Published April 30, 2025
Highland Mountain Bike Park: Where Community, Trails, and Adventure Converge in Northfield, NH
10 Minutes off exit 19 on I-93 between Canterbury and Tilton, and you’ll find yourself at Highland Mountain Bike Park — a place that’s transformed a once-defunct ski resort into a nationally recognized destination for riders of all levels. It’s more than a bike park. It’s a community. A lifestyle. A second home.
The view from the chairlift looking back down the mountain towards the lodge
And while other New Hampshire mountains juggle bike trails around ski season, Highland is all-in on bikes. No waiting for snow to melt. No off-season hustle to switch gears. Just trails, riders, and nonstop momentum.
Named Red Bull’s FMBA Rookie of the Year in 2023, Kaidan is sponsored by Highland and has been riding here for over a decade. You’ll still catch him on the trails training like he isn’t a big name in the Mountain Bike Community. His success has brought national attention to Highland — placing it firmly in the Red Bull spotlight.
But Highland’s roots in the sport run deep, with a legacy that goes beyond the bike park itself. Their trail-building arm, Highland Trails, laid the groundwork for a culture of top-tier trail development. Over the years, Highland Trails has earned a reputation for creating some of the most challenging, exciting, and innovative mountain bike trails around. They've helped shape trails for major projects and events, including the legendary Red Bull Rampage, the sport’s most prestigious big-mountain freeride competition.
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A rider competing in the Ultimate Freerider Series hosted at Highland
Bike Park in 2024 completes a backflip double tail whip
It’s hard to describe unless you’ve been here. The vibe is equal parts gritty and welcoming — you’ve got dirt-covered riders grabbing post-run burgers sitting next to families, industry pros, and first-timers figuring out the trails. I’ve chatted with an architect and his son from Boston, a mechanic from Concord, a marketing specialist visiting from Ottawa with her friends, and a husband-and-wife pair of digital nomads from Puerto Rico — all in a single day.
What makes Highland special isn’t just the trails — it’s the people. It’s the community that forms when a shared love of riding brings together folks from every background. You’ll find blue-collar locals, weekend warriors, professional riders, and international travelers all trading stories in the lift line or at the pub. And no matter who you are or where you're from, you’re greeted with a nod and a “How’s the riding been?”
Today (yes, I’m writing this Opening Week at the pub!), the lodge is buzzing. People are reconnecting, sharing stories, and picking up right where they left off last season — it’s like adult summer camp, filled with giddy smiles, booming laughs, and pure joy.
Here's a live look at this blog being written from the pub
It’s a place where everyone belongs, even if you’ve never touched a mountain bike.
🛠️ Highland Trails — a top-tier trail-building team with national impact
🏕️ Summer camps for ages 8–16 and “Find Your Ride” programs for all ages
🏠 13+ acres being cleared for on-site lodging to support growing summer programs
🍔 Year-round pub & restaurant with entertainment, dart leagues, and off-season events
🥾 Acres of free XC trails, thanks to their work with the Foothills Foundation (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on outdoor recreation and economic growth)
Whether it’s summer camps for kids, dart leagues in winter, ‘Finding Your Ride’ as a new biker, or grabbing a delicious bite to eat, Highland has created a space where anyone can belong. You can feel it the moment you step inside.
🕓 Downhill and XC trails open seasonally (late April through mid-November)
🍻 Year-round lodge restaurant & pub
🎟️ Check their website for event calendars and camp schedules https://www.highlandmountain.com
Pro tip: Even if you don’t ride, stop in for a drink, grab a seat at the pub, and soak up the atmosphere — you’ll see what I mean.
Whether it's in season or not, you can find me sitting in this general area chatting with
the staff or other patrons
Whether you’re a seasoned rider, a curious beginner, or simply tagging along with someone who lives for downhill runs, Highland welcomes you with open arms (and open trails) from late April through mid-November — the longest biking season in the Northeast.
