Contact Eleanor Blick
IMBA Communications Manager
(720) 900-4622

(BOULDER, Colo., April 18, 2019) — The International Mountain Biking Association will host its fourth Trail Lab in Bentonville, Arkansas on June 10-12, 2019. Trail Labs are intensive two-day workshops designed to catalyze the next generation of great places to ride mountain bikes. Community stakeholders are encouraged to attend to learn about the benefits of investing in more trails close to home.

The first three sold-out Trail Labs have welcomed 110 community members from 29 states, two countries and several national organizations. Five of IMBA’s seven current Trail Accelerator grant communities have attended an IMBA Trail Lab, and 27 Trail Lab participants have applied for an IMBA Trail Accelerator grant.

Trail Labs are designed with land managers, tourism and economic development staff, recreation professionals, and local government officials in mind. These stakeholders are well-suited to partner and support IMBA Local organizations on trail projects in their communities. Attendees will learn what it takes to create a model trail community and return home with the knowledge and guidance for how to make more trails close to home happen in their towns. To get a better feel for what the Trail Labs purpose and what the event looks like, check out this video.

IMBA hosts IMBA Trail Labs to bring community leaders interested in trail development to locations that have seen success through trails. In Northwest Arkansas, studies from PeopleForBikes and The Walton Family Foundation have shown trails boost the economy by $137 million annually. This event is designed to help attendees learn about the benefits and challenges the community in Northwest Arkansas has experienced from their targeted focus and investment in trails, while getting a firsthand look at components of an intentional and diverse mountain bike trail community. The fifth Trail Lab will be held in Bentonville October 23-25, 2019.

The $600 registration fee for the June event includes breakfast and lunch, shuttles for field workshops, and evening festivities. For information and registration, visit: https://www.imba.com/event/trail-labs

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About IMBA: The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) creates, enhances and protects great places to ride mountain bikes. It is focused on creating more trails close to home to grow the quantity and quality of mountain bike trail communities across the U.S., so everyone has access to close-to-home rides and iconic backcountry experiences. Since 1988, IMBA has been the  worldwide leader in mountain bike advocacy and the only organization focused entirely on trails and access for all types of mountain bikers in all parts of the U.S. IMBA teaches and encourages low-impact riding, grassroots advocacy, sustainable trail design, innovative land management practices and cooperation among trail user groups. IMBA U.S. is a national network of local groups, individual riders and passionate volunteers working together for the benefit of the entire community.