What to know about the new mountain bike park opening on Des Moines' east side this fall

Mountain biking enthusiasts are in for a gnarly ride with a dedicated park expected to open later this year on Des Moines' east side.

Despite its rocky start, construction is slated to begin this spring for Polk County Conservation's Fourmile Mountain Bike Park, a cycling lover's haven. Packed with banked turns and terrain jumps, county officials say the park's trails will take cyclists of all ages and levels of experience on a "terrain-packed roller coaster experience."

President of the Central Iowa Trail Association (CITA) Dave McCloney said the park will likely draw people of all ages, including families primarily from the Des Moines metro. But as the word gets out, he hopes it will attract people from the region. CITA, formed in 1996, is an organization that works with local governments to maintain single-track trails primarily for mountain biking in the Des Moines area.

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"It's kind of for everybody," McCloney said. "It's for an expert rider or it can be a place for beginner riders."

Here's what to know about the upcoming Fourmile Mountain Bike Park:

Where is the park located?

The roughly 50-acre park is in a wooded area of undeveloped land north of Copper Creek Lake. It's located north of East University Avenue on the border of Des Moines and Pleasant Hill.

Polk County Conservation park planner Adam Fendrick said while the site's extensive tree coverage doesn't serve as an "ecologically valuable" timber resource because it's not the state's native oak-hickory, the canopy makes it conducive for mountain biking.

"For the environment we're in and for recreational value, the trees there are great for that," Fendrick said.

What are the plans for the park?

The park will feature a soft-surface, two-way perimeter trail geared toward recreational mountain biking but that also can accommodate hikers, runners, walkers and birdwatchers.

From the perimeter trail, there will be about half a dozen single-track, one-way trails that will have different styles and levels of difficulty, according to Fendrick.

The courses, designed by the International Mountain Biking Association, will include traditional trails that follow the natural landscape; flow trails, which provide riders with smooth tracks with banked turns and quick up/down terrain jumps; gravity trails that focus on downhill riding; and technical routes, which can include more obstacles like trees, roots and rocks.

"The idea is 3 miles isn't a lot of trail, but what the design of this is when you start looping them, you turn that 3 miles into 9 miles, 12 miles, however many loops you want to do," Fendrick said.

While it won't be included in the first phase, conservation officials are leaving space for a future skills area and pump track — a track that requires the cyclist to use a pumping motion rather than pedaling — which will provide beginners with a spot to practice on a surface that mimics the terrain before getting on the courses.

Last year, county officials restored the timberland in the park by cutting down invasive species. Next year, officials plan to stabilize the slopes to an unnamed creek, a restoration to improve water quality going into the Fourmile Creek watershed.

There will be a lighted parking lot and a connection to the nearby Gay Lea Wilson Trail.

How much does the park cost?

The conservation board purchased the land for $300,000 in 2021 to develop it into parkland, according to Polk County Conservation spokesperson Jessica Lown.

The first phase for the park is estimated at $1.2 million, Fendrick said, much of which has been secured through grants and bonds, including $200,000 from the National Park Service's Land and Water Conservation Fund, a $400,000 Federal and State Recreational Trails grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation, and a $2,500 grant from the International Mountain Biking Association. CITA also donated funds for the park, Fendrick said.

How prevalent is mountain biking in central Iowa?

Iowa ranks near the bottom of the 50 states for recreational land, according to Polk County Conservation.

Meanwhile, trail usage in the county's conservation areas increased by more than 40% in 2020, creating crowded trailheads and an "obvious need" for more single-track trails, according to the county's website. Officials say the park is meant to provide an escape to nature within an urban setting.

McCloney said CITA has more than 200 families that are members. While the mountain biking community makes up a small percentage of the bicycling community as a whole, McCloney said the organization is working to get more data on trail usage to better understand ridership.

The Fourmile Mountain Bike Park will join the ranks of other nearby mountain bike parks including the county-owned Sycamore Trails and city-owned Center Trails, Denman's Woods, Grandview and Ewing Trails.

When does the park open?

The park is slated to open by late summer or early fall, according to Polk County Conservation Director Rich Leopold.

Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What to know about the new mountain bike park opening in Des Moines