I saw another blogger write about a pump track and I was immediately intrigued. Before reading about one, I’d never even heard of this kind of adventure. Lo and behold, after some research, I discovered two spots that were somewhat close to us. Having two kids who started riding bikes with no training wheels in the last year, I figured they might like an extra challenge. Also, my son seems to be an adrenaline junkie, much to my dismay, so I thought a skills park would be right up his alley. Knowing his sister, I knew she would follow right behind. Our youngest daughter, just a little over two, has been learning how to ride her strider bike. She doesn’t believe in being left out of anything her older siblings could do. Luckily, I was not wrong and all three kids absolutely LOVED both spots we tried.
Let’s talk about pump tracks. What are they? A pump track is a track built purposely for bike riders to use their momentum to ride, rather than pedaling or pushing very much. They have curved turns, several small hills in a row, and sometimes logs, bridges, or wooden features to attempt tricks on. Sounds pretty cool, right? No special bike or equipment is needed, unless you want a mountain bike. Otherwise, we just used our normal bikes, a strider bike for the youngest, and normal bike helmets.
What should I bring to a pump track?
*Bike
*Helmet
*Clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, including shoes
*Band-aids (just in case, but we used them the first day)
*Water (The kids worked so hard, they each drank a full water bottle after riding).
Lions Park- Chaska, MN
Address: 1300 Crosstown Blvd, Chaska, MN 55318
We tried this spot first and it was the perfect beginner location. Made entirely out of mud, it felt safer and less intimidating than a pump track that had wooden or concrete pieces. It was kind of challenging to find this location as Maps led me to Lions Park. The park is awesome for both big and little kids as it has lots to do. There’s also, pickleball courts and three baseball fields. Right beyond the pickleball courts, there is a small wooden bridge that led us to the pump track. Parking is available on the street by the track and I’d suggest parking here as it’s a bit of a walk if you park by the playground. When we arrived here, only two older boys were riding and they were more than willing to take turns with my kids. I asked if this spot was ever busy and they said, “never!” Apparently, it’s a hidden gem!
For this spot, I brought my three kids and my mom brought two cousins along. So, there were five kids total from 8 years old to 2 years old. The older kids (8,8, and 6) were able to start riding right away and understood what to do. My middle child had a little trouble getting started and completing the track at first. Yet, after about two times, she had it down. Our youngest was eager to jump in and ride, but I had to keep her back until the others got comfortable. Once this occurred, she joined in and went around the track several times at her own speed. To say that every kid loved this activity is a complete understatement! Easily we could have stayed here for hours and the kids would have enjoyed every minute.
As the kids got more comfortable, they did get a little more daring and willing to try harder things. What a highlight to see their confidence grow right in front of me! That being said, this also included a few minor injuries. Definitely bring a first aid kit or some band-aids just in case. After getting band-aids, everyone was able to continue on with their rides. By the end, all five kids were exhausted! They downed their waters and had rosy cheeks from their hard work. I would 100% recommend this spot if your kids are remotely interested in biking at all to see if they enjoy mountain biking.
Kiwanis Recreation Area Skills Park/Kid’s Trail- Mankato, MN
Address: 2301 US-169, Mankato, MN 56001
Since our kids couldn’t stop talking about Lion’s Park, we decided to try out another spot and let them ride again. Wow! This place is legit another hidden gem that we are so lucky to have in this region. Completely run by volunteers, this location not only has a skills park/kid’s trail, but it has several mountain biking trails complete with an assortment of obstacles throughout. All challenges have a way around them for those bikers who are not comfortable trying the trick. We came for the skills park that a friend had recommended to me. One thing to note is this location is right off the Minnesota River and is in a flood plain. Check Facebook prior to venturing to the spot if there is any concern about flooding or mud. Riding through mud makes the volunteers work harder and wrecks the trails, so it’s important to follow their rules for the upkeep of the park and respect those who help.
In order to find this park, you drive into the Kiwanis Recreation area. You can park either at the shelter at the front entrance or down in the gravel lot below. In between both parking lots, there is a trailhead for mountain biking. Follow that along one of the fenced in dog parks and you will see two big wooden signs. The skills park is the one you want to explore.
This spot was the perfect second stop to try, as it not only had a full mud made pump track, but it also had several skill areas that were more challenging. Skills areas included berms, a wooden teeter totter, several ramps to try biking on, and a few wooden, curved North shores. Several trails were available, allowing bikers to do what they were comfortable with. Throughout our time there, several groups of bikers stopped in to run the track a few times. It was so nice chatting with other families and hearing their experiences biking. One family told us how great of an activity for families mountain biking is.
Again, all three kids were absolutely in awe of this location. They loved finding a different path to take each time they went through. As our son gained courage, he began to attempt some of the skills areas and those were so fun to watch as he grew in his confidence. I feel like this is an activity that all three kids could do for years to come as their abilities will just continue to expand. It will be fun to see how our younger two are able to do the course at our son’s current age as they will have years of experience instead of just starting. There was a spot to sit close by and watch this location. Also, this was a more secluded spot, so you definitely felt like you were amid nature instead of in the middle of a city.
For this particular blog, I decided to bring back the words of my eight year old son to hear how much he loved these spots. So, here’s his feedback. “Both of them are not really the same because one of them has obstacles and bike trails right next to it. The other one doesn’t have a bike trail next to it. I think both of them are very fun places to go. Obstacles were my favorite part, like the ramps and the teeter totter and the curved boardwalks. On the teeter totter, it takes one, two, or three times to learn how to do it. It took me two times. If you feel scared, just do it. I did feel a little scared, but the first time I tried it, I forgot I was scared. One of my favorite things we’ve done so far!
Overall, both of these locations would be spots I would recommend to anyone wanting to try a pump track. For those parents not sure if their kids would enjoy this, I would encourage you to try as you never know what will click for your child. Furthermore, I loved to see their progress biking once we biked on a normal trail after this. Being able to ride at both of these spots increased their skills, their confidence, and their drive to be faster, stronger, and try harder things while biking. Best of all, this is a free activity if you have a bike and a helmet. Try something new and let me know if your child or children love it as much as mine!
Until my next adventure,
Allie
Adventures with Sota Mama 
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