Park Party: A guide to bike parks in and around the Tahoe basin
There are hundreds of miles of mountain bike trails in and around the Tahoe basin. Riders of all fitness levels and experience can find almost anything they are looking for on those trails, from a flowy, casual ride, awesome views and technical descent.
But for those who are looking to work on specific skills, want to stay in one place or are just looking for a short pedal, a bike park might be a better option for their day on their bike.
Here is a guide to the several bike parks in the Truckee-Tahoe area
What is a bike park
A bike park is an off-road cycling area designed for mountain biking or other types of off-road cycling, often featuring a variety of trails, jumps, and other features for riders of all skill levels.
Some common features you may find on a bike include pump tracks, which is a continuous loop of dirt berms and smooth dirt mounds that can be ridden without pedaling, flow lines which are typically about two miles or less and start and stop within the park, jumps, drops and berms.
Northstar California
“As the snow melts and the landscape transforms, Northstar shifts from a winter wonderland into an exhilarating dirt playground. The mountain takes on a whole new personality in the summer, and the Northstar Bike Park becomes the heart of that transformation,” said Ashley Lambert, Senior Communications Manager, Tahoe Region.
The bike park offers a mix of singletrack, downhill, and cross-country trails, plus the all-new Gatorade Skills Park. Northstar is known for its challenging and technical terrain, such as Sticks N’ Stones and Livewire. They’ve also revamped the Toyota Jump Park, which offers terrain built to challenge and inspire riders at every level – whether you’re just starting out or pushing expert lines.
To help riders progress and make the most of their time on the mountain, the Northstar Bike School offers a full range of lessons, clinics, and camps. It’s the perfect spot for anyone – from total beginners to seasoned riders – looking to sharpen skills and gain confidence on the trails. The Sunday Mountain Bike Program, introduced last season to help kids build confidence and skills in a fun, supportive environment, is back for another summer. They’re also excited to bring back their popular “Progression on Pedals” series – designed for and inspired by women – which returns this season by popular demand.
Visitors to Northstar can purchase a season pass for the bike park or a day pass. This allows riders to take their bikes on the Gondola and on the chair lifts.
Truckee Bike Park
Sitting on 12 acres, the Truckee Bike Park is the largest bike park in the region. It was founded in 2011 by Brooks Mcmullin and Cortney Knudson. The park started as a pump track but after seeing its popularity, they began to expand.
With the help of their partners, Truckee Donner Recreation and Parks District, Truckee Sanitation District and the Truckee Tahoe Airport District, the park has grown into the massive park that it is today.
Located at Riverview Sports Park, the park has any and everything a biker could hope for. It offers beginner, intermediate and advanced pump tracks and jump zones, dual slalom, flow lines, progressive drop zones and so much more.
“We’re preparing everybody to become better riders,” said Mcmullin.
The 23 trails have been built by some of the top athletes and trail builders in the area.
“We want to project the highest standard and that’s what people can expect when they come to the bike park,” said Mcmullin.
The park is free to use, but fundraisers are held through the non-profit, Biking for a Better World. The funds are used for the 100 hours weekly to professionally maintain the trails.
Learn more at https://www.truckeebikepark.org/.
Incline Bike Park
The Incline Bike Park, officially named the Robert & Robin Holman Family Bike Park started in 2017 with just a small pump track.
The Incline Bike Project, which was formed by a group of Incline Village/Crystal Bay residents, in partnership with the Incline Tahoe Foundation, has continued to grow the park. The park, located at 980 Incline Way, now offers three flow lines, each one becoming progressively more difficult.
“It’s a contained park in the beautiful setting of Incline Village,” said Elko James, Advisory Member of the Incline Tahoe Foundation.
The project is entering its second phase, which when completed will include a larger pump track.
To learn more, visit https://www.yourtahoeplace.com/parks-rec/outdoor-recreation/incline-bike-park/.
Bijou Bike Park
The 5-acre bike park is located within the existing City-owned and operated Bijou Park, directly across from the Community College on Al Tahoe Blvd.
The bike park was the brainchild of TAMBA in 2011 and, with the help and support of the City of South Lake Tahoe, became a reality in 2015. A group of skilled riders and builders became the pro-builder volunteers and included Cory Dicks, Matt Stuck, Kris Morehead, and Adam Leman.
The park features three progressive slopestyle lines – man-made and natural jumps, ramps, and features, a large pump track, a small pump track that is strider-friendly, a BMX track and a loop trail.
The park is open from dawn to dusk and is free to use.
Learn more at https://bijoubikepark.org/.
Sky Tavern Bike Park
Just outside of the basin and down the hill from Mt. Rose is Sky Tavern which has spent the last six years building up its bike park.
There are a variety of trails that can be accessed from Sky Tavern leading into the Mt. Rose Wilderness Area. The bike park also offers a challenging dual slalom course, pump track, and a safe skills area for the little ones, including a strider-friendly pump track.
There are several flow trails from beginner up to expert, which features several big jumps and drops.
The park also boasts of its adaptive bike-friendly trails, which are wider than a normal single-track, giving hand-pedaled bikes more room.
Through the summer, Sky Tavern offers several races, camps and clinics. To learn more visit, https://www.skytavern.org/.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the 2025 Tahoe Bike and Recreation Guide.
