While states like Colorado and Utah might be the most likely places you think of when you think about mountain biking trails, the truth is that mountain biking can happen anywhere. And the International Mountain Bicycling Association is encouraging community leaders and stakeholders in every part of the country to develop close-to-home trails so everyone can have access.
To this end, the association will be hosting a two-day intensive workshop in April in Bentonville, Ark., called Foundations.
During these workshops, IMBA staff works with trail industry experts and local stakeholders to take participants through the process of becoming a trail community, focusing on planning, designing, building, activating and promoting a model community trail system—and measuring its eventual success!
In this case, attendees will get a closeup view of the benefits and challenges experienced by this Northwest Arkansas community as it has focused on investing in trails.
In addition to in-person workshop meetings, afternoon site visits give attendees a real-life view of how the community’s trails work. Participants will walk away from the event with the know-how and resources needed to build momentum for close-to-home trails in their own communities.
These intensive workshops are best-suited to trail champions, including land managers, community officials, recreation professionals, tourism and economic development staff and retailers who formally or informally advocate for local trails and riding infrastructure.
Registration for the Foundations event in Bentonville, taking place April 16 to 18, is open now.