Mountain Biking
The Highlands Bike Park in Harbor Springs provides a mountain biking experience featuring trails and elements suitable for riders of all levels.
Open Memorial Day - Mid-October
The Highlands Bike Park
Lift-Served Mountain Biking
Are you looking for an escape from the stress of everyday life? The Highlands Bike Park welcomes riders of all skill levels to explore a variety of downhill trails and cross-country routes through natural terrain. Whether you're an experienced rider or just starting out, we invite you to join us and discover your own moment.
Let’s Ride!
SEASONAL UPDATE: The Bike Park is CLOSED for the 2024 season. Thanks for riding with us! We will re-open Memorial Day weekend in 2025. Bike park season passes will be on sale in March.
USED BIKE SALE: Now is your opportunity to save on a used mountain bike and get over 50% off retail.
Learn More About What to Expect
What are the Trails Like?
The Highlands Trails - What to Expect
Our high-speed lift access and designated uphill routes service green trails for beginners, blue trails for intermediate riders, black trails for advanced mountain bikers, and double black trails for experts and pros.
Freeride & Technical Trail Features
The gravity-fed trails offer a variety of singletrack that require minimal pedaling. From beginner features like Fun Run and Peach Fuzz to more extreme runs like Dirt Sample and Skid Mark, the park features a diverse mix of natural and man-made features – including step-ups, berms, and bridges – that will challenge riders of all levels.
Cross-Country Trails
For bikers who appreciate the path less traveled, our cross-country mountain bike trails offer a direct line to the back trails of our beautiful resort property. Whether you take it slow and absorb your surroundings or speed things up for a satisfying workout, our trail network is easy to follow and fun!
Bike Park Map
Find Your Trail
Learning to navigate the trails with confidence is essential. This is our recommended progression through the trails at The Highlands.
These trails start small and let you build your skills and progress as a rider.
Start on Fine Pine -> Lemon Squeeze -> Dirt E Dancing -> Peach Fuzz -> Fun Run -> Swayze Express -> Gnarnia -> Dirt Reynolds -> Risky Business -> Shock -> After Shock
Trail POV Series
Dirt E Dancing is a fun flowing green trail at The Highlands. From this trail you can access many of the other trails on this side of the mountain! Check out a POV series on our trails from our friends from Downhill Midwest.
A True Mountain Bike Destination
"I've ridden a lot of bike parks over the years, including Whistler in B.C., and The Highlands ranks as one of my top parks. You have really done a great job and I think you have something special. I talked with countless people today who drove over 3.5 hours to visit the park, another sign you are doing amazing things. I hope you continue to expand your trail system as I think this can be a true mountain bike destination in the country. I couldn't be happier to be a season pass holder. I'm looking forward to many more amazing rides at The Highlands." - Mike
Learn about hours, gear, terrain, and ability levels
More Information
The Bike Park is closed for the summer. It will re-open Saturday, May 24, 2025.
Protecting your body from a range of elements or injuries with the following recommended protective equipment can ensure that weather, obstacles or crashes don’t force your day to end early. A helmet is mandatory for every rider; additional protective gear is strongly recommended.
Protective gear is available at Boyne Country Sports in the lower level of the Day Lodge. Full-face helmets are also available in the rental shop.
HELMET (MANDATORY): All riders must wear a helmet in the bike park and on all cross-country trails. We strongly recommend a full-face helmet to provide greater head protection.
GOGGLES OR EYEWEAR: Wrap-around goggles/eyewear are the best choice for eye protection against dirt, branches, and other objects you’ll encounter on the trail or in a fall.
BODY ARMOR: Upper body Armor wraps your chest, ribs, spine, torso, shoulders and arms in hard-shell pads to minimize impact and injuries in a crash
LONG SLEEVES: Long-sleeved shirts and pants add a thin but crucial barrier against skin abrasions
ELBOW PADS: Hard-shell elbow pads protect one of the most sensitive parts of your arm.
GLOVES: Full-finger gloves provide better bike control and offer protection from blisters and weather
KNEE PADS OR SHIN GUARDS: Protect your knees and shins from impact with hard-shell pads and guards
CLOSED-TOE SHOES: Shoes with a durable toe box prevent injuries if your feet get jammed on a rock or roots.
Having the right bike when riding the bike park not only makes the day more fun, but also helps ensure your safety. As such there are certain requirements that all bikes must have.
Required Equipment Features:
- Disc Brakes
- Suspension: Full suspension is highly recommended, but at minimum, a bike must have front suspension.
- Minimum 2” knobby tires. Fat tires are allowed, but no bigger than 3”. They must fit in bike carriers.
- Front AND Rear brakes
- At least 20” diameter tires
Bikes without these minimum features will be turned away at the chairlift. Not sure about your bike? Stop into our rental shop before you head out and our rental techs will be happy to do a free and quick safety inspection for you.
Equipment not allowed in park and on trails:
Bikes with tires smaller than 20”, smooth tires, caliper brakes, and/or no suspension
- Motorized vehicles or Type 2 or Type 3 electric assist bikes
- Digglers, One Wheels, or Mountain Scooters
- Unicycles
- Skateboards, Mountain Boards or Hoverboards
- Tandem Bikes
- Trailers or pulled Carriers
- Child Bike Seats or Shotgun seats
Knowing your ability level, so you can choose the right trails to ride, is an important first step.
