The half-day mountain bike camps are part of the Loppet Foundation’s Trail Kids year-round programming. With a focus on fun, meeting new friends, and building confidence riding the singletrack trails these camps are for beginner to advanced riders ages 7-13. Participants will explore the paved & single-track trails in and around Theodore Wirth Park while gaining skills they can use for a lifetime!

Camp Registration by Ability/Experience

We offer beginner, intermediate/advanced, and affinity camps on different weeks. See below for full descriptions of the camp offerings. Make sure you look through the Trail Kids MTB Ability Level Guide before registering your rider.

If your child is a true beginner rider with NO single track experience, we highly recommend they take a beginner clinic first.

If your rider is new to Trail Kids but has prior experience in mountain biking feel free to register them for the camp that best corresponds to their skill level based on the Trail Kids MTB Ability Level Guide.

Beginner Mountain Bike Camp

If your child is a true beginner to mountain biking and does not have experience riding single track trails, we highly recommend they take a beginner clinic first. During the beginner mountain bike camp, the participants will be coached on a variety of fundamental mountain bike skills, so they can become safe and confident riders. Skills include:

1. Ready/neutral position for descending hills
2. Side/Side bike body separation
3. Pedaling/shifting efficiently
4. Controlling speed and braking safely
5. Cornering confidently
6. Handling obstacles and rocky terrain
7. Riding with vision
8. Ratcheting

Intermediate/Advanced Mountain Bike Camp

This camp is for riders who have mastered the green/beginner level skills, and are riding at the blue/intermediate, or black/advanced level based on the Trail Kids MTB Ability Level Guide. This camp will focus on more advanced bike skills along with riding some of the difficult single track trails/sections in and around Theodore Wirth Park. 

ALL GIRLS MTB Camp

This is a multi-level camp week intended for female identifying riders of all ability levels – Beginner to Advanced. Additionally, non-binary and trans participants are welcome to join if they feel comfortable.

For ability level guidance, check out the Trail Kids MTB Ability Level Guide.

MCA Prep Camp – Get Ready to Race!

Looking forward to racing with a MCA (Minnesota Cycling Association) Middle school team in the fall? This camp is intended for rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who want to hone their racing skills prior to competing for their school team. This offering will focus on race oriented skills, off the bike training, race preparation, and riding the trails in and around Theodore Wirth Park. Registration for this week of camp includes a discount code for a free entry into the August 5th WoW (Wirth on Wednesday) MTB race. Participants in this camp should be riding at the blue/intermediate level or above according to the Trail Kids MTB Ability Level Guide.

Financial Assistance and Sibling Discounts

Financial Assistance:To apply please fill out the Loppet Financial Assistance Application. We will follow up with you with instructions on how to register at a price that is manageable for your family. Applications for programs that start two weeks or less from the date of submission will not be approved. *Limitations apply, please see the application form for rules and restrictions. In most instances there will be a $500 financial assistance cap per person/per year.

Sibling Discount: For those families who have three or more kids in the Trail Kids offering we can provide a fifteen percent discount code. Please email trailkids@loppet.org for more information.

Refund Policy

The Loppet will issue a full refund of the program fee minus the original processing fee up until 6 weeks before the program starts. Between 6 weeks and 4 weeks from the program start date, a 50% refund will be issued. Between 4 and 3 weeks from the program start date, a 25% refund will be issued. There are no refunds for any cancellations within less than 3 weeks of the start of a program. During the program, if your child has a medical issue that makes it impossible to participate, please contact the TK Admin team email at trailkids@loppet.org. If the Loppet cancels a program, a full refund will be issued. For instructions on how to request a refund, click here.

The best way to reach the Trail Kids Admin Team is via email at trailkids@loppet.org