Pump Tracks and Mountain Bike Parks, Alberta and BC - updated 2024

We found ourselves driving through the mountain town of Fernie on our way home from a camping trip and I remembered that the town had a little dirt jump park I'd been curious about.  Our son was 4 then and still on his Strider balance bike but I was fairly confident he'd be able to handle a few bumps and fun obstacles on his bike.

First Pump Track Experience in Fernie, British Columbia

We stopped at the park for an hour or so and my son definitely took to the idea of circling the dirt track on his little orange bike.  He just needed a bit more courage to truly commit to the jumps and bigger bumps - courage that would come with practice.

Practice definitely makes perfect, and we've spent our summers touring bike parks and pump tracks across Alberta and British Columbia.

This guide has been updated for 2023 and receives fresh edits regularly.

Practice Makes Perfect!  Canmore Pump Track on a first pedal bike

Getting Started on a Pump Track

At what age can kids start to use pump tracks?  Any age - if they are on a balance bike.  I really would not recommend taking a bike with training wheels on one of these courses!  My son was 4 when he first tried the one in Fernie on a balance bike, but he could have easily motored around when he was younger.  Below is a photo of my friend's son on the pump track in Radium Hotsprings - and he's 2 years old!

Radium Hotsprings Pump and Jump

Are there any special precautions to take?  Yes.  Below are some things to take into consideration:

• Try your first experience with younger children at a quieter time such as mid-week or first thing in the morning.
  
  
  
• Stay clear of faster, older riders when taking young tykes to a pump track.  If the track is too busy, come back another day or time. 
  
  
  
• Helmets are absolutely vital!  And I'd recommend bike gloves, long pants and a long shirt at first when learning. 
  
  
  
• Start off on a smaller pump track - and move up! The jumps can come later.
  
  
  
• Invest in a full-face helmet and some extra padding (elbow and knee pads) for older kids that are doing jumps.
  
  
  
• NEVER use a pump track or a bike park when it's wet. This will ruin the track.

Other tips can be found here on the Active for Life website: Tips to help timid riders brave the bike park.

Playing at the Radium Hot Springs Pump Track

 

Where to find pump tracks and bike parks Across Alberta and BC 

Alberta Bike Parks

Canmore Millennium Park

This park is conveniently located on the riverside bike paths in Canmore and is perfect for the little ones. There are two pump tracks side by side so younger kids can always play on one while older kids play on the other one.

Recommended skill level: Beginner-Intermediate

Millennium Park Pump Track, Canmore

 

There's also a fun skills park in the trees with wooden boardwalks.

Read more on biking in Canmore so you can enjoy a full day here: The Best Family Bike Trails in Canmore. 

Skills park at Millenium Park

And when you're ready to take it to the next level, the Canmore Benchlands Skills Park should offer a nice transition to more advanced mountain biking:

“The Benchlands Skills Park rocks serious fun jump lines for ‘ALL levels’ of riders including transfer options and full flow from jumps to pumps."

Recommended skill level: Intermediate - Advanced

Canmore Benchlands Skills Park 

The Canmore Nordic Centre 

One of my son's new favourite parks!! It's not big, but there are amazing beginner and intermediate flow trails along with multiple jump lines to try. 

Recommended skill level: Intermediate - Advanced 

Having fun at the Canmore Nordic Centre's Bike Park 

Visit this park and then go explore the trails at the centre. There are no trail fees in the summer season but bear spray is required while using the park trails.

Recommended trails to try with the kids:

• Get in/Get out - beginner loop just over one kilometre in length. Add on Baby Beluga for an intermediate extension of 600 metres.
  
  
  
• Soft Yoghurt - a nice downhill flow trail with gentle berms and rollers. Only 400 metres in length so you can do laps of this by biking up the Old Devonian Access and Canmore Trail, ending at the bike park.
  
  
  
• Bike out to the meadow on the paved Banff Trail (It turns gravel right before the meadow) and play around on the Odyssee Meadow Trail. - and if you have older riders with you, ride up to the Odyssey Trail (climbing a ways to the high point on the trail) for a super fun flowy descent back down to the meadow.)
  
