Massanutten's new lift access bike park.
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You won’t find too many Virginians complaining about mild winters, save perhaps for skiers craving a velvety cushion of powdery snow underfoot. But as winter cedes to spring, Massanutten Resort offers a compelling off-season lure that’s snow-independent: Virginia’s newest lift-access mountain-bike park, featuring 30 miles of trails on the resort’s western slope, all in a setting recognized by the governor’s office as a “Virginia Treasure.”
Park supervisor Scott Wooten, who started as a snowboard instructor at Massanutten in 2001 and took up mountain biking soon after, says the idea to build the park “had been floating around for a long time,” gaining momentum with every April rendition of the resort’s annual “Yee-Ha!” downhill mountain biking race.
The park, open from April-October, features a 1,000-foot vertical drop and trails with names like “Creamy,” “Crunchy” and “Nutten Better.” Two lifts provide access to beginner, intermediate and advanced jump and single-track trails.
As with skiing, there are half- ($30) and full-day ($38) options available, including a “Pathway” package for novice riders that includes a bike rental—complete with a full-face helmet and knee, shin and elbow pads—and 75 minutes of instruction to avoid those pesky somersaults over the handlebars. MassResort.com/play/bike-park
