San Marcos bike park opens June 24
The dirt track course for BMX and mountain bikes has its ribbon cutting later this month; brings a new element and amenity to North County
![The city of San Marcos and its partners are putting the final touches on a new bike park at Bradley Park. The park is projected to open in mid-June and is the first of its kind in North County. Steve Puterski photo The city of San Marcos and its partners are putting the final touches on a new bike park at Bradley Park. The park is projected to open in mid-June and is the first of its kind in North County. Steve Puterski photo](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffbd00c87-1272-470f-aee0-f3c686bbf124_1700x956.jpeg)
SAN MARCOS — The anticipation is building for a state-of-the-art bike park is scheduled to open June 24.
The eight-acre facility at Bradley Park features runs for beginners, intermediate and expert riders, according to Mark Olson, the city’s director of parks and recreation. The park is geared for BMX and mountain bike riders, he said, and will be the first of its kind in North County and just the second public facility in San Diego County.
The facility features several jump lines and “pump” tracks for riders, Olson said. The hours of operation, meanwhile, are from 10 a.m. to sunset Tuesdays through Sundays and closed on Mondays, Olson said. The park is also the site of the city’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show.
“We have two different elements,” Olson explained. “We have jump lines and a pump track and then a progressive jump line. They progressively go through these linear jump lines and build up confidence and learn. You’re using your body weight to pump through the sequence of jumps.”
About six years ago more than 100 residents, along with the San Diego Mountain Biking Association, began engaging with the city to build a new amenity at the park and pushed for a bike course. Since there were no options in North County, except to build a makeshift course on empty land or ride far out in the desert, enthusiasts and SDMBA stressed the need for a bike-specific park, SDMBA Executive Director Susie Murphy said.
![A new bike park in San Marcos features a progressive course for riders of all skill levels to participate. The facility is located at Bradley Park. Steve Puterski photo A new bike park in San Marcos features a progressive course for riders of all skill levels to participate. The facility is located at Bradley Park. Steve Puterski photo](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe9eb943b-c59f-4c13-931b-4ba3dc0704c9_1700x956.jpeg)
The closest bike parks are Sweetwater Bike Park in Bonita, Pacific Highlands Ranch Community Park in Carmel Valley and the Luiseño Bike Park in Pauma Valley. Carlsbad and Escondido are slated to bring on bike parks in the coming years, in part because of efforts from the SDMBA.
San Marcos approved the park but needed assistance with funding, according to Andrea Gonzalez, the city’s assistant parks and recreation director. The $1.1 million project received $236,000 in combined grants via the Friends of San Marcos Parks and Recreation, Supervisor Jim Desmond, who was the city’s mayor before being elected to his current position, the Leichtag Foundation and the state Parks and Recreation Proposition 68 Per Capita Program, along with a $400,000 donation of dirt (14,000 cubic yards, per The Coast News) from the North City developer, she said. Other money came from the General Fund to fully finance the park.
The donated dirt, meanwhile, was critical and was mixed with another dirt — California Gold — and decompressed granite (DG) to give the track its base. One reason the park took longer than expected to open was the city applying seals over the material to ensure the ramps, jumps and lines stay intact, Olson said.
The city contracted with the sealing project with the SDMBA and had several applications to apply, Murphy said. She warned, though, riders must staff off the course for at least 48 hours after it rains.
“We want to make sure this amenity can be used in perpetuity,” Gonzalez said of the protection efforts. “Our final vision of this was much more expensive than a plastic pump track from a prefabricated (material). So, our vision really grew.”
Olson said the city spoke with officials who oversee the Sweetwater park (San Diego County owns the park). They did not apply a seal when the park opened, which led to the jumps, lines and tracks degrading and in need of repair, he said.
However, there have been some anxious riders who have entered the park and left track marks over the past several weeks. Regardless, Olson, Gonzalez and Murphy stressed patience to the public as the park will soon open.
“I wish it was a little sooner because the kids are chomping at the bit,” Murphy jokingly said. “This bike park is epic, for sure. We wanted a real bike park for San Marcos and here we are.”
Murphy said San Marcos’ park has bigger jumps than Sweetwater, which was a pleasant surprise. However, there are many smaller jumps and pumps for beginners and intermediates, she said.
Murphy, along with Murphy, said expectations are high for the park as people are anxious, excited and ready for it to open. It also brings another destination element to San Marcos, while riders across the county, or even in Orange and Riverside counties, another playground, Olson said.