  

Biking through the meadow at the Canmore Nordic Centre on Odyssey Meadow 

The Banff Bike Park

The park is located in the Banff Recreation Grounds at Sundance Road and Cave Ave.  It features a small pump track but otherwise is mostly designed for older children and teens with jumps and wooden bike park features including teeter totters and ramps.

Families with smaller children might want to check out the park for a bit when in Banff, and then hit the playground, conveniently located beside the bike park.

Recommended skill level: Intermediate - Advanced 

Banff Bike Park

One of the wooden features in the Banff Bike Park 

And there's a fabulous skatepark right here too in the same park. My son loved it on his bike!

Banff Skatepark 

Chestermere Bike Park

We first visited this park in 2015 and it moved to the very TOP of the list for best bike parks and pump tracks that we'd visited at that time.  Truly, one of the BEST bike parks we've seen in Western Canada. 

Recommended skill level: All Levels 

The Skills Loop at the Chestermere Bike Park 

This park near Calgary features a beginner pump track, a second loop with wooden features and a teeter totter, and a jump park.  There are features and loops for all abilities and even adults or older teens will find this park to be a challenge.

To see photos and to read more about this incredible park, visit the City of Chestermere's website. 

You can also visit the bike park's Facebook page for current conditions. 

Trying some of the beginner jumps at the Chestermere Bike Park 

Fish Creek Mountain Bike Skills Park, Calgary 

This park was built in 2016 and it offers plenty of terrain for all levels of riders.

The park is located at Bow Bottom Trail and 153 Ave SE.  It gets very busy on weekends so less experience riders will want to go early in the morning before the park gets too busy.

Recommended skill level: All Levels 

Riding on a section of the skills loop

The park has two pump track circuits with plenty of rollers (one easier and shorter in distance for beginners.) It also has an amazing skills loop that offers an introduction to single track mountain biking. The skills loop teaches kids to be confident on their bikes, to use their gears, and offers progressions for the more advanced rider. Try the rock gardens if you think you're good on a bike. :)

For more on this park, please follow this link to "Time to Ride." It explains how to ride a pump track Vs. a skills loop.

Practicing on the Skills Loop at the Fish Creek Bike Park

WinSport Mountain Bike Skills Centre, Canada Olympic Park, Calgary

This is one of the only bike parks that you'll have to pay to use because it is at a ski hill on private property. You'll also have to obey all closures and visit during official hours that the park is open.

Recommended skill level: All Levels 

Starting down one of the blue freeride trails 

This park opened in 2019 and the long term goal was to build a park that would feature nine acres of terrain with 14 trails, which would include cross-country and flow trails, along with two skills loops in green, blue and black levels.

This is one of the few bike parks that focuses on downhill flow riding and doesn't have a pump track.

Riders can choose to buy a full-hill day pass which includes lift-accessed riding, or can buy a skills pass and stick to just the skills centre. And there is a dedicated parking area at the skills centre so you don't have to climb up from the base area. There are bathrooms on site as well. Bring your own water and snacks with you.

Even beginner riders can learn to ride down the green flow trails 

Montgomery Bike Park, Calgary

This park is a work in progress and it grows in size every month! Follow their Facebook Page (link above) to see what's happening now and for directions to the park in NW Calgary.

There are wooden features including two large teeter totters, there are practice lines for descents, and as of 2023 there's a brand new asphalt pump track! (photo to come.)

Recommended skill level: Beginner-Intermediate 

One of the teeter totters at the Montgomery Bike Park in NW Calgary 

Livingston Bike Park, Calgary

This park is so new, it doesn't even have a page to link to. I did pin the location to Google Maps last time I was there though so please find the location here. 

Livingston Bike Park in NW Calgary

The park is located in far NW Calgary and is a true hidden gem. It has a very large pump track along with a beginner pump track for balance bikes. And best of all, it's usually very quiet.

Recommended skill level: Beginner-Intermediate 

Hidden Gem in NW Calgary 

Fairview Pump Track, Calgary 

The community of Fairview built a brand new paved asphalt pump track and was open as of September 2020. It's a small pump track, but it has lots of opportunities for more advanced riders to jump some of the bigger rollers.

The park is somewhat more quiet than other bike parks in Calgary due to the more remote "tucked away" location, but you can still expect it to be busy on weekends. Go early with young kids.

