The university announced March 6 its plan to construct a 1-acre mountain bike park in collaboration with Trelcru Inc. located on the west side of campus.

According to USI’s press release, “The section of flow trail, which will be built by Trelcru trail builders in collaboration with Trail Heads – Southwest Indiana, will include three downhill runs complete with dirt jumps and bermed corners, offering beginner, intermediate and expert level experiences.”

Jim Wolfe, director of facility operations and planning, said the idea came from Brad Scales, principal of Trelcru Inc., who requested to put mountain bike trails on the university’s property.

Wolfe said the project was started before the COVID-19 pandemic and was put on hold due to the pandemic. He said the project was picked up in the last 18 months.

The press release also said, “The new single-track loop, with beginner-level features, would be constructed on more than 30 acres of wooded area adjacent to campus apartments and connecting to other existing trails on campus, including the paved USI-Burdette Trail.”

Wolfe said they started building the bike park two weeks ago, and the trails will start later this summer.

Trail Heads – Southwest Indiana, Scales’s non-profit organization, raised $50,000 through its fundraising efforts, matching the amount in the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) grant that will begin the second phase of construction for the trails. Donations were open until 9 a.m. March 24.

The project will require construction consisting of a 2.75-mile Campus Loop and a 0.5-mile Broadway Connector Trail. It will also include trailhead kiosks and signage according to the press release.

The bike park includes three downhill flow trail runs along with dirt jumps and bermed corners, which offer beginner, intermediate and expert levels.

Ryan Luitjohan, freshman nursing and psychology major, said he thinks it’s a cool way for people to get outside.

“I think it would mostly just give people another avenue to get out and do something active on campus,” Luitjohan said.

Emma Brown, senior science teaching major, said she would definitely use the new trail as a runner for USI’s women’s cross-country team.

“I think it’d be a great asset to the team,” Brown said. “We’d be able to do workouts on a really nice surface that’s a little bit less impact than the bike path, which is where we do a lot of workouts now.”

 https://www.usi.edu/media/ss5btvbz/usi-mountain-bike-loop-trail-map.jpg?rmode=max&width=500 

Wolfe said the park will be open to both the public and USI students and faculty, like all walking trails on campus.

He said he thinks the trail will draw in teenagers, young adults, and older people.

“This non-profit that Brad is a part of has started bike clubs in some of the rural communities,” Wolfe said. “Some of the Warrick County schools have clubs, and they’re hoping to start more clubs down here so that more people will be involved with riding such trails.”

He said they will build trails and will look into making more if they are successful.

“If it works well and it fits in with all the other activities we have going around at USI, then we will possibly look at building more trails,” Wolfe said.