While you can always re-ride a section of trail that’s particularly challenging, bike parks are an easier—and often more fun—place to build skills. Built by the Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance (VVMTA) and the Town of Minturn, with donations and sponsorships from a slew of community partners, this bike park on Cemetery Road debuted during the pandemic in August 2020 (and reopened for this summer on May 1). Popular from day one, it’s been attracting little kids on Strider bikes tooling around the pump track, young daredevils catching air off tabletops and jump lines, and adults plying their wheels over rollers and bridges.

“It is literally all ages—that’s the coolest thing about it,” says Ernest Saeger, VVMTA’s executive director. The Mini Mile, a beginner trail just above the park, is also a great venue for kids and novice adults to introduce themselves to mountain biking. Coming soon: Phase Two of the project, slated for construction this summer, will add more trails plus a dual slalom course.