Finale Ligure, Italy

Fondly known as “Whistler by the sea”, Finale’s rocky, technical trails start high on the hilltops and generally spill you out on the stunning Mediterranean coast. Most people shuttle (or uplift) to the top of the road climbs as the majority of trails are directional and gravity-orientated. With around 90 trails, stacking up to over 400km of length, you’ll have definitely earned some of the incredible local cuisine by the end of the day’s riding. We promise you it’s some of the best in Italy. Did someone say 5 Euro pizza?

Dyfi Bike Park, Wales

Looking for big mountain trails hand crafted by the pros? Look no further than this spot here. Dan Atherton’s Dyfi Bike Park is a thing of beauty. Set in the heart of Dyfi Forest, the 650 acres bike park sits on a truly stunning backdrop of Welsh mountain-scapes and makes for an unforgettable riding experience. With long descents, numerous trails and varied terrain, the big summits and steep valleys provide the ideal playground for riders of all abilities.

Hafjell, Norway

For most mountain bikers, the image that comes to mind when we mention Hafjell is that of gnarly World Cup racing. But there’s something for all kinds of riders at Hafjell Bike Park. With 18 DH trails, from easy to expert, Hafjell is continuously adding to and improving its offering to maintain its name as one of the most progressive bike parks in Europe. The ultimate mountain bike playground? It might just be. The riding is generally fast-paced and undulating to keep you on your toes, but you’ll find plenty of tame riding between rock strewn trails and manicured jumps.

Bellingham, USA

Hands down the best mountain bike spot in Washington, it’s no wonder so many big bike brands are based out of Bellingham. Around an hour and half north of Seattle, the forested singletrack is similar to that of their Candian neighbours north of the nearby border. Offering great all-mountain riding with flowy trails, technical descents, plenty of climbing, some huge perfect jump lines and that hero dirt you dream about at night, Bellingham’s best characteristic might just be its super involved mountain bike community. Less than a 30 minute pedal from town, Bellingham’s hard to beat for accessibility, quality and quantity of trails.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Mexico? Mountain biking? You what? Yep, not as obvious as some of the other destinations here but no less worthy of its place on the list. Oaxaca provides the goods with amazing views and huge variety of riding from semi-wet forest singletrack to dry rock gardens. Roots, switchbacks, flow, rock features – what’s not to love? Oh and did we mention the amazing culture and food of the UNESCO world heritage site? The city of Oaxaca is as much of a treat as the beautifully diverse forest you’ll find there. With some of the trail heads starting at 11000+ft, we’d definitely recommend choosing a shuttle service to maximise your riding time.

Samoens, French Alps

Downhill, enduro, cross-country – Samoens truly does have it all. Set in the heart of the beautiful Grand Massif mountains of the French Alps, this location is world class. With stunning scenery typical of the Alps and over 615km of gondola-accessed marked trails, French riding doesn’t get much better than it does in Samoens. With six lifts providing access to an ever expanding network of trails right down to the valley floor, you can see why the Enduro World Series often frequents the resort. With mostly steep, technical riding, Samoens is a favourite for intermediate-advanced riders.

Maydena, Australia

With a location as insane as Tasmania’s Derwent Valley right on the doorstep, it’s hard to imagine having a bad time at Maydena Bike Park. Designed and built by world-renowned trail builders, Dirt Art, the park offers a year-round shuttle service to over 820+m of vertical elevation. With a vast array of epic long descent singletrack and downhill riding over 68km, expect steep lines, rough tracks, tight single track, big jumps and flowy berms. The park is best suited to intermediate to advanced riders. However, the park’s clever trail network means there’s something for every level rider in each section of the park.

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