Asphalt bike parks are a lot of fun!

The park is located behind Fielding/Fairview Drives SE off an alley. Alley speed limit is 15 km/hr

Since the park is located off back alleys, there is no official parking. Please ensure this park is a success by biking to the park if possible.

You can also park legally on Fairview Drive, only a 30 second bike ride from the park.

Here is the Google Maps link to the park. Last time we visited, we parked at the nearby shopping mall and walked over.

Recommended skill level: All levels

Fairview Pump Track, SE Calgary 

South  Glenmore Pump Track, Calgary 

Another brand new bike park opened in Calgary in August 2020. It is also paved asphalt and is a lot of fun for riders of all abilities.

Note that this park can get exceptionally busy (100+ riders on a weekend) so I recommend going mid-week or else visiting very early in the day.

There are two separate pump tracks, a smaller one on the left and a bigger one on the right. Both are one-direction with an official starting mark to hopefully limit collisions in the park.

This is the Google Maps link to the closest parking lot in South Glenmore Park. 

Recommended skill level: All levels

South Glenmore Paved Pump Track 

Inglewood Pump Track, Calgary 

This is another brand new bike park for Calgary as of September 2021. It is also paved asphalt and is a lot of fun for riders of all abilities.

I also love that the park is on the Bow River Pathway so you can bike downtown, visit the park, and then ride home again. For a pleasant bike ride, start at Shouldice Park or Edworthy Park in the NW and bike to Inglewood and back. In the south, start at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary for a short ride. For a longer ride, you could start at Carburn Park.

There are two separate pump tracks, a smaller one on the left and a bigger one on the right. Both are one-direction with an official starting mark to hopefully limit collisions in the park.

This is the Google Maps link to the parking lot if you don't want to bike downtown.

Recommended skill level: All levels

Enjoying the brand new pump track downtown Calgary

West Confederation Park Pump Track, Calgary

This asphalt paved pump track is brand new in Calgary as of 2023. There are two separate pump tracks, one for beginners, and one for intermediate bikers.

This park can get exceptionally busy so try to visit in off peak times. Parking is located along 19th Street, NW. Alternately you can bike to the park from many surrounding parking areas including the Rosemont Community Association off 10th Street.

It's in a great location for a paved pathway ride through Confederation Park between the pump track and the Confederation Park playground closer to 4th Street.

Recommended skill level: All levels

West Confederation Park Pump Track

Blackfalds Bike Skills Park, Central Alberta 

This has become my son's new favourite bike park. It seriously has everything! Pump tracks, a progressive jump line series (including epic jumps for experts only,) wood boardwalks and features for building balance, and a downhill flow trail!

Most bike parks have a pump track, many have a section for jumps, and some have wooden features and boardwalks. An actual downhill flow trail though is very rare! 

Recommended skill level: All levels

A look at the large bike park in Blackfalds, Alberta

The downhill flow trail had tabletop jumps, banked corners, wooden boardwalks, small bridges, and plenty of rollers. It was amazing!

And then when riders reach the bottom of the park, there are gravel trails to take you back up to the top. (Allowing kids to work on their climbing skills as well.)

Riding the downhill flow trail

And then when you get tired of biking (or it gets too hot) just walk across the street and spend the afternoon at the McKay Ranch outdoor leisure centre with waterslides.

Note this bike park is often closed when it is wet. Check their Facebook page for current updates. 

Practicing balance at the Blackfalds Bike Skills Park

Drayton Valley Asphalt Pump Track

This is the largest asphalt pump track in Alberta, the second largest in North America (second only to a brand new one in Chilliwack BC.)

We liked this track because there were three separate loops (beginner, intermediate, and advanced.) It was the first pump track we'd actually seen with an advanced loop (with bigger table tops.)

Drayton Valley pump track

My only complaint is that there was no signage for directions (entry and exit points for each loop.) It was marked on a big sign at the entrance, but once you got into the park, there were no signs or directions. The park was empty when we were there, but I could see it being confusing if the park were busy (with kids going both directions on each circuit.)

Recommended skill level: All levels

We thoroughly enjoyed this bike park!

