Over time, town of Reno, Nevada, has passed by many names. It’s mostly generally known as the Greatest Little Metropolis within the World, and it was as soon as thought of the “divorce capital” of america. Opposite to in style perception, nonetheless, Reno is just not a mini Las Vegas. Certain, there are a handful of casinos downtown and slot machines within the airport (some fuel stations and grocery shops, too), however the similarities mainly finish there. Reno is a vibrant and rising neighborhood that’s wealthy with artwork, music, meals, pure magnificence, and a definite tradition all its personal.
Given its shut proximity to Lake Tahoe, Reno can be identified by many because the gateway to considered one of North America’s biggest outside playgrounds, which it undoubtedly is. However as a result of it’s overshadowed by its neighbor only a quick distance to the southwest, many individuals don’t notice that the Greatest Little Metropolis is itself a hub of out of doors exercise. On the foot of the Sierra Nevada, the sting of the Nice Basin, and with a river working proper by way of it, Reno has heaps to supply outside fans of every kind.
A Mountain Bike Reno-ssance
Because of native organizations and high quality path constructing, the Reno mountain bike scene simply retains getting higher. Lately, there’s been a little bit of a trailbuilding renaissance, and Reno has actually began coming into its personal. Sure, there was good using in Reno for a few years, however currently there’s been important momentum and progress with new path building and enhancements to our present path networks. A lot in order that I referred to as it out in my 2025 Editor’s Selection article a couple of months again. I used to be significantly stoked on a brand new path that went in final yr on Peavine Mountain. The Greatest Little Path Stewardship has been doing nice work, and there’s loads extra lined up for the approaching years.
However that’s only a small a part of the story. On the opposite aspect of city, the Sky Tavern non-profit has been exhausting at work, serving to strengthen the native mountain bike neighborhood by way of abilities clinics, occasions, grassroots racing, and a spot for mountain bikers, households, and associates to collect, anchored by a superb community of trails. When it comes to path constructing, the Sky Tavern Bike Park has had a considerably meteoric trajectory, rising into a comparatively well-developed bike park in simply 5 years.
Buying and selling Gross sales for Smiles
I just lately sat down with Rick Reed, Sky Tavern’s director of selling and head of motorbike park operations, to be taught extra in regards to the non-profit, the paths, and what’s in retailer for this season. Reed is a biking trade veteran who spent over a decade working in mountain bike footwear. After working for 5 Ten in SoCal for a number of years, he relocated to the Reno space, the place, in 2018, he was a part of the group that launched Trip Ideas footwear. Reed’s nonetheless concerned a bit in biking media and does some contract work for a couple of manufacturers, however after a decade of merchandise, gross sales, and advertising and marketing, he was trying to do one thing a bit extra impactful together with his time.
Finally, Reed’s trajectory within the bike trade landed him on the Sky Tavern non-profit in 2023, the place he has been working the bike park ever since. After burning out on the consumerism of the trade, he stated it’s very refreshing that Sky Tavern’s product isn’t a bodily product, per se, however it’s offering an expertise. Success is now not primarily based on gross sales. As an alternative, it’s primarily based on smiles. It’s about getting individuals on bikes and within the outdoor. It’s about eradicating limitations to entry, making the game extra accessible, serving to riders construct abilities and progress, and rising the native mountain bike neighborhood. Oh, and constructing some ripping mountain bike trails, too.
Sky Tavern is a small ski space — roughly 750 vertical toes — located on the Mt. Rose Hwy, just some miles southwest of Reno. It’s about halfway between Incline Village at Lake Tahoe and Reno. The Metropolis of Reno truly owns the property however leases it long-term to the Sky Tavern non-profit, which maintains the services, operates the ski space within the winter, the bike park in the summertime, and runs year-round recreation applications with the purpose of getting extra individuals exterior. It’s a small, family-friendly ski space with an old-school, low-key vibe, making it an important spot for youths and households to be taught and progress in comparison with a few of the bigger, costlier resorts within the Tahoe space. When the snow melts and the paths open up, the bike park operates all summer time.
If You Construct It
Sky Tavern’s path system began gaining momentum in 2021, a few years earlier than Reed was concerned. Steve Wentz, the proprietor of Momentum Path Ideas — and arguably the very best path builder within the space — started working with the Sky Tavern non-profit. With help from the Excessive Fives Basis, Steve constructed the Excessive Fives Path, a 1.4-mile-long, purpose-built adaptive movement path that’s enjoyable for riders of all capability ranges. In 2022, path building continued, with the intermediate/superior Rick Sutherland Memorial Path producing extra neighborhood pleasure with its mixture of movement, tech, and progressive options.
In 2023, Reed acquired concerned by way of his reference to path builder Steve Wentz, who launched him to Yale Spina, a mountain biker and the Board Chairman of the Sky Tavern non-profit. At the moment, Sky Tavern had the aforementioned trails constructed, however there was actually no formalized imaginative and prescient or a holistic plan for the bike park. On the similar time, Sky Tavern’s new 50-year lease stipulated that the non-profit wanted to run outside applications year-round. Recognizing the chance to develop Sky Tavern into a motorcycle park and the potential to create one thing nice to learn the neighborhood, Reed signed on to assist make it occur.
As a result of the truth that the Sky Tavern property is city-owned and out of doors the Lake Tahoe basin, they’ve loved fairly a little bit of freedom to construct. Since 2021, they’ve developed roughly 10 miles of trails, a formidable feat in simply 5 years. With knowledgeable, sustainable path building by Wentz and Momentum Path Ideas, Sky Tavern’s path system has one thing for riders of all talents, with development as the main target. Little ones can develop abilities on the strider observe, pump observe, and youth development zone. There are adaptive-friendly choices, and as abilities progress, there are quite a few descents starting from delicate to correctly wild.