BEGINNER
- I can comfortably ride on pavement or wide gravel trails, maintain balance and use disc brakes.
- I have little or no experience riding mountain bike trails and/or in a downhill mountain bike park.
NOVICE
- I can comfortably ride on green or easy blue technical tracks and freeride trails.
- I am confident to ride and carry momentum through bumpy, rooty sections of trail without putting a foot down.
- I have reasonable brake control.
- I have a little experience riding bike parks.
INTERMEDIATE
- I can comfortably ride on blue freeride and technical trails.
- I can ride easy black technical trails at slower speeds.
- I have limited or no jumping or drop experience.
- I can ride, balance, change gears, and brake without thinking.
- I have some experience riding on elevated wooden features.
- I am focused on improving jump, drop, and cornering skills to handle harder blue freeride trails.
ADVANCED
- I am comfortable at fast speeds on all black freeride and technical trails.
- I am confident in my drops and jumping skills.
- I can confidently pick a line through difficult technical sections, ride steep rooty sections, and raised skinnys.
EXPERT
- I am confident at high speeds on all trails, I can ride all features on black and some double black technical trails.
- I can clear large drops and jumps with correct technique.
TRAIL SELECTION
The trail network at our park is generally more challenging than many other trail networks in the region. Our easiest trail down will likely be more challenging than the easiest trails at your local trail system or other parks. Trail ratings are park specific and may vary compared to other trail networks or parks.
FREERIDE
Freeride Terrain consists of natural and machine-cut and containman-made features. Routes are enhanced with dirt jumps, ride-on features, gaps, narrow surfaces, wallrides, berms and other natural or constructed features. Freeride trails are identified by their difficulty symbol surrounded by an orange oval.
BEGINNER
- Smooth, wide surfaces with gentle corners and rolling terrain.
- All features include ride-arounds.
- Designed for newer bike park riders.
INTERMEDIATE
- Smooth surfaces on steeper terrain, including larger corners, rollers and smaller jumps.
- Raised features like bridges and wallrides require jumping skills and speed.
- All features include ride-arounds.
- Suited for riders who have mastered all beginner freeride trails.
ADVANCED
- Mix of smooth and rough riding surfaces on steep fast grades
- Larger man-made features, including jumps, raised bridges and steep wallrides
- All features include ride-arounds
- Advanced jumping skills required
- Suited for riders who have mastered all intermediate freeride trails
EXPERT ONLY
- Trails with steep terrain, very fast speed and require expert jumping skills.
- Mandatory jump features that require knowledge of gaps and landings with no ride-arounds.
- Suited for the most advanced riders only.
PRO LINE
- Largest gaps and mandatory jump features with no ride-arounds.
- Expert jumping skills are required.
- Suited for professional riders only.
TECHNICAL
Technical trails are designed to embrace the rugged shape and terrain of the mountain, utilizing a majority of natural terrain. Routes are typically hand-built and feature organic obstacles and stunts such as rocks, roots, logs, drops, jumps and other natural or constructed features that require technical riding skills. Technical trails are identified by just their difficulty symbol.
BEGINNER
- Rougher single track trails with small rocks and tree roots.
- Designed for new bike park riders comfortable with beginner freeride trails
NTERMEDIATE
- Rougher terrain with tight corners and steeper slopes
- Larger natural obstacles, including roots and rocks
- Suited for riders who have mastered all beginner technical trails
ADVANCED
- Steep grades with large technical features, including rocks, roots and drops
- Technical handling through tight trees and rough sections
- Suited for riders who have mastered all intermediate technical trails
EXPERT ONLY
- Steepest grades with the most technical features
- Warming up on intermediate and advanced trails encouraged
- Suited for the most advanced riders only
- Currently no Technical Expert Only trails at The Highlands
PRO LINE
- Most difficult technical terrain
- Proficient handling of all bike skills required
- Suited for professional riders only
Currently no Technical Pro Line trails at The Highlands
Learn the lingo of the trail features you will encounter in the bike park.
Berm – A raised bank outside a corner allows a rider to maintain speed without losing traction or sliding out.
Bridge – An elevated wooden feature slightly wider than a skinny. Also known as a ladder.
Gap – A jump with a gap between the takeoff and landing.
Tabletop - A jump that has a flat surface from the takeoff to the landing.
Step-Down – A jump that has a landing lower than its takeoff.
Step-Up – A jump that has a landing higher than its takeoff.
Ramp – The angled takeoff or landing on a jump or feature.
Ride-Around – An alternate and easier route that usually avoids a technical obstacle.
Rock Garden – Any section of trail filled with rocks, roots and other rough features.
Rollers – A series of small bumps that can either be rolled or gapped
Skinny -A narrow, wooden trail feature raised off the ground.
Drop – A trail feature where the rider must launch their bike off of a height and land on a lower surface.
Switchback – A very tight uphill or downhill corner, typically changing direction 180 degrees.
Wallride – An angled wood wall that involves riding up and across the wall.
Log Cannon – A jump that is a skinny angled take-off with a drop landing.
Flat Down – A significant drop feature where the rider can roll down with both wheels.
Uphill access to The Highlands Bike Park is available ONLY during operating hours. Please double-check our hours before heading out, as they change periodically. Currently, our only 2-way traffic trails for uphill access are Lemon Squeeze and Blue Bottle. All riders must still fill out a waiver form, and those without a waiver will be considered trespassers.