Pass This On To Your MTB Friends:

Since January 1, 2018, Washington County has charged admission for all motor vehicles entering its 6 most prominent parks:

• Ackerman’s Grove
• Glacier Hills
• Heritage Trails
• Homestead Hollow
• Leonard J. Yahr
• Sandy Knoll

The county parks department received a lot of criticism from the public when the fees were announced. Much of it was from people who simply didn’t want to pay for something that had been free. Other people observed that the fees were unfairly burdensome for low-income households. I stayed out of the argument. But give credit to the parks department for making the best of a bad situation. It instituted the fees only after our tight-fisted county board told it to fund itself, as no more money would be coming from taxes. And the department recognized that it would need to offer more attractions to bring in paying customers. During the last four years we have witnessed numerous changes. Old buildings have been refurbished and marketed as wedding/reception halls. Cabins and ranger houses are now available for rent to families in search of a peaceful weekend getaway. Beer gardens and live music have become common. Public/private partnerships like Sandy Knoll’s disc golf pro shop look like they’re here to stay.

None of this mattered very much to me. Bikes were banned from county park trails, so I used the parks only for hiking and snowshoeing, activities I could do just as well and without any fees in West Bend city parks. But in 2022 I will have to consider a parks pass for myself. After a four-year absence, I am coming back to mountain biking … just in time for the official opening of the new trails at Heritage Trails County Park. This purpose-built system will keep hikers and mountain bikers on separate trails. Much of the system is already complete, and rider reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. If Minooka Park is the center of mountain biking for our neighbors in Waukesha County, then Heritage Trails may soon become the center for Washington County. It will, at least, give West Bend’s Glacial Blue Hills Recreation Area a worthy rival.

Washington County is offering different designs for its 2022 passes. They all provide the same access, but the different designs allow patrons to show off their particular interests and give the parks department another way to measure which amenities park users want to access. So, if you’re a mountain biker, buy the mountain bike pass. The annual pass is the best deal for frequent visitors, but day passes are available too.