Strathcona County Bike Skills Park, Sherwood Park 

This park is smaller than the one in Blackfalds above, but is still a great park if you're traveling north across the province. It has a good progressive jump line series, a couple of pump tracks (including a dedicated beginner one for the littlest kids,) and has a separate section with boardwalks, technical features, boulders, and logs (that was actually very technical and challenging.)

Recommended skill level: All levels

Jumps at the Strathcona County Bike Skills Park

My son loves jumps so he had a blast going down the jump line, and then biking back up the gravel trail to the top. It didn't take more than an hour before he was exhausted.

Skills Area at the Strathcona County Bike Park

Devon Bike Park 

There was a lot of build up for this one (in my mind) but I admit we were a little disappointed by this park. While it's a big park, we far preferred the new bike park in Blackfalds with the downhill flow trails. Still, if you're in the Edmonton area, it's worth visiting.

The park is very large and is divided into several separate areas. While this is great in terms of size and variety of terrain, it would be hard if supervising multiple children or with a group of friends. You have to choose where you're going to bike, and then move as a group to the next area of the park when done.

Recommended skill level: All levels

The jumps at the Devon Bike Park (the best part of the park)

The different areas of the bike park:

• Skills Area - Wooden features, boardwalks, teeter totters, and other obstacles (caution, there were a few loose nails sticking up here and there, with missing boards in spots. I didn't feel this area was particularly safe.)
  
  
  
• Dirt Jumps - This was my son's favourite part of the park and probably the best section overall in terms of maintenance and care. So if your kids like jumps, make sure to visit the Devon Bike Park.
  
  
  
• Pump Track - There is a nice pump track here. My only complaint was that it was separated from everything else and I had to keep running between the jumps and the pump track every time my son took off between the two.
  
  
  
• Expert Jumps - There was another section with large jumps that we didn't spend any time at. It was well beyond my son's ability level.
  
  
  
• Downhill Flow Trail - While there is a downhill flow trail that looked awesome, it required a long bike ride to reach the top (and so we never checked it out.) I prefer the flow trails at the Blackfalds Park where you can be back at the top in a 2 minute bike ride (rather than 20 minutes of riding uphill per lap.)
  
  

Skills Park at the Devon Bike Park 

Yellowhead County Asphalt Pump Tracks

Visiting these pump tracks was a highlight of our entire 2018 summer season. There are 7 paved pump tracks in Yellowhead County west of Edmonton. (More constantly being added.)

Evansburg Pump Track (the largest one)

The parks are located in the small towns of Evansburg, Wildwood, Niton Junction, Peers, Marlboro, Rob, and Edson. There is also a concrete flow track at the Edson Skatepark.

Concrete pump tracks are a LOT of fun! 

While all of the parks are fairly similar, there are a few highlights to note:

Evansburg Park - the Biggest! 

Niton Junction - Has an AWESOME playground beside it! There's also an older school playground right next door along with an outdoor swimming pool.

Peers - Has a fun little playground beside it as well.

Edson - Play on the concrete flow track and at the skatepark, both at the same location.

Wildwood Pump Track

And you'll find directions for each park on Google Maps. Just search "name of town + pump track."

Recommended skill level: All levels

Niton Junction Pump Track and Playground

Flow Track at the Edson Skatepark 

Hinton Mountain Bike Park

This was one of our newest favourite bike parks that we found in 2016. It is one of the largest parks of its kind in Canada and has something for all skill levels.

Playing in the Skills Park

There is a small pump track, a very large skills area with wooden ramps and features, and then a big jump park with different sizes of jumps.

This was a super cool trail feature in the skills park

What stood out most for me though was that there are mountain bike trails on site as well so that you can go out for a ride after playing in the park. Each trail is well signed and graded (beginner, intermediate, or advanced.) The intermediate/advanced trails have technical trail features on them with options to ride around.

Riding in the jump park

We didn't get to spend too much time here as we were just passing through and it had recently rained (making trails muddy) but we'll be back!!

Recommended skill level: All levels

And NEW for 2023, there is a mountain bike park in Jasper, and the first phase is definitely finished. I believe work is still ongoing to complete the second phase of the park.

The park is located along the main street in Jasper at the south end.

If you visit, and get photos, send a couple to me and I will feature them here.

