The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) announces the seventh year of Foundations trail workshops, taking place in Minnesota during 2025: Winona in spring, and Duluth in the fall. IMBA Foundations are designed to catalyze the next generation of great places to ride mountain bikes. Attendees learn what it takes to create a model trail community and return home with the knowledge to make it happen.
During Foundations, IMBA staff, trail industry experts and local stakeholders lead participants through planning, design, building, activation, promotion and measuring success. Attendees will also get a firsthand look at components of an intentional and diverse mountain bike trails community through field visits. Individuals best-suited to attend the workshops are land managers, community officials, recreation professionals and tourism / economic development staff. Previous Foundations have taken place in Bentonville, AR, and Cedar City, UT. Schedule and sign up available at imba.com/foundations.
IMBA also opens on-demand workshops for professionals (Trail Management Schools), and community members (Trail Care Schools), now booking for 2025. Two-day trail schools take place in the community and on local trails where IMBA instructors deliver tailored classroom and trail-based instruction. Attendees gain knowledge and techniques for sustainable trails and learn to maximize the impact of their agency resources and volunteer efforts.
Rounding out new community tools, IMBA published it’s new Trail Friendly Community Self-Assessment in November. Communities aim to be amongst the best places to live, work, and ride, so IMBA developed this tool in partnership with West Virginia University's Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative and Extension Service with the goal of creating a comprehensive assessment that analyzes trails and bike infrastructure through a broad lens of community development. Respondents receive an immediate score and recommendations, revealing what could improve their trails and how IMBA can help, and gaining new leverage with local officials, stakeholders and funders to accelerate trail and community development.