BIKE PARK

Enhancing the local mountain bike community through world-class trail design

Upcoming events

MAYDaY | 5/19/24 | Season Opener


MAYDAY Festival- A Community Celebration of a New Season

May 19th, 10am-5pm

Historically, May Day represents many cultural significances around the world oftentimes as a celebration of community, inclusivity, family, friends, and positive vibes. We don’t need an excuse for a party, but we figured that nothing could sum up the kickoff of bike season better here in Reno Tahoe than our own MAYDAY Festival.

Join us and Mountain Dog Cycling on May 19 for a festive day filled with activities for all ages including full demo bike fleets from Pivot Cycles and Rocky Mountain, a vendor village, food trucks, brews and mixed drinks by Schussboom, a coffee stand, a raffle, a mega prize auction, and of course, tons of riding!

We’re excited to partner with our neighbors at Project Discovery to offer access to the zipline, a 650-foot dual race through the pine trees at 35mph. The zipline is open for ages 6+ and $25 gets you two runs.

Admission to the event is free, but donations are suggested. All proceeds will go to our new Progression Skills Zone being constructed this summer. Be sure to come early to be the first to grab the new, limited-edition 2024 Sky Tavern Bike Park shirt!

Trails are Good for Everyone

Legendary for its mountain bike culture, Reno/Tahoe’s prominent trail hub is as essential to the community as it is destination-worthy.

Nowhere in the community is the next generation of public-driven trail innovation occurring as rapidly and enthusiastically as Sky Tavern.

Elevating the region’s mountain bike experience at 8,000 ft., Sky Tavern’s approach is as unique as it is trailblazing: a publicly accessible, community-funded bike park designed from the ground up (literally) to be accessible to all riders despite their ability.

Purpose in Design

A hub for connecting to the ever-growing Reno-to-Tahoe trail system, Sky Tavern is strongly positioned for growth and accessibility to the bike community.

Removing the common barriers of entry such as the intimidating atmospheres of larger, lift-access gravity parks, ticket fees, and lack of beginner-friendly trails, Sky Tavern has embraced a holistic “trails are good for everyone” concept — a park consisting of an abundance of options for riders of all abilities who desire to progress their skills.

Engaging the world-renown reputation and trail building art of local dirt sculptors Momentum Trail Concepts, a sustainable trail system has been carved into the mountain (with more to come) with progressive design encouraging a level of fun, skill-building, and accessibility not previously found in the community.

 

Easy Access from Town or Tahoe

Located on beautiful Mt. Rose Highway, Sky Tavern’s bike park is an easy 20-minute drive from Lake Tahoe or Reno. Viewable from Reno, Sky Tavern’s 7,500-foot base elevation offers a refreshing reprieve from the basin’s warmer summer temperatures, often 20 degrees cooler than downtown Reno.

Choose Your Trail Adventure

Playing host to not only a diversity of trails, the mountain also features a challenging dual slalom course, a heart-pumping pump track, and a safe skills area for the little ones. Newbies and thrill seekers alike are certain to have a grin almost as wide as their handlebar, regardless of where tires shred the dirt.

Many of our trails are uniquely designed to provide numerous line options so that riders of differing skills can often ride the same trail together with distinctive experiences. This modern approach to trail design naturally challenges riders of all skill levels to progress. For instance, on an intermediate trail, beginner riders can choose less technical options while riders of more advanced levels can ride the same trail, selecting more technical lines that build speed and include jumps, drops, and other trail features. How one rider chooses to ride the park can vary greatly from that of another rider. 

The park’s assortment of signed, single-direction trails and skills areas are also ideal for a weekend getaway with the entire family. The beginner and adaptive bike-friendly High Five, a top-to-bottom, widely sweeping, machine-built trail is an adventure in itself, and the first purpose-built adaptive mountain bike trail of its kind.

