A significantly upgraded Railyard Bike Park is slated to open soon in Rogers. The park opened in 2015 with natural surface jumps, berms and rollers, but weather often led to closures. It’s now been paved with asphalt (with permeable rubber pavement landings), expanded and updated. New to the park are lights, four progressive jumps that range in difficulty level from white to black and four downhill slope-style runs that also range from white to black. The park will be the largest paved slope-style downhill course in the U.S., according to city engineer Lance Jobe. Old popular features have been updated. A ride-through rail car is now on a green line with no jumps required, making it accessible to younger, less experienced riders. There’s also a concrete kids zone with a small pump track that’s outfitted with softer landers.
The park, which closed in April for construction, was excavated to lay underground drainage pipes, built back up with gravel and topped with nearly 400 tons of asphalt, said Barry Williams of Crafton Tull, which coordinated the design with the city. The asphalt work was all hand-sculpted by experienced mountain bike or BMX riders from Velosolutions who tested the park’s ride over and over again, Williams said.
The park connects via hard surface trails to nearby Lake Atalanta and 10 miles of single track. Railyard Park, an urban park that follows the railroad through downtown Rogers, is under construction just across from the bike park. Improvements to the Railyard Bike Park were funded by a grant from the city’s 2018 bond issue and a 50/50 match from the Walton Family Foundation.