Riding a boardwalk section on an intermediate trail from the bike park in Hinton

Whitecourt Bike Park

This is primarily a jump park with some great flow trails as well. The park has something for all abilities with green, blue, black, and double black jumps and drops. There are wooden features as well.

And if you climb above the park into the trees, you'll find some fun downhill flow trails.

Recommended skill level: All levels

And if you're in the area, there is also a great bike park in the town of Fox Creek to the north. We haven't visited this park yet. 

Trying out the blue jump line at the Whitecourt Bike Park

There are jumps for all levels from green to double black!

South Bear Creek Bike Park, Grande Prairie

This is the furthest north we've visited with our bikes in Alberta. If you happen to find yourselves in Grande Prairie, their bike park is fabulous with jumps for all abilities. 

Note it's primarily a jump park (not a pump track.) 

Recommended skill level: All levels

The South Bear Creek bike park is a lot of fun for all abilities 

We also enjoyed the South Bear Creek Mountain Bike Trails and had a fun little ride around the Waxwing Loop. A loop can be made with the Little Waxwing Trail.

We liked biking the Waxwing Loop in South Bear Creek

Crowsnest Pass Bike Park in Blairmore

The Crowsnest Pass Bike Park is a lot of fun when you're driving through the area. Not only does it have the sweet flow that we love about Millennium Park in Canmore but it has the jumps and progressions that we love about Fernie.  There's something for every age and ability of rider here.

Recommended skill level: All levels

Crowsnest Pass Bike Park

Working on his skills at the Crowsnest Pass Bike Park

And, Crowsnest Pass is on the way to Fernie!

Great place to stop en route to Fernie!

British Columbia Bike Parks 

Fernie Dirt Jump Park

This park is located beside the Aquatic Centre in the town of Fernie, British Columbia.  Located 3.5 hours from Calgary, Fernie is a great destination for a weekend biking trip and there are a lot of great family-friendly bike trails nearby. 

You can read my Fernie biking story here: The Best Family Bike Trails in Fernie, BC.

Recommended skill level: All levels

Fernie Bike Park

The Fernie bike park is a bit more challenging than some of the others such as the Millennium Park one in Canmore.  While there is a small pump track, most of the park is set up as a jump park.There are adult sized jumps and, the beautiful flow that you'd find in Canmore is missing from this section. To do a full loop of the jump park requires being able to bike back up to the top again after riding down.

Moving up to the bigger jumps (age 8)

One thing I especially LOVE about the Fernie bike park is the practice mountain bike loop hidden in the trees behind the park. Ride it a few times, and it should pretty much teach your kids everything they'll need to know before they hit the trails with you.  You can find the practice loops on Trail Forks.(You'll see three different segments for practice loops on Trail Forks.)

Wooden feature on the practice loop behind the bike park

The Radium Hot Springs Pump and Jump

Located 3 hours from Calgary, this town is another great destination for a weekend away and is located on the border of Kootenay National Park.  The pump track is located in Sinclair Creek and is accessible by short bike ride or hike along the gravel Sinclair Creek pathway.

Recommended skill level: Beginner - Intermediate 

First Visit to the Radium Hot Springs Pump Track

The Sinclair Creek Trail is great for family bike rides and extends a trip to the pump track if you bike the creek trail to the bike park and back.  Information is found on the Sinclair Creek Pathway here along with a map of the trail.

Read more about biking in the Radium Hot Springs - Invermere area here: The Best Family Bike Trails in the Columbia Valley.

Fall Riding on the Radium Hotsprings Pump Track

Biking the Sinclair Creek Pathway to reach the bike park

And, if you're spending the weekend or longer in the Columbia Valley, there is also a pump track in the town of Invermere, 15 minutes south of Radium Hot Springs.

The Mount Nelson Athletic Park in Invermere has a pump track, skate park and playground.  It is located on 14th Street near 15th Avenue and is a fun place to spend an hour.  While it is smaller than the Radium Hot Springs Pump Track, it's handy if you're staying in Invermere.

