Editors: This story was originally published in Issue 162 of our quarterly Tube Times magazine, one of many perks of membership in the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

The whole neighborhood came out on a sunny Saturday in October to take part in the opening of the brand new McLaren Bike Park. Local kids lined up on two wheels to ride through the ribbon and onto the smoothed dirt bumps and jumps of the “pump” style track. Soon enough, they’d be back around lining up for another turn.

McLaren Bike Park is a project close to a decade in the making. Through years of fundraising and advocacy, a group of dedicated people made their dream of San Francisco’s first mountain bike park a reality.

A mountain bike park is an enclosed area where off-road enthusiasts can ride their bicycles on varying degrees of challenging terrain. In the case of McLaren Bike Park, there is something for everyone. Toddlers can take their strider bikes on the outer track, while more experienced riders can ride the bowls and jumps in the center.

If you’re gearing up for a weekend day trip to the new McLaren Bike Park, plan ahead and consider the directions below:

From the Excelsior: Take Persia Avenue before taking a right on Sunnydale Avenue, which leads directly to the park, or connect from Russia Avenue to Sunnydale through a quick trail segment.

From Crocker Amazon: If you’re in an off-road mood, several unnamed trails lead up from Geneva Avenue to Sunnydale Avenue right by the bike park. If not, connect on Moscow Street to Persia or Russia avenues and follow the directions above.

From Sunnydale and Visitacion Valley: The bike park is most easily accessible from these neighborhoods. Once on Sunnydale Avenue, head west and you can’t miss it.

A lot of maintenance goes into keeping the bike park in top shape, and volunteers are always needed. If you’re interested, there are opportunities to help with maintenance, community outreach, fundraising and volunteer training. Donations are also welcome as planning moves forward for phase two of the park.

See mclarenbikepark.com/volunteer for a full list of ways to get involved.

The Tube Times is published quarterly as one of the many benefits to members of the SF Bicycle Coalition. For a complete list of membership benefits, or to join/renew today, click here.