Please note that the soft opening for Lee Canyon’s downhill mountain bike part is now Monday, Sept. 12. Originally, the opening was scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 7.
Yesterday, at a press and ribbon-cutting event, Lee Canyon‘s General Manager Dan Hooper announced the public soft opening of the resort’s new downhill mountain bike park. Starting Monday, Sept. 12, mountain bikers can ride the park, served by the Bluebird chairlift, daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., conditions permitting. Daily passes will be available for purchase online.
“Lee Canyon’s goal is to create more diverse and inclusive ways for Las Vegas to engage in outdoor recreation while minimizing the impact on the Spring Mountains. Our mountain bike park reflects Lee Canyon’s commitment to Play Forever through responsible recreation,” said Hooper.
Monday, Sept 12, also marks the start of Lee Canyon’s fall season when the resort will be open seven days a week, offering all services, including dining. “The move to a four-season, seven-day operating schedule means Lee Canyon will add 50 full-time, year-round positions,” said Hooper.
This season Lee Canyon’s bike park offers two trails designed for advanced-level mountain bikers. Summer 2023, the resort’s park will offer over seven miles of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert mountain biking terrain, including excavated and jump trails and single track.
This year, people must bring their mountain bikes and gear. Starting next summer, Lee Canyon will also offer bike and gear rentals. Summer 2023, Lee Canyon will also provide a full range of programs for youth and adults, including daily introduction programs, kids’ multi-day session and advanced development programs, and technical coaching clinics for adults.
“Today’s ribbon-cutting at Lee Canyon is a great milestone for Southern Nevada’s growing outdoor recreation industry,” said Lieutenant Governor Lisa Cano Burkhead, one of the event’s speakers. “I’m impressed by the alignment of government agencies and private business in creating a mountain bike park to serve our residents and attract new visitors to Clark County.”
Lee Canyon worked with partners the US Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife to make the bike park a reality.
After the ribbon-cutting, six local mountain bikers took the first official ride on the park’s trails. They included Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones, North Las Vegas Councilman Scott Black, Josh Bean, Lee Canyon’s director of mountain operations, Heather Fisher, Save Red Rock president, Escape Adventures and Las Vegas Cyclery Founder Jared Fisher, Rob Hutchinson, Southern Nevada Mountain Bike Association board member, Tom Thomas, and local mountain biker Ami Moreno Kempf.
Other speakers included Deborah MacNeil, area manager, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area/US Forest Service; Scott Black, who is also an advisor for Southern Nevada Bicycle Coalition; Colin Robertson, administrator, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation, and Ross Miller, Clark County Commissioner, District C, who presented Hooper and his team with a proclamation acknowledging their achievement.
“The operators of Lee Canyon are to be congratulated for creating this spectacular new amenity and putting Las Vegas on the mountain biking map,” said Commissioner Miller, who represents the area. “It’s thrilling to see it open. I encourage residents to visit and give the nation’s newest mountain bike park a try.”
Recently, the local mountain bike population has exploded, creating a need for managed recreation areas like Lee Canyon to offer more mountain bike trails designed by experts that consider environmental impact and cater to the needs of specific ability levels.
“There’s been a complete transformation of the local mountain bike demographic. Las Vegas Cyclery has seen a massive uptick in youth mountain bike sales, along with more families and first-time riders of all ages,” said Jared Fisher, founder of Las Vegas Cyclery and Escape Adventures. “As a managed recreation area, Lee Canyon’s mountain bike park will foster community, learning, and fun.”
About Lee Canyon
Lee Canyon is located approximately one hour from downtown Las Vegas in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Established in 1963, Lee Canyon averages more than 160 inches of snowfall during the winter season. There are 195 acres of terrain served by three lifts and 250 acres of hike-to terrain. Lee Canyon amenities include dining at Hillside Lodge and the Bighorn Grill and shopping at Lee Canyon Sports. The resort hosts warm-weather activities during the spring, summer, and fall seasons, making it Southern Nevada’s premier outdoor recreation destination.
Lee Canyon is part of POWDR, an adventure lifestyle company, integrating entertainment with adventure. For more information, please visit www.leecanyonlv.com and follow Lee Canyon on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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