Ready to step it up? Our flagship, newly constructed Rick Sutherland trail offers a myriad of options for intermediate and advanced riders. This machine-built 700-foot elevation drop masterpiece is a favorite for ripping after-work and after-school laps with buddies. Its optional rock gardens, rock rolls, and tabletop jumps encourage a battle of style and finesse while the snappy berms are like no other found in the area. Like a girl scout cookie, you can’t have just one bite.

Expand Your Perspective

Sky Tavern also serves as a hub and gateway to numerous other popular trails, perfect for extended missions. Connecting to the Reno-to-Tahoe trail system is easy via the Tamarack Lake Trail, a two-way trail that connects Mt. Rose Meadows to Sky Tavern, winding its way alongside a beautiful lake with plentiful views of the Sierra mountains. Mt. Rose Meadows also provides access to popular lakeside trails such as Tahoe Rim Trail and Tyrolian DH.

Trail Access

eMTB and adaptive bike friendly, Sky Tavern is inclusive, accommodating all types of mountain bikes and riders.

Skip the ticket and lift lines and spend more time ripping. The bike park is open daily, free to the public for pedal and shelf-shuttle access. Chairlifts do not operate in the summer.

Responsibility Code

Safety first! All riders must wear a helmet when on a bike and are highly encouraged to wear protective body gear.

Riders are expected to be respectful to others and adhere to all posted signage. Altering or performing any trail work without permission is prohibited.

Children riding on the mountain should be accompanied by an adult.

Programs and Events

Clinics, lessons, events, and other programs for the Reno/Tahoe community will be hosted throughout 2024. The action kicks off on May 19th with MAYDAY Festival!

Stay tuned to our Events Calendar, subscribe to our email list, and follow our social media to be the first in the know when we announce our programs and events!

STBP Crew

Rick Reed

A veteran of the bike and outdoor industries, Rick brings his vast experience in global marketing and branding to Sky Tavern, heading up our bike park programs, marketing, and initiatives. His goal is to establish Sky Tavern as a permanent hub for the Reno/Tahoe mountain biking community. When not ripping the park at Sky, Rick enjoys traveling the globe in search of the best trails and croissants. He lives in Reno with his terror dog, Zuul.

Kira Rose

Kira was introduced to mountain biking in college while pursuing a degree in Outdoor Education. Realizing the sport had made a huge impact on her life, she knew she wanted to share the sport with others. While traveling in Australia in 2017, she took the PMBIA Level 1 Instructor course and began coaching youth throughout the country. When returning to the US she raced a few enduros, eventually landing work in the bike industry. Now a certified Level 2 BICP coach, she has instructed with Sweetlines in Washington, Northstar Bike Park, Dirt Series and Tahoe XC. Kira loves to teach and share her passion for the sport with others. She is excited about a new chapter at Sky Tavern and hopes to help grow the Riders in the Sky program to get more local women and youth on trails!

Kristen martin del campo

Kristen has over a decade of experience coaching mountain biking, holding a B.S. in Exercise Science. She moved to Tahoe after school, scraping her knees many times over as she learned to ride. Hoping to help others learn through better methods and fewer cuts and bruises, she began instructing at Northstar, then Tahoe XC and Dirt Series, becoming a certified Level 2 coach. She continues to race downhill and enduro in her free time, always wearing her kneepads.

MOUNTAIN BIKING SKILLS CLINICS

Our Riders in the Sky mountain biking skills clinics are led by professional, certified mountain bike coaches. Affordably priced for accessibility to the community, students will learn on-trail fundamentals while building confidence. 2024 dates will be published in late April!

Support sky tavern’S MOUNTAIN biking trails

Trails don’t build themselves. 100% of the costs of trail building at Sky Tavern are covered by fundraising. Donations from the community are the foundation of public trail access. With fundraising efforts, the construction of new trails can be put on the fast track. If you enjoy shredding Sky Tavern, please contribute to the next phases of trail development.

Rick Sutherland Memorial trail

Our newest flagship intermediate/advanced trail is dedicated to the late Rick Sutherland, an avid rider and proponent of trails. Support its maintenance and the creation of new trails with a simple donation.