Falls Area Singletrack to start construction on first bike trails at Great Bear

New bike trails will be coming to Great Bear Recreation Park.

Falls Area Singletrack announced that it has reached 75 percent of its fundraising goal, allowing construction to begin this summer on the initial network of bike trails at Great Bear in partnership with the International Mountain Bicycling Association’s Trail Solutions team.

The first phase will introduce 4 to 5 miles of new bike trails, “seamlessly integrated with the existing paths to create an even richer outdoor experience,” according to the group. Subsequent phases of the project will bring up to 13 total miles of new trails to the park. Cyclists haven’t had access to the existing trails at Great Bear.

“Support from the community, our partners at Great Bear and Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation has been significant, and we have a lot of people to thank for helping us get to this point,” FAST president Ben Blomberg said. “We’ll need that support to continue to fully realize this dream and execute the entire concept plan.”

The new trail system will offer mountain bikers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts improved access and diverse experiences, including directional bike-only routes and shared-use paths. The expansion supports FAST’s mission to promote active lifestyles, environmental stewardship and trail access for all.

Recognized as a global leader in sustainable trail development and construction, IMBA Trail Solutions brings extensive experience, spanning more than 1,000 projects across North America, Europe and Asia, to Sioux Falls for this landmark effort.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with IMBA Trail Solutions to bring world-class trails to Great Bear Park,” said Brad Blomberg, FAST board member. “This is a major milestone for outdoor recreation in our region.”

In the 2022 fiscal year, FAST was one of 10  organizations awarded a trail accelerator grant through IMBA for match funding to help bring more trails to the Sioux Falls area. The goal was to develop a concept plan for adding new trails at Great Bear and bringing a destination ride center to the region.

FAST’s fundraising campaign, “The Great Trail Build. Destination: Bear,” has seen early success and continues to look for and engage with potential donors to discuss details of the plan and the opportunities available to join FAST in bringing this project to fruition. Target fundraising for all phases of the project is $1.25 million.

“Great Bear is thrilled that we are one major step closer to fulfilling the community’s dream of bike trails at The Bear,” Great Bear general manager Dan Grider said.

“Thank you to all who have contributed so far, and thank you to FAST for spearheading the effort. We still need your support to get this project to the finish line!”

Field design and flagging for construction started the week of May 12, with construction expected to begin in mid-July and wrap up by Sept. 12, though it could continue into early 2026.