Trail Kids Mountain Bike Camps

The Mountain Bike Camps are part of the Loppet Foundation’s Trail Kids year-round programming. Trail Kids offers eight weeks of half day (8am – 12pm) mountain bike camps for beginner to advanced riders ages 7-13. Participants will explore the single-track trails at Theodore Wirth Park while gaining skills they can use for a lifetime! The focus of the mountain bike camps is to have fun, meet new friends, and build confidence riding the singletrack trails. Participants will learn in teams with others with similar ages and prior experience. Non-binary and trans participants are welcome to join any group in which they feel most comfortable. Trail Kids mountain bike camps will be instructed by trained coaches teaching mountain bike skills, games, orienteering, and singletrack riding on the many trails at Theodore Wirth park.

Equipment Needed: All camp participants will need their own mountain bike, helmet, and water carrier (camp will provide a Trail Kids T-shirt and water bottle at no additional cost).

Loppet Bike Rentals: Trail Kids has a limited mountain bike rental fleet for those who do not have one for an additional fee of $30. If you need to rent a bike, make sure to select this add-on when you register (as supplies last).

Camp Registration by Ability/Experience

We offer beginner and intermediate/advanced camps on different weeks so we can keep all participants challenged based on their riding skills. Beginner camps are designed for participants who have not taken any of the Trail Kids past programs and are new to mountain biking or are still learning the fundamentals. See below for descriptions of camps and make sure to read through the Mountain Bike Ability Group Registration Guide before registering your child. If your child is new to Trail Kids programs but has prior experience in mountain biking that fits the intermediate/advanced skill levels then feel free to register them for the intermediate/advanced camps.

Beginner Mountain Bike Camp Description

If your child is a true beginner rider with no experience, they should sign up for the beginner clinic. During the beginner mountain bike camp, the participants will be coached on a variety of fundamental mountain bike skills, so they can become safe and confident riders. Skills include:

1. Ready/neutral position for descending hills
2. Side/side bike body separation
3. Pedaling/shifting efficiently
4. Controlling speed and braking safely
5. Cornering confidently
6. Riding with vision
7. Participants will be tested at the end of the camp on the level green bike skills and will be able to move up in levels as they progress through the summer programs and camps.

Intermediate/Advanced Mountain Bike Camps

Those who have taken a past camp or Trail Kids program and have passed the green, blue, or black mountain bike skill levels can register for the intermediate/advanced bike camps. The intermediate/advanced mountain bike camps will focus on more advanced bike skills along with riding more of the difficult single track trails around Theodore Wirth Park. If your child is new to the Trail Kids program but is an intermediate to advanced rider that meets the descriptions in the Trail Kids MTB Skill Level Guide, you are welcome to register for the intermediate/advanced camps.