Picture acres of beetle-kill wasteland next to a highway. It was destined to be clear-cut and repurposed, and the town of Frisco puzzled over ways to utilize this forgotten space. Many heard of the opportunity and submitted tempting proposals to develop the space: a golf course…tennis courts…soccer academy? But the moment FlowRide’s founders stepped onto that piece of land for a firsthand look, they saw the potential for a much greater asset to the town and surrounding region. A concept sketch, some fateful connections and a seed planted in online forums eventually coalesced to transform this hillside overlooking Lake Dillon into an all-season recreation destination. In the summer, a mountain bike mecca along Route 9 features three downhill flow/jump trails, a dual slalom course, and pumptrack. Its dirt jump zone’s green, blue and black lines lure riders of all ages & school them in jump skills. In the winter, a tubing hill/terrain park complete with magic carpet lift and day lodge are helping to generate considerable revenue for the town.
With the bid won and contract in place, all was still not a green light for the proposed free-admission bike park component of the master plan. Planning evolved in collaboration with DHM Design in Denver; we charted mountain bike ridership figures for officials. With Frisco on board, we translated our plans into design documents, and stood beside town planners to advocate the park’s value in public meetings. In the end our collective effort secured a $200,000 GoCO grant to be matched by Frisco to fund design and construction.
Our two-years-long vision then became our founders’ one-and-only mission: to build Frisco Bike Park. Moving ahead to sculpt our final design, the founders of the firm that became FlowRide worked directly with the Town of Frisco, to streamline coordination of project funds and town resources and maximize the potential of the park. Coordinating construction equipment with Public Works, negotiating arrangements for screenable fill from earthmovers on nearby sites, we worked to optimize resources, tight budgets and the Rockies’ narrow window for construction. Learning, adapting, and growing as builders throughout the project, we exercised our collective talents to create a safe, progressive, exciting rider experience in the heart of Summit County. With a lean crew and six months’ total build time, our vision for Frisco Bike Park now acts as a magnet for riders, action sports photographers/videographers, and events. It stands as one of the premier municipal bike parks in the country.
Carrying on the responsibility for maintenance and construction since the park’s Grand Opening in 2011, members of FlowRide have evolved and molded Frisco Bike Park into a one-of-a-kind playground for both bmx and mtb riders of all ages and abilities. The park’s ability to teach little riders on strider bikes while simultaneously hosting a professional jump competition is truly unique. Frisco Adventure Park opens its gates all seasons, snow or no, to attract families to its bike-friendly town on the shores of Lake Dillon.
