Trailside Bike Park upgrades its downgrades

Bike Park Jump Line Start Pad. Photo: Basin Rec

PARK CITY, Utah. — The Trailside Bike Park completed major trail construction, improving the park, which is almost as popular with Park City visitors as with locals. The Snyderville Basin Recreation District, a.k.a. Basin Rec, has added, among other wood and dirt features, a brand new dual slalom course, a creative name for which has yet to be determined.

Last fall, Basin Rec collaborated with Bryce Sacks, owner/operator of Shapeshift Terrain Parks, to extend and rebuild the “Tar Pits” jump line. “Sacks did an amazing job with the design and build of these features, and we are grateful for his vision and attention to detail,” said Phares Gines, Basin RecTrails Maintenance Supervisor. “They have been well received by all who have ridden them.”

Unfortunately, removing the upper skills features was necessary to make room for that new jump line after exploring all options in attempting to keep said features. Shapeshift is building a new skills area near the upper shade structure as soon as possible. This is a priority as the park wants to provide the same balance of riding experiences for all skill levels. “The skills features are important tools in helping inexperienced riders to gain confidence,” said Gines.

Additionally, the trails team rebuilt “Great Gazoo” and “Bronto Jam” last fall. This spring, they rebuilt the “lower pump track,” “Unga Bunga,” and spent numerous hours doing tread work, fixing drainage issues, and giving a tune-up to most of the other trails in the bike park.

Gines said, “The trails crew has put an incredible amount of work into getting it ready for the upcoming season. Their incredible passion, dedication, and constant effort is the only way Basin Recreation can make areas like this available to the public year after year. The Basin Recreation trails system would not be what it is without them.” He also wanted to “Invite everyone to enjoy, to ride safely and to thank the community for their continued support of trails and open space.”

Open seven days a week, dusk until dawn, and riding is free. All that is asked of the public is to observe the signs at the entrance indicating the few times when it’s closed to maintain the paths’ integrity when it’s soft, wet, and muddy as the tire tracks can cause irreparable ruts in the dirt during those times. Secondly, they ask for parking lot patience and courtesy.