How many Acres do you need to make a decent MTB Park

[levett]

How many acres do you need to make a decent MTB Park?

 

I know this is an open ended question, and is very much like 'how long is a piece of string', but I'm thinking that I'd like to buy some land overseas, and set up a MTB Park - since I enjoy the ones here in Gauteng.

 

I could get the map out, and try to calculate the size of:

- The Toyota MTN Park

- Northern Farm

- Teak Place

- + others

 

But they are so 'variable' - I guess that the MTN Park for an 'urban park' is the smallest that you can get away with, and Northern Farm is way bigger than you 'need' (since it's a working farm as well).

 

Obviously it is also dependant on the terain - it needs to be big enough to get some 'variation' in - it's not going to be much fun riding round and round a piece of flat land!

 

Any thoughts - especially form anyone that has done anything towards building such a facility would be very interesting.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave.

[AndreZA]

What do you want to do in the park? Is it to play, then the MTN park is okay. Do you want to train, thenyou need Northern farm size. I've seen in the UK mags that they have some pretty small park but then it's just for playing and they are adjacent to outside trails for longer runs.

[Skaap]

all you need is a few rollers and ppl throwing mud at you...

[Black Widdow]

What do you want to do in the park? Is it to play, then the MTN park is okay. Do you want to train, thenyou need Northern farm size. I've seen in the UK mags that they have some pretty small park but then it's just for playing and they are adjacent to outside trails for longer runs.

 

 

Agreed, I cycle Northern Farms track 3 twice, that equals to 64 odd km.

 

We need the longer trails. Not as much fun to ride a 20km track 3 times.

 

but that said, yes you need to cater for all levels of fitness and skills to be a destination of choice.

 

I use Northern Farms to do long distance/ hrs training, and Teak for technical single track speed sessions.

[levett]

What do you want to do in the park? Is it to play, then the MTN park is okay. Do you want to train, thenyou need Northern farm size. I've seen in the UK mags that they have some pretty small park but then it's just for playing and they are adjacent to outside trails for longer runs.

Hi Mampara - I'm thinking of a facility that would be for 'everyone' (I know you can't please all of the people all of the time), but something that kids could go to , and something that has a bit more 'adventurous' stuff as well. Basically something (like MTN or Teaks) that families could use, but that has enough so that people wouldn't go a couple of times, and get bored.

 

I guess 'bums on seats principle' - something for the 'middle ground'.

 

I'm guessing (and it's only a guess) that the MTN park is, in total (both sides of the road), around 50 Acres (and, at the other extreme, Northern Farm is form the website 2500ha (6,000+ Acres)- though only a small proportion is dedicated to MTB.

Edited October 26, 2010 by levett