West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort plans to launch its mountain biking season over Memorial Day Weekend, and is currently putting the finishing touches on a new Mountain Bike Park. The Park, which is the first of its kind in West Virginia, is being modeled after a Mountain Bike Park at British Columbia’s Whistler-Blackcomb resort. It will feature ladder bridges and rock drops, integrated into the natural terrain of the area.

A recently-constructed teeter at Snowshoe’s new Mountain Bike Park fits in with the natural terrain. Photo provided by Snowshoe Mountain Resort.

“This is the kind of park that will attract a range of riders from across the country,” said Snowshoe Mountain Outdoor Adventure Coordinator David Huber. “We are constantly looking for ways to take advantage of the unparalleled natural terrain Snowshoe Mountain Resort offers while still providing new and exciting challenges for all rider levels,” he added.

Twenty additional freeride trails will be added to Snowshoe this year, bringing more than 120 miles of mountain bike trails to the resort’s 11,000 acres, including some trails that cover a 1,500-foot vertical drop. Numerous other trails are offered throughout the Pocahontas County region of West Virginia, including the Greenbrier River Trail.

The Mountain Adventure Center will be located next to the Ballhooter Lift in the Village at Snowshoe, offering equipment sales, repairs, and rentals.

A biker sets off for another lap in the 2003 24 Hours of Snowshoe mountain bike race. Photo by M. Scott Smith

Two major biking events will be held at Snowshoe this spring. The National Off Road Bicycle Association (NORBA) National Championship Mountain Biking Series will kick off the season June 10-13 at Snowshoe. June 26-27, the 24 Hours of Snowshoe mountain bike race will return to Snowshoe, attracting an expected 500 teams, 50 solo riders, and more than 10,000 spectators.