Bellingham, Washington: Whatcom Falls Pump Track

After a day of riding the Galbraith trails in Bellingham, we headed to the pumptrack at Whatcom Falls Park to check it out. Although the surface could have used some watering and was dry and a bit dusty, the Bellingham pumptrack is still a fun time.

Built in the spring of 2017, the pump track is located in Bellingham’s Whatcom Falls Park, located north of Galbraith. The park is one of the nicest city parks we’ve seen in recent memory, offering a wide range of recreational activities on 241 acres of land. In addition to four sets of waterfalls, there are quite a few options things to do in addition to exploring the trails.

When we arrived the small parking lot was overflowed with cars, so we continued along the main drive until we reached Lake Whatcom Park. Parking there, I made my way back to the pumptrack. Fortunately, there are dedicated cycle paths that are separated from the roads, and it made for a pleasant ride. With the option to riding an amazing trail system from your front door, it’s no wonder Bellingham is becoming the next mountain biking town.

A lap around the track starts from the centrally located starting hill, not unsimilar from those found in an NBL track, though scaled down significantly. It is just big enough though, as the mainline starts off with a nicely spaced set of rollers that take a minimal amount of pump to float over, and momentum is gained again in the first right turn.

The outer line is the easiest to run and flow, with open turns and well-spaced features that allow riders of a wide range of skills and experience to ride. A number of other lines splinter off and can be transferred in and out of. Even dry and dusty, it was riding well, and it one of the best public pump tracks we’ve ridden to date. If you’re pitching ideas for a local track, it’s a good one to reference.