through the track properly and try not to side-cut or damage the lips of the jumps. After a heavy rain storm, it is advised not to ride the bike park due to the damage that riding on wet dirt can cause to obstacles.

Even though the Junk Yard Bike Park is an epic bike park that requires hours of maintenance, it is completely free for the public to use! This means you can come to enjoy the bike park as easily as you can enjoy trail riding. However, because it is free and open to the public, it is on each rider to ride with the proper safety equipment, such as helmets and pads, and at their own risk. 

When you’re seeking adventure in the valley, or when the water levels are too low for rafting, consider a visit to the Junk Yard Bike Park at the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center. It’s a fun and free way to enjoy the outdoors. And if you’re interested in a guided experience, our team of qualified riders is ready to teach you the necessary skills.