This story originally ran on VeloCityOKC.com.
RIVERSPORT is celebrating the grand opening of its expanded Trailhead Bike Park on Friday, October 4, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. This long-anticipated expansion will provide an inclusive, dynamic space for cyclists, skaters, and outdoor enthusiasts of all skill levels. The park’s enhancements offer something for everyone, from novice riders to seasoned pros, ensuring that the trails can be enjoyed by the entire community.
“We’re opening this for everyone on wheels to enjoy,” said RIVERSPORT Executive Director Mike Knopp. “Bikes, skateboards—you’ll see them all on the trails. We’ve created spaces for both novice and experienced riders, making it a great place to learn.”
The $1.4 million expansion, which began in July 2023, was made possible through generous grants from donors like the Oklahoma Recreational Trails Program and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. The expanded park now serves as the central hub for the Greenway River Trails, offering access to an 80-mile loop encircling Oklahoma City. This loop will connect various parts of the city, promoting health and outdoor recreation for residents and visitors alike.
Among the new features are revamped trails, a Thunder OKC-branded trail, and the Wheelhouse coffee stop, along with a trail that stretches across the rooftop of the park’s shipping container structures. For bike enthusiasts, the new mountain bike skills course and the Momentum Pump Track—a fiberglass mountain bike/BMX course—are highlights. Velosolutions, a world leader in pump track design and construction, installed a 15,000-square-foot asphalt track, now the largest Velosolutions Pump Track in the U.S.
Beyond biking, the park has also been designed with community spaces in mind. Additional trees have been planted to provide shade, and new amenities include a community garden, an outdoor classroom area, and public restrooms, enhancing the park’s role as a gathering space for the public.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will kick off with remarks from Knopp and representatives from sponsoring organizations such as the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET). Representatives from the OKC Black Alumni Coalition and Native American communities will also be in attendance to honor the historical significance of the area, formerly known as Walnut Grove—a pre-statehood town that was home to communities of free individuals, formerly enslaved people, and freedmen of Indigenous Tribes.
Following the ceremony, professional BMX riders Chase Hawk, a 2014 X Games gold medalist, and Aaron Ross will perform demonstrations. BMX riders from Yukon and skateboarders from OKC Skateboard Lessons will also take to the trails to showcase their skills.
The grand opening celebration will continue on Saturday, October 5, with a full day of activities. Organizations like REI, TSET, and OKC Skateboard Lessons will be on-site, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy as the community comes together to celebrate this exciting new chapter for RIVERSPORT.
