Work Begins on Bike Skills Course in Mt. Airy Forest

Cincinnati Parks is thrilled to start construction on the latest attraction coming to Mt. Airy Forest. A new bike skills course will give riders of varying ages and abilities opportunities to improve their skills, and a new way to have fun. The project is only possible thanks to a collaboration between the Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance (CORA), the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, and American Ramp Company.  

The new Bike Skills Course represents the first beginner natural surface trail experience within the city. The project features 3,710 feet of bike trail with 27 course obstacles and an adaptive perimeter bike path traversing the woods. The skills course will also include bike racks, a bike repair/pump station, picnic area, drinking fountains, several accessible features including ADA access from the parking lot and accessible benches and picnic tables, access to hiking trails, and will deliver a zero carbon footprint.

This new feature will provide riders with real world trail experience while maintaining safety standards and aligning with the existing landscape to minimize environmental impact and preserve the natural forest setting.

The two central components of the course are a pump track open field course with multiple skill tiers to accommodate riders from beginner all the way to advanced. This includes wooden obstacles, ramps, and adaptive features supporting riders of all abilities. The other section of course is a cross-country trail winding through the naturally hilly terrain of Mt. Airy Forest and featuring natural challenges such as cutbacks, dirt swales, and boulders.

The new Bike Skills Course will be located in Area 23, which is currently an open field at the end of Trail Ridge and Ponderosa Ridge Roads. The site was selected because it has plenty of room and is currently regarded as an underutilized section of the park. The location offers parking, a comfort station, access to hiking trails, and a scenic overlook. In addition to adding the Bike Skills Course, other existing amenities will be repaired and improved as part of this project. The restrooms have been out of service for many years due to needed repairs. They will be fixed, made to be fully accessible, and brought back online. The scenic overlook is badly in need of maintenance and will be spruced up.

Work is underway now on the Bike Skills Course with completion anticipated in late fall. A bid package is being developed for the other improvements to the restrooms and scenic overlook, which will inform the timeline for this part of the project. Please check back for updates as progress continues for these exciting enhancements coming to Mt. Airy Forest’s amazing 1,459 acres.