IMBA’s Ride Center™ designation is the gold standard for mountain biking destinations. These world-class locations deliver it all: epic variety, unmatched quality, and progression that keeps every rider stoked, whether you’re an advanced shredder chasing flow, a family looking for a weekend getaway, or a first-timer discovering the joy of trails.
Revamped and relaunched in fall 2025, the Ride Center program now highlights excellence with a dynamic badge system across four trail types. From remote backcountry adventures to shuttle-served gravity laps, you can zero in on the perfect destination for the ride experience you crave.
IMBA’s Ride Center™is your passport to the ultimate mountain bike vacation.
IMBA Ride Center: 60+ miles of high-quality trails and at least three badges
IMBA Premier Ride Center: 100+ miles of high-quality trails and all four badges
Trails close to the community that are ideal for an arrival-day lap, a family excursion or a group ride.
Trails farther from civilization that create an all-day adventure and immersion into that destination’s landscape.
Trails built with descending as the focus, with various methods of uplift possible to foster repeated runs.
A contained, skills-based amenity that shines as a second-outing-of-the-day option or a place for youngsters to let off steam and build their abilities.
Locations can also highlight their trails open to Class 1 e-bikes as well as trails suitable for adaptive use.
Why become a Ride Center?
Working toward an IMBA Ride Center designation puts your town on the map for mountain bikers, who generate millions of dollars for local economies while they explore your trails, bike shops, breweries and B&Bs.
Ride Center: Cuyuna, MN
After mining left the region, leaving a scar on the landscape and a hole in the local economy, the northern Minnesota town of Cuyuna turned to mountain biking to bring back visitors and residents alike. This Silver-Level IMBA Ride Center sees tens of thousands of visitors annually who come for the trails and contribute millions of dollars to the local economy.
Beyond tourism, a Ride Center designation inspires community investment. Striving to achieve the designation brings together many different stakeholders, cementing relationships that can carry a community forward in its trail goals for years to come. The assessment process reveals gaps and opportunities that might otherwise have gone unnoticed, providing new ideas for capitalizing on a community’s unique strengths and culture.
For communities still developing trail infrastructure, the criteria used for the designation can serve as a road map to guide the work with purposeful intention. The process and designation is often leveraged to make more progress on trail goals through new and renewed partnerships as well as financial investment.
No matter the goals of a community, whether they want to provide recreation for their residents or create the economic driver of trail tourism, following the objectives of trail quality, variety and skills progression will result in an excellent place to get outside on a bike.
How to Apply
Ride Center applications are accepted year-round and locations are vetted by trail professionals. Once awarded, the designation is active for five years, with re-application ensuring these destinations are both maintaining what they have and evolving their offerings to stay current with rider desires.
IMBA Ride Center FAQ
Get your questions on the designation, timeline, process, and renewals answered.
IMBA Ride Center Application Guide
Spend time with this detailed application guide to prepare for the application process.
Ready to become an IMBA Ride Center?
Get in touch to discuss the application process and receive detailed eligibility criteria.
