Woodward Park City is Utah’s Newest Lift-Served Mountain Bike Paradise

By Tele Tony Jul 20, 2020
With lift-served downhill mountain bike trails, dirt jumps, pump tracks and skateparks, Woodward has everything mountain bikers want, and more.
Woodward Park City is Utah’s Newest Lift-Served Mountain Bike Paradise

The new kid on the block brings some serious pedigree. The Woodward name carries a storied action sports legacy, thanks to dialed facilities at several locations across the country (and even one in Mexico!), and Woodward Park City exceeds the hype with progressive, lift-served mountain bike terrain.

Between a downhill mountain bike park consisting of several trails of varying difficulty, numerous sets of dirt jumps, an innovative pump track and abundant skatepark features, everyone from first-time mountain bike riders to aspiring World Cup downhillers and Red Bull Rampagers can enjoy Woodward Park City.

Located off I-80 near the top of Parley’s Canyon, Woodward Park City is just a short drive from Salt Lake City or downtown Park City. Hop on the Hot Laps chairlift for a quick ride to the top, and pick from your choice of 120-acres of gravity-fed terrain. Variety is the spice of life. Let it rip.

Downhill Mountain Bike Trails

Flow is the name of the game on Woodward Park City’s downhill mountain bike trails. Instead of gnarly downhill tracks full of loose rocks, their trails feature immaculately shaped berms, jumps and rollers of every size and shape. All three trails intersect making for epic linkup possibilities, while daily watering and maintenance keep the dirt prime and running fast and smooth.   

Easy Rider (Beginner): Get started on Easy Rider where 25 berms sweep their way down the hillside. The easiest trail at Woodward, Easy Rider is perfect for riders just getting comfortable downhilling where they can learn to get off the brakes, stay high through the turns and build speed pumping and jumping rollers down the trail.  

Parley’s Way (Intermediate): The next level up is Parley’s Way, an intermediate trail that’s perfect for those looking to get their wheels off the ground a bit more. With steep berms snaking their way down the trees, table tops, step ups and step downs, a variety of features make for creative riding possibilities for a huge range of riders.

Sprial Jetty (Advanced): Spiral Jetty ups the ante with seriously meaty gap jumps—the last gap is 47 feet and quite possibly visible from space. For skilled riders ready to log some airtime, Spiral Jetty delivers the goods with the biggest jumps in Utah. Speed is in ample supply on the smooth trail surface, so the only thing keeping you from clearing these gaps is your nerve.



Dirt Jumps

Downhill mountain bike trails are a prime attraction for many trail riders, but it’s hard to beat the feeling of cruising off some lips on a crisp, lofty jump line.   

 

Woodward Park City’s three different jump lines flow through pine and aspen forest on the east end of the property. They’re perfect for all the hardtail-loving, 26-inch-ain’t-dead folks who grew up watching “Rad.” The three lines have progressively bigger features, so riders can comfortably work their way up to the biggest jumps. The jumps aren’t simply monotonous tables and doubles either. Hips and other unique shaped features keep things interesting.  



Pump Track

There’s no better way to hone your skills with pumps, manuals and jumps than on the pump track. Link up a few laps quickly and you’ll get a serious workout in the process.  

The pump track at Woodward Park City isn’t some run of the mill, dilapidated oval in the neglected corner of a park. No loose gravelly corners. No berms so tight you can’t imagine making it through them without a 20-inch bike. Woodward’s pump track is a supersized, paved course of rollers, doubles and turns perfect for dirt jumpers, trail bikes and downhill rigs alike. No pedaling required here. Just pump, pull and feel the flow.    

Skateparks

Whether you’re practicing your big-wheeled BMX moves or reliving the mountain bike glory days of urban hucking with a Super Monster T fork, Woodward’s skateparks are the perfect spot to get wild without having to worry about mall security chasing you off the premises.

The Central Plaza and West Plaza concrete parks are chock-full of bowls, ledges, wall rides and rails. Spend a whole afternoon getting creative on your hardtail or dip in for a few hits on your big bike while pedaling to and from the Hot Laps chairlift.

Indoor Action Sports Hub

Woodward Park City’s indoor space at the Action Sports Hub makes it the only all-weather mountain bike facility in Utah. An indoor pump track, skatepark and foam pit to keep the fun and progression going when the weather won’t cooperate. 

Pump Track: The indoor pump track is perfect for a warm up or dialing in your technique. It’s essentially a miniaturized version of their outdoor masterpiece made from wood instead of concrete.  

Concrete Park: With 10,000 square feet of endless line options and transitions, Utah’s only indoor skatepark is ideal for getting creative and finding sniper landings on your mountain bike. It was designed by legendary skatepark Nate Wessel with unique street features for endless flow.  

Mini Mega Ramp Foam Pit and Resi Landing: It’s far more forgiving learning new tricks while landing somewhere soft instead of onto concrete or dirt. Thankfully, Woodward Park City’s mini mega ramp has five different drop ins and a launch ramp into a foam pit and a resi landing. Dial in your style and learn new tricks without taking punishment when your execution is less than perfect.