With ‘generational project,’ mountain biking trails open at Great Bear

The first phase of the Falls Area Singletrack Great Trail Build at Great Bear Recreation Park opens this weekend.

The trail build brings 4 miles of bike-optimized routes to the park, which includes Great Bear Ski Valley, opening it to mountain biking for the first time in what RonPaul Dezell calls a generational project.

F.A.S.T. is an area nonprofit that has built mountain bike trails in Sioux Falls for years, starting with Leaders Park and now including trails adjacent to the multiuse path from Cherry Rock Park all the way to Legacy Park, including Tuthill Park.

The project at Great Bear has been years in the making, and Dezell is excited to bring people out this weekend.

“I hope every mountain biker in town comes out to experience this,” he said. “It’s been 30 years in the making, and phase oine is just the beginning of the master plan to develop Great Bear for mountain biking and other outdoor adventures.”

The trails intersect with existing ones, expanding who can enjoy the park year-round. The new trails – except for a few small downhill sections – will be open to riders, walkers and runners. Dezell said while they – and their other trails in town – are built for mountain biking, they are enjoyed by all kinds of outdoor enthusiasts.

And that’s just fine with him – the goal is to get more people outside.

The trails will open at 6 p.m. Friday, with F.A.S.T. board members available and trail guides to take people out for guided tours. The trails are rated based on difficulty, and the first phase includes beginner-friendly cross-country riding trails and more challenging downhill trails.

Dezell said they are unlike anything within 100 miles of Sioux Falls. They also allow people to get deeper into Great Bear and enjoy some old-growth forest.

Saturday, the trails are open during normal park hours.

On Sunday, the group invites families to come for Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. “F.A.S.T. will have a kids’ skill zone, and it’s for kids on everything from striders on up,” Dezell said, noting that the atmosphere will be fun and festive, and the ski lodge will be open if people want to purchase food and beverages. “We would love to see families and kids of all ages.”

The mountain bike trails are on the north end of the Great Bear parking lot and are clearly marked. Dezell said it’s important to remember that the rest of the park is not open to bikes, and he asks riders to be respectful and stay on the allowed trails.

Not every bike is allowed on the trails.

“The only e-bikes allowed on IMBA trails are class 1 mountain bike pedal bikes or adaptive bikes for adaptive riders,” Dezell said.

F.A.S.T. continues to raise money to build the next phases.

“This is just the beginning. The hope is people are so excited that we can immediately start gaining funds for phase two, so we don’t have to pause, and we can build out that system in the next few years,” Dezell said. “I’m excited. It’s been a lot of hours, days, minutes, months and years of preparation and problem-solving to get to this point.”

Peter Oien, owner of Spoke-N-Sport, said the shop will have a few demo bikes for people to ride on Sunday during the ribbon cutting celebration. Oien, who also sells ski equipment, said the Great Bear project is transformative for the community.

“Great Bear has great community and dedicated fans. People travel from all over the region to come ski at Great Bear,” Oien said. “And when you add these trails, which are built to a standard like the ones in Bentonville (Arkansas) or Cuyuna (Minnesota), that community of people who enjoy Great Bear will grow even more. This will change how people think about recreation in Sioux Falls.”

He compares it to the multiuse trail.

“Sioux Falls had a true vision for that and look what it’s meant to our town over the past 40 years, and I think this is another opportunity like that,” said Oien, who has been out on the Great Bear trails. “They are fantastic and well-built and are like nothing else in the region. We want to be part of it. We are a small business, and we want to do whatever we can to support the trails and the project.”

The overall master plan includes adding more than 10 miles of singletrack bike-optimized trail to Great Bear. The trails are being professionally built to ensure sustainability and enhance the user experience.

Urban mountain biking – building connected trails in greenspaces – continues to grow nationally as a way to get get more people outside, attract people to move to cities and provide tourism opportunities. Some communities – such as Cuyuna and Bentonville – have turned into major tourist destinations. Others are just beginning to see the benefit of adding another recreation opportunity.

Oien said the work F.A.S.T. has done continues to elevate the city.

“I don’t think people realize how big of a project this is for a very small organization to take on. It’s truly a grassroots effort. They have a singularity of purpose building awesome stuff,” Oien said. “People who love action sports in the winter will be stoked about this. Skiing is fun, and that’s why I ride a mountain bike too.”

Oien said the trails are welcoming. “There is something for everyone. It’s a true experience that anyone can go out there and just have an absolute blast,” he said.

“Just come out and have fun,” Dezell said. “Local bike shops will be there. Kids will get a lot of high-fives if they choose.”

The weekend’s events include:

• Friday, Oct. 10: Guided tours beginning at 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 11: Open ride. The park is open during regular hours, and cyclists are invited to come explore the new trails. The chalet will be closed for a private event.
• Sunday, Oct. 12: Ribbon cutting and celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guided trail rides and kid skills area will be offered. The chalet will be open for food, drinks and gathering. Demo bikes will be available to ride from Spoke-N-Sport and Sioux Falls Bicycle Company.