Home Outdoor Fun Ride Here Now: McLaren Bike Park Opens in San Francisco By Kate LowethNovember 2, 2017 Search more like this just-openedsciencebike-parkridbiketrailcyclingsurroundturnpalacenotetakeneighbordepartment Read next Outdoor Fun The Best Organic Clothes for Babies & Toddlers Outdoor Fun 45 Pumpkin Carving Designs That’ll Wow the Neighborhood Outdoor Fun Target’s Best Holiday Deals Start Sooner Than You Think Outdoor Fun This Larger Than Life Mister Rogers Monument is Exactly What the World Needs Outdoor Fun Want a Free Donut on Halloween? Here’s How to Get One from Krispy Kreme Bust out the bicycles and snap on the helmets as San Francisco just opened it’s first-ever bike park! Located in SF’s Excelsior neighborhood (near the Cow Palace), McLaren Bike Park is a welcomed addition to both the neighborhood and the local cycling community. Scroll down to read more about what you can find there! The History Almost ten years in the making, the just under half-acre McLaren Bike Park is packed full of fun for youth mountain bikers and BMX riders. The bike park took over a city parking lot in McLaren Park, across from San Francisco Unified School District’s Science Resource Center. This long-neglected spot was often full of trash and went unused by the neighboring community. The addition of the McLaren Bike Park brings a safe spot for kids to exercise and hone their bike riding skills. Photo: McLaren Bike Park The Pump Track The inner section, called the pump track, includes dirt mounds and steeply-banked turns. Designed for intermediate to advanced riders, traffic on the pump track is multi-directional so riders need to be aware of their surroundings when riding there. The Skills Trail Surrounding the pump track is the skills trail loop. Here, riders from beginners on up can practice turns, braking and navigating other riders on the trail. The Future Currently the park is open for drop-in riding where staff will be available to provide free assistance with bike riding skills. In the spring, the SF Recreation and Park Department will offer programming on site including classes like Bike Park Etiquette – Introduction to Park Riding; Bike Park Basics – Introduction to Pump Tracks; and Bike Skill Building – Introduction to Riding Elements. In the summer of 2018 you can expect to find their bike camp taking up residence there. This is just the beginning for McLaren Bike Park. The pump track and skills trail are phase one of the project that will add cycling trails to eight acres of the surrounding property. The Details During the fall and winter seasons, McLaren Bike Park is open from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. with the hours extending to 7 p.m. in the spring and summer. McLaren Bike Park 2050 Sunnydale Ave. San Francisco, CA Online: mclarenbikepark.com Have you checked out McLaren Bike Park? Let us know what you thought in the comments below! — Kate Loweth Photos courtesy of the author except where noted.
