San Maximum: Mountain Biking

By Austin Cowan
Blog Content Contributor 

Mountain biking is just one way to find excitement in the city of San Marcos.

If you enjoy physical activity and the outdoors like me, then mountain biking is for you. Because of all the hills, the terrain of San Marcos is ideal for biking. Climbing the hills in San Marcos is always exhausting, but it’s worth it on the ride down. Hotheads, like myself, will love the adrenaline rush felt while biking down a hill. Mountain biking in San Marcos is such an awesome experience, and no one can get the full San Marcos experience without it.

Two places to go mountain biking in San Marcos are Bicentennial Park and Purgatory Creek Park.

Bicentennial Park is located at the intersection of East Hopkins Street and North CM Allen Parkway, less than a quarter of a mile away from downtown San Marcos. The location makes it easily accessible for most of the student population in the city. It also includes a biking trail with ramps. This park is my go to spot when I want to perform some sick jumps while on the trails.

Farther away from the heart of San Marcos is Purgatory Creek Park. It’s located at the intersection of Hunter Road and Wonder World Drive. This park is 570 acres of trees, wildlife and trails. Any rider who wishes to temporarily escape civilization will find themselves on the trails of Purgatory Creek.

Mountain biking is not as expensive as some people believe. All this sport requires is a few pieces of equipment:

Helmet – can be purchased for about $20.

Air Pump – can be anywhere from $10 to $30 depending on the brand.

Mountain Bike – a good quality bike will require some money. However, it is possible to find one for cheap. I ride a 26 inch Genesis Saber Men’s Mountain Bike, which cost me about $120 (cheap for a bike.) Genesis makes steadfast bikes for reasonable prices. For a person just starting to get into mountain biking, Genesis is a great company to check out; Mongoose and Schwinn are good as well.

In order to get the full San Marcos experience, mountain biking is a necessity. It does not matter where you’re from or who you are, if you enjoy exercise and the outdoors then this is the sport for you.