I-5 Colonnade: Bringing Mountain Biking into the City
I recently had the opportunity to take a trip over to Seattle to check out their unique down town bike park. Under the I-5 highway is where you will find the Colonnade. This city park is approximately 7.5 acres in size and was created in 2005 with the first bike trails opening in 2007. About 1/3 of the park is now devoted to cycling.
This is truly a one of a kind place to ride, being under the highway provides shelter allowing riders to get their fix even on rainy days. Trails and features are designed to promote skill development and offer terrain for a range of riding levels and styles. The "Limestone Loop" winds down the slope creating half a mile of single track riding in a very small area. Other sections of the bike park include a pump track, berm trail, skinnys, steep chutes, several drops and dirt jumps, even a trials zone.
The Colonnade had been a great success turning what was once wasted space into something great. Other cities could learn allot from this park. If you're ever in the Seattle area it's well worth checking out.
what is it with parks under freeways down there? they also have a concrete skatepark, burnside, which was built by the local skaters, then the city jumped in and helped them out to create more concrete structures. mind you the local burnside skaters will have nothing to do with bikes in their park.
what is it with parks under freeways down there? they also have a concrete skatepark, burnside, which was built by the local skaters, then the city jumped in and helped them out to create more concrete structures. mind you the local burnside skaters will have nothing to do with bikes in their park.