Rock Garden Construction
Learn expert techniques for building durable mountain bike rock gardens. Step-by-step guide covers planning, construction, and maintenance of technical trail features.
Overview
What is a Rock Garden?
A rock garden is a technical trail feature consisting of strategically placed rocks that create a challenging section for mountain bikers to navigate. These features are essential for developing rider skills and adding sustainable, natural elements to your trail system.
Benefits of Rock Gardens
- Creates progressive skill-building opportunities for riders of all levels
- Provides natural, sustainable drainage solutions for trail longevity
- Utilizes local materials to reduce environmental impact and construction costs
- Enhances trail system diversity and technical challenge
- Functions as effective speed control features on descents
- Offers minimal maintenance requirements when properly constructed
Types of Rock Gardens
Rock gardens can vary widely in difficulty and design:
BeginnerSmaller rocks with clear lines and optional ride-arounds
IntermediateMixed rock sizes with multiple line choices
AdvancedLarger rocks with technical moves and challenging transitions
NaturalUtilizing existing rock formations
ConstructedImporting and placing rocks to create a specific feature