A Ski Hill Reinvented — And Reimagined
Before bikes took over, this place was known as The Highlands Ski Area (1968–1995). But in 2006, Highland Mountain Bike Park officially opened its lifts to a new kind of thrill-seeker. Since then, it’s earned its reputation as one of only a handful of lift-access mountain bike-only parks in the world.And while other New Hampshire mountains juggle bike trails around ski season, Highland is all-in on bikes. No waiting for snow to melt. No off-season hustle to switch gears. Just trails, riders, and nonstop momentum.
Why All the Buzz? One Word: Kaidan.
Okay, maybe two: Kaidan Ingersoll.Named Red Bull’s FMBA Rookie of the Year in 2023, Kaidan is sponsored by Highland and has been riding here for over a decade. You’ll still catch him on the trails training like he isn’t a big name in the Mountain Bike Community. His success has brought national attention to Highland — placing it firmly in the Red Bull spotlight.
But Highland’s roots in the sport run deep, with a legacy that goes beyond the bike park itself. Their trail-building arm, Highland Trails, laid the groundwork for a culture of top-tier trail development. Over the years, Highland Trails has earned a reputation for creating some of the most challenging, exciting, and innovative mountain bike trails around. They've helped shape trails for major projects and events, including the legendary Red Bull Rampage, the sport’s most prestigious big-mountain freeride competition.
Bike Park in 2024 completes a backflip double tail whip
A Place for Everyone — Riders and Beyond
Here’s the thing: I don’t even mountain bike. But I spend a lot of time at Highland thanks to my husband, who does. And you know what? I love it here.It’s hard to describe unless you’ve been here. The vibe is equal parts gritty and welcoming — you’ve got dirt-covered riders grabbing post-run burgers sitting next to families, industry pros, and first-timers figuring out the trails. I’ve chatted with an architect and his son from Boston, a mechanic from Concord, a marketing specialist visiting from Ottawa with her friends, and a husband-and-wife pair of digital nomads from Puerto Rico — all in a single day.
What makes Highland special isn’t just the trails — it’s the people. It’s the community that forms when a shared love of riding brings together folks from every background. You’ll find blue-collar locals, weekend warriors, professional riders, and international travelers all trading stories in the lift line or at the pub. And no matter who you are or where you're from, you’re greeted with a nod and a “How’s the riding been?”
Today (yes, I’m writing this Opening Week at the pub!), the lodge is buzzing. People are reconnecting, sharing stories, and picking up right where they left off last season — it’s like adult summer camp, filled with giddy smiles, booming laughs, and pure joy.
Here's a live look at this blog being written from the pubIt’s a place where everyone belongs, even if you’ve never touched a mountain bike.
What You'll Find at Highland Mountain Bike Park
🚵♀️ Over a dozen lift-access trails for all skill levels — from green to double black🛠️ Highland Trails — a top-tier trail-building team with national impact
🏕️ Summer camps for ages 8–16 and “Find Your Ride” programs for all ages
🏠 13+ acres being cleared for on-site lodging to support growing summer programs
🍔 Year-round pub & restaurant with entertainment, dart leagues, and off-season events
🥾 Acres of free XC trails, thanks to their work with the Foothills Foundation (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on outdoor recreation and economic growth)
Why It Matters: The Power of Community
My favorite part? The people. The kind of people who’ll offer to watch your laptop while you run to the restroom. Who invite you into their conversations even if you’re not a rider. Who cheer each other on — on and off the trails.Whether it’s summer camps for kids, dart leagues in winter, ‘Finding Your Ride’ as a new biker, or grabbing a delicious bite to eat, Highland has created a space where anyone can belong. You can feel it the moment you step inside.
If You Go...
📍 Highland Mountain Bike Park, Northfield, NH — just minutes from I-93🕓 Downhill and XC trails open seasonally (late April through mid-November)
🍻 Year-round lodge restaurant & pub
🎟️ Check their website for event calendars and camp schedules https://www.highlandmountain.com
Pro tip: Even if you don’t ride, stop in for a drink, grab a seat at the pub, and soak up the atmosphere — you’ll see what I mean.
the staff or other patrons
