For the safety of all Thunder Mountain Bike Park guests, riding or hiking up downhill trails is not permitted.
Trail safety is everybody’s responsibility. It is your responsibility to inspect the trails and features before use. Trail features vary in size and difficulty and change constantly due to weather, maintenance, usage, modifications, and the time of day. Respect the rules and etiquette. Only one person on a feature at a time. Do not use trails or features that are closed. And use your head! Remain in control and within your ability level. Do not use features if you lack sufficient ability and/or experience. You control the level of difficulty you encounter using these features both on the ground and in the air. There is no shame in walking your bike if you feel you are on a trail or feature that is beyond your skill level.
Trail etiquette keeps the bike park safer and more fun for everyone. Remember to always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them. If you are overtaking a rider, notify them verbally and select an area where you are not braiding/widening the trail. Do not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above. When starting downhill or merging onto a trail, look uphill and yield to others. Finally, keep the bike park fun! You will likely experience riders of varying abilities. Be patient, and give folks the chance to progress to your level in a chill environment.
We all know learning a new skill doesn’t always come easy. Thunder Mountain Bike Park has a group of instructors specially trained in gravity riding. Taking a lesson with one of these instructors can be the safest and easiest way to learn the bike park terrain and its features.
It is very important to ride the right bike at a Downhill Mountain Bike Park. A downhill bike has ample suspension in both the front and rear to smooth out the bumps on rugged trails. Rent a bike if you don’t have your own, and ask the rental technician to tune the suspension to your body weight and skills.
There is a reason why most riders are wearing armor: It works. Crashing is a possibility no matter how slow or cautious you ride, and protecting yourself from cuts and scrapes with pads is a must.
A proper fitting full-face helmet is the way to go. Protect your face and head by wearing it done up properly under the chin.
