Valmont Bike Park Opens To The Public

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - A bike park that has been 2 years in the making opened this weekend in Boulder.

The Valmont Bike Park held its grand opening on Saturday, and officials promise it will be unlike any other in the United States.

The park is located near the intersection of Airport and Valmont Roads on the northeast end of the city. It includes 40 acres of rolling green hills and trees.

There are many parallels to a ski area with beginning slopes, double diamonds and terrain parks. Trails are ranked by difficulty, and the park is divided into areas featuring structural jumps, natural surfaces, cross country trails, a pump track, dual slalom and slopestyle riding.

There's something for everyone at the park -- an area for toddlers to practice, riding for families and courses that capture the respect of expert and professional riders.

Nick Simcik rides professionally. He was going to move out of state where he could afford acreage to build his own training ground but he has now changed his mind because of this park.

A goal of the park is to host competitions that will draw in the best riders from around the world.

The Valmont Bike Park was built through donations, scholarships and grants, including a Great Outdoors Colorado grant. It will be managed by Boulder's Parks and Rec department.

There is no fee for riding in the park.

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