Whereas Sky’s path community is already fairly intensive, there are two major initiatives on faucet for this season, together with a bridge on the Pal Zone newbie/intermediate path that can “fly over” the just lately accomplished Toaster Boy superior path. For teenagers, households, and novices, there are additionally plans so as to add a strider/intro-level pump observe close to the bottom to develop the educational areas.
Trails don’t keep themselves, after all, so Wentz and Momentum Path Ideas’ sustainable trail-building methods have been significantly vital at Sky Tavern. With coarse decomposing granite soil and many granite boulders, it’s a tough place to construct trails, however Wentz has proven that when achieved proper, they’ll arise properly to heavy use. And with path building funded by donations and upkeep carried out by volunteers, Wentz’s do-it-right-the-first-time strategy has been helpful for protecting prices and volunteer hours to a minimal.
A Place to Be taught
However past simply having a enjoyable, well-built, and progressive path community, Reed says that considered one of his and the non-profit’s major objectives is working towards making the game extra accessible, inclusive, and fewer intimidating for these simply beginning out or attempting to enhance. One of many methods they’ve been doing that is with their Riders within the Sky abilities clinics, led by skilled, licensed mountain bike coaches. These fairly priced single-day ($55) and multi-day (~$165) clinics embody learn-to-ride applications and development collection for youths, teenagers, adults, and girls. The favored Ladies’s Camp Weekend returns for 2026, and this yr, a brand new Teen Gravity Camp is being provided for aspiring racers.
And whereas Sky Tavern’s bike applications and clinics are already fairly inexpensive, Reed says that the purpose is to ultimately have a scholarship program for individuals who may have monetary help. In the event you’ve ever taken a mountain bike clinic, you then most likely already know that just a bit teaching can go a really great distance, particularly once you’re simply beginning out. However with gear usually being a barrier to entry, the hope can be to determine some trade partnerships and purchase a fleet of correct mountain bikes for individuals to experience as they be taught.
Shuttle or Pedal
New this season, Sky Tavern shall be working common shuttles. Reed knowledgeable me that Sky Tavern has obtained a special-use allow from the Forest Service to run shuttles this yr, because the drop-off level is on Forest Service land. For the reason that chairlifts don’t run in the summertime, the paths have beforehand been accessed by pedaling up the climbing path or service roads. It is a huge step that can make it simpler for contributors to experience extra throughout abilities clinics and for members/move holders to benefit from the trails much more. The shuttles will run 4 days every week through the summer time, so riders can do laps on laps.
Provided that Sky Tavern is a non-profit, all of its funds are raised by way of donations, occasions, and memberships. Thus, the shuttles are membership-based, with a season move projected to price $250 and single-month memberships at $100. Sadly, Reed instructed me that single-day shuttle passes won’t be accessible this season, however needs to be within the coming years. However realistically, a few days of limitless shuttles is definitely value $100, and the cash goes again to the group, the paths, and the neighborhood. And if you happen to’re like me and also you’d slightly pedal than experience a shuttle (or perhaps you’ve an eMTB), paying for the Integrity Go retains you trustworthy and helps maintain the non-profit and the paths working.
Bringing Individuals Collectively
The Sky Tavern Bike Park’s working season is bookended by two marquee occasions. The MAYDAY Pageant is on Might thirtieth and is the official opening day for the bike park. Later within the yr, the season wraps up on October third with the Celebration within the Sky. These occasions aren’t solely a good way to convey the mountain bike neighborhood collectively over a shared love of using, however they’re additionally vital for Sky Tavern’s fundraising efforts. Once more, the Sky Tavern non-profit is funded by way of donations and fundraising, and it places all of it again into summer time and winter operations and towards protecting its costs as little as potential.
And in between the season-opening and shutting events, Sky Tavern brings the using neighborhood along with some good old style racing. Sky Tavern hosts two of Reno’s in style Grassroots Racing Golden Hour Sequence Thursday evening races this summer time. Moreover, the One for All Enduro returns to Sky Tavern in late August, with two days of enduro racing, and all proceeds going again to the non-profit.
Plan a Go to
The Sky Tavern Bike Park is a superb addition to the already intensive mountain biking alternatives in Reno and the higher Lake Tahoe space. It’s a worthwhile vacation spot by itself and is centrally situated for straightforward entry from the Huge Lake or the Greatest Little Metropolis. In the event you’re within the Reno or Tahoe space or are planning to go to this summer time, do your self a favor and take a look at Sky Tavern.
The Bike Park formally opens for the season with the MAYDAY Pageant on Might thirtieth. From late Might to October, the paths are open and accessible to the general public for using throughout daylight, except they’re explicitly closed as a result of upkeep, situations, climate, or an occasion. Shuttles are membership-based, and riders are inspired to help the non-profit’s mission to offer outside recreation for all by way of donations.
Click on the hyperlink beneath to be taught extra in regards to the Sky Tavern non-profit and Bike Park, or to make a donation. Remember to try this season’s schedule of occasions, races, and clinics. Clinic registration shall be open quickly, and shuttle memberships go on sale subsequent week.
skytavern.org
In the event you’ve acquired a couple of minutes, try the quick movies beneath for a style of what’s occurring and what a few of the trails are like at Sky Tavern.
