Hadley Bierma/Emerald

At Suzanne Arlie Park in southeast Eugene, construction is underway to create a premiere mountain bike destination. Ground has already been broken on seven trails, which are expected to open by Thanksgiving 2026. An additional four trails and three hubs — gathering spots for riders featuring benches and trail maps — await further funding.

Finish the Ride is a Eugene Parks Foundation initiative aiming to raise the additional $600,000 needed to complete the “Final Four” through private donations. The city of Eugene is already investing approximately $4 million into the project.

Shouldering the cost opens the door for sizable economic opportunity, according to Ariel Lissman, executive director of the Eugene Parks Foundation.

“15% of Oregonians are participating in off-road biking. That is about 620,000 people in Oregon that look for mountain bike destinations, and we want them to stop here,” Lissman said. “Imagine what it will do to our local economy. Imagine what it will do to our local businesses, to the mountain bike industry, to our restaurants, coffee shops, breweries and beyond.”

One of the Eugene Parks Board’s goals is to “show that parks can boost the economy, increase income, increase investment, (and) attract and retain talented workforces,” Lissman said.

The future of Suzanne Arlie Park wasn’t always so prosperous — it was originally purchased by the city of Eugene as a greenspace for bipedal pastimes like hiking and running. But community feedback showed that people wanted something different: mountain bike trails.

Hobbyists and diehards wanted something local, and complained of long drives to reach trails outside of Eugene.

“We say ‘Enough of that. We should have a functional experience here, in our community,’” Lissman said. “We deserve exceptional parks in Eugene.”

Lissman references the many health, economic, environmental, social and emotional benefits that extraordinary park systems provide. Unfortunately, he notes, it’s not always easy to provide access to these kinds of spaces.

“What happens all the time, everywhere around the world — not just a Eugene story — is that there’s an understanding that there will never, never be enough public funding for parks and recreation,” Lissman said. “There’s never enough public funding available to provide what we need in the community.”

As Finish the Ride continues its search for donors, Lissman is hopeful that the community will rally behind the vision of a premiere, countywide mountain biking destination in Eugene’s backyard.

“We just need to tap on the shoulders and say, ‘Let’s do it together,’” Lissman said. “Let’s finish the ride.”

Editor’s note: This story has been edited to reflect the fact that $600,000 is the current fundraising goal, instead of 60,000. The story has also been edited to reflect that 15% of Oregonians is 620,000 people. The Emerald deeply regrets these errors.