The Invermere Pump Track

Skate Park in the Mount Nelson Athletic Park

 Wasa Lake Provincial Park Bike Park

This is one of the more challenging bike parks that we've visited but what sets it apart is that it has a dirt half pipe. Personally, I'd choose dirt over concrete any day for a half pipe! (softer landing and less band-aids required)

Recommended skill level: Beginner-Intermediate 

Wasa Lake Half Pipe

Technically you have to be camped at this provincial park to use the bike park, but nobody is going to notice (or care) if you park at Campers Beach and bike into camp to use the bike park.

This park is best suited for kids ages 8+ and does have a fair bit of sand and tricky terrain to navigate.  If you have elbow and knee pads, pull them out for this park.

Wasa Lake Half Pipe and Bike Park

For more information on Wasa Lake, read my story:  Camping Across British Columbia - Wasa Lake.

Pump track at Wasa Lake

Kimberley Mountain Bike Skills Park

2024  Update: This park is in the process of a large rebuild and will feature an asphalt pump track when fully complete. Check updates on their Facebook page. 

This park is worth a visit to Kimberley in the Columbia Valley of BC. It's a huge jump park with progression options for all levels. There's also a small pump track and there's a nice bike trail, the Mark Creek Trail, beside the park that you can head out on when you're tired of playing at the park. 

There's also a small skate park.

Best of all for me was the shade and the benches located around the bike park for parents. 

Recommended skill level: All levels

This park is perfect for kids who love jumps!

Golden Pump Track and Skills Park

This pump track used to be made of dirt but has been converted to an asphalt track as of 2021. It's a great track for all abilities.

Recommended skill level: All Levels 

The brand new paved pump track in Golden

The park is conveniently located behind the Mount 7 Rec Plex along the Rotary Bike Trail. This 7 km bike loop passes by the Golden Municipal Campground, the outdoor swimming pool, a skate park, and the pump track. All in all, this is a great way to spend a few hours in Golden.


My son loved the skate park as well, conveniently located right beside the bike park.

The Golden Skate Park is next to the bike park 

Revelstoke Beaver Lodge Kids Bike Park 

We finally visited this park and I told my son to pretend he was 4 years old again and to get me some good photos. While it's definitely a beginner park, all ages will have fun here for at least a short time, and then you can hike up the Nels Nelsen trail to see the historic ski jump platforms.

Recommended skill level: Beginner-Intermediate (aimed at young children)

Beaver Lodge Kids Bike Park, Revelstoke 

"The new Beaver Lodge Kids Bike Park, located at the Nels Nelsen area on lower Mount Revelstoke National Park, is now ready for visitors. The children’s interpretive bike park and creative playscape is designed for families with children from 1 ½ years and up.

Visitors can develop bike skills, play, and learn about the park in a fun and active way. Try out obstacles such as the dragonfly teeter totter, animal overpass and the giant snail. Picnic tables and the iconic Parks Canada red chairs are available in the area." (Mountain Biking BC)

Beaver Lodge Kids Bike Park, Revelstoke 

Climbing the spiral snail at the Beaver Lodge Kids Bike Park, Revelstoke

Tunnel at the Beaver Lodge Kids Bike Park, Revelstoke 

Griffith Creek Rotary Skills Park, Mount Macpherson, Revelstoke 

The Mount Macpherson Trail Network has over 53 km of trails to ride with several trailhead options. Families will want to start out at the Griffith Creek trailhead where you can choose from several green single track trails, or warm up on the Miller Time Adaptive Loop. 

You'll also find a small skills park here with four short downhill trails to choose from. (one green, two blue, and one black.) Ride the 80-100 metre distance (they're really short) down your trail of choice and then ride back up the road to the top.

The trails have a few small drops, bermed corners, rollers, and jumps that the kids can try. (the black one also has a gap jump to work up to.)

Recommended skill level: All levels

Flowy downhill riding on the Mount Macpherson Rotary Skills Park, Revelstoke

Kelowna Mountain Bike Skills Park

Families on vacation in the Okanagan in British Columbia will want to check out this amazing bike park that we just discovered. It's located along the Mission Creek Greenway so you can access it either by riding to the park or by driving straight here. We drove to the park but would like to check out the paths through the Greenway next time.

Recommended skill level: All levels

Pump track with jumps and ramps in the background

At this park you'll find a pump track, jump park section, and a wooden structure with ramps to ride off of.

