Sports

Developer of Kanuga bike course proposes Ride Rock Creek Bike Park

Site plan shows development plan for the proposed Ride Rock Creek Bike Park. [SITEWORK STUDIOS PLLC]

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 10, 2022

A physician who opened Ride Kanuga Bike Park two years ago wants to develop another mountain bike course and RV park in the Green River community.

Called Ride Rock Creek, the 326-acre park would open on  West Rock Creek Road if the Henderson County Zoning Board of Adjustment grants two special-use permits needed for the bike trails and an RV park. The developer is Dr. David LaMond, a mountain bike enthusiast who heads the Blue Sky MD Health family practice.

The county Technical Review Committee had no major problems with the concept when it reviewed the site plan this week, Planning Director Autumn Radcliff said. LaMond will need to get separate special-use permits for the recreational trails and the RV park.

"The Zoning Board of Adjustment has the ability to make changes or add additional conditions," she said.

In addition to the mountain bike park, LaMond wants to provide 20 van camping spaces of 2,000 square feet each and repurpose an existing single-family home, garage with an apartment and a cabin to serve the mountain bike park. He wants to convert the home into a general store, use the garage as the check-in area and convert the cabin into a bathhouse. The site plan also shows two new structures — an "adventure center" and a second bathhouse to serve the van campers.

"The mountain bike trails will be developed throughout the subject area that will all direct the riders back to the base area," a staff report said. "Riders will be shuttled to the top of the mountain by way of an access road not accessible by the public. The shuttle road will provide pull off areas and a turnaround at the top of the property."

A site plan drawn by landscape architect Rob Dull of Sitework shows an emergency access in case first responders need to access the trail system. Plans also call for a mile and a half of new roadway, a total of 185 parking spaces, nine handicapped parking spaces and proposed septic locations for the existing and future structures. The development would leave 98 percent of the mostly wooded land in open space.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment will take up the development request at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, in the Henderson County office building at 100 N. King St.

Ride Kanuga Bike Park "features one-way, downhill specific terrain for all abilities," the park's website says. "There is a mix of natural features, jump lines and trails unlike any in the region ...  Bikers have the ability to ride a climbing trail with a gentle grade, while taking in the sights and scents of Kanuga’s old growth forest."

The mountain bike attraction on 1,400 acres next to Kanuga Conference Center has served as the base to numerous races and meets. One of the biggest takes place this weekend when hundreds of riders converge on the bike park as the start-finish line for the 132-mile Waffle Ride (with 11,000 feet of climbing), the 71-mile Wafer Ride (6,000 feet) and the 37.5-mile Wanna Ride (3,500 feet).