A one-of-a-kind underground bike park within an old limestone mine in Louisville, Kentucky received some extra attention recently when the Red Bull crew showed up to make a video.
The film chronicles 24 hours spent at the Mega Cavern Bike Park with pro bikers Aaron Chase, Adam Hauck and Reed Boggs. This incredible terrain creates an otherworldly backdrop for some insane tricks.
Opened in January, the Mega Cavern Bike Park has been making big news lately as a destination for BMX and mountain bikers. Located 100 feet under Louisville city streets, it’s hard to believe the mine lies beneath strip malls and houses. Also the location for a successful zip line tour and holiday light parade, the bike park encompasses 100 acres and 17 miles of trails. All total, it’s said to be the largest indoor facility in the world.
“This is the all-time best thing that has ever happened to cycling in Louisville,” said Derek Fetko, owner of On Your Left Cycles told the Courier-Journal.
In May the park opened a section called “Area 2” with more extreme jumps where the Red Bull team filmed their video. In addition the park has suitable terrain for all skill levels. And because the park stays about 60 degrees year round, it’s been called the ultimate mountain biking destination by Men’s Journal.
The park was designed by Joe Prisel, who made a name for himself creating parks for ESPN’s X-Games. But where other parks rely on lots of wood boards to make dramatic features, Prisel had decades of old mining material – essentially tons of dirt and containers to work with. So the indoor mine with its huge ceiling and giant limestone pillars actually resembles more the outside world with lots of berms, rock gardens, jumps and drops.
“When the [Mega Cavern] operators first approached me, my first thought was, ‘How are we going to fit this inside a cave?’” Prisel told Men’s Journal shortly before the park’s completion in January.
“But then I saw how huge the caverns were with their 90-foot ceilings. It’s so big, it feels like you’re outdoors.”
To learn more or to schedule a visit go to Louisvillemegacavern.com