Playing on the ramps

Poplar Grove KVR Pump Track, Penticton

We love biking the Kettle Valley Rail Trail when we visit the Okanagan so imagine how delighted we were when we discovered that they've built a concrete pump track right beside the Hillside Estates Winery along the KVR pathway.

Recommended skill level: Beginner - Intermediate 

Concrete pump track beside the KVR bike trail 

For more on biking the KVR, read my previous story: Biking the Kettle Valley Railway from Kelowna to Osoyoos.

Biking on the Kettle Valley Railway high above Penticton

Rosemont Bike Park, Nelson

 "Epic" would describe this park well. And I'd highly suggest elbow and knee padding for the kids (possibly a full face helmet.)

Different endings to choose from as you ride down the course at the Rosemont Bike Park

This park has a nice pump track but it would be very dangerous to just play around on it without starting at the very top of the park and riding down. Older riders bike up a steep course to ride down one of several mountain bike trails, ending at the pump track (which they circle before finishing.) If you have young children wanting to just play on the pump track, make sure no older kids are riding down from above.

Recommended skill level: All levels

Flowy downhill riding at the Rosemont Bike Park 

This park is basically a miniature "downhill mountain bike park" as you'd see at a ski resort. (without a chairlift.) Ride up, choose your path, and bike down. Repeat multiple times.

There are many different technical trail features, wooden features, and paths to choose from. (all rated by beginner, intermediate, or advanced.)

Trying out one of the technical trail features

There is also a really fun skate park beside the mountain bike park. My son enjoyed riding on both.

Rosemont Skate Park, Nelson

Castlegar Mountain Bike Park

Located in Millennium Park, this bike park is the largest in the West Kootenay Region with three completed phases.

Phase 1 - the pump track for beginner riders

Phase 1 consists of a large easy pump track. Phase 2 consists of jumps for the next progression of skills. Phase 3 jumps beyond that for the older rider.

Recommended skill level: All levels

Phase 2 - the Jump park

All in all, we loved this park, and it was totally deserted when we were there!! After, we moved on to the ponds located in the park for a cooling down.

Playing in the riverside ponds in Millennium Park, Castlegar

A visit here almost made me want to move to Castlegar so that we could go biking and swimming in this great park all summer long.

A great bike park with no crowds

Want to visit more bike parks in the West Kootenays: Check out this great resource - West Kootenay Skate Parks and Bike Skill Parks. This resource lists everything in the area and we'll try to visit more of the parks next summer.

Bike parks are great fun for kids! See how many you can find this summer!

Moving south into the United States - Bike Parks in the Northern US States

Whitefish Bike Retreat, Montana

I saw somebody post about a visit to the Whitefish Bike Retreat and I immediately bumped it to the top of our travel list for the summer of 2019.

Just seeing a map of the bike park alone convinced me that I wanted to camp here (or at the very least, spend a day biking here.)

Recommended skill level: All levels

Whitefish Bike Retreat, Montana

What we loved about the Bike Retreat:

• We loved the downhill flow trails with all their gentle berms (perfect for beginners and novice bikers,) easy rollers, and features that were great for bringing your skill to the next level. Legoland and Terraflow were two of the most fun trails I've ever ridden!
  
  
  
• The Ridge Trail was a well-designed climbing trail and perfect for teaching kids to climb uphill at a gentle grade. I still had problems on it, but my son could crush it like a machine.
  
  
  
• My boys had a lot of fun on the wooden features found on the Berm Trail, in the skills park, and on the giant circle (an elevated circular wooden boardwalk.)
  
  
  
• We liked the Whitefish Trail which you can access either from the Bike Retreat or from the nearby Beaver Lake Trailhead.
  
  
  
• The Bike Retreat would be a fun place to camp with friends, the kids running around the campground on their bikes, trailer or tent sitting right beside the trails.
  
  
  

Note that there are trail fees required to bike at the Whitefish Retreat. 

Read more about our trip to Montana here: 5 Family Highlights from our Summer Trip to Whitefish, Montana. 

Flowy downhill riding at the Whitefish Bike Retreat

It should be noted that ALL of the pump tracks and bike parks above are FREE to use (unless otherwise mentioned.)  Donations are always welcome to the organizations that have made the parks, but there is no fee required to use them.