~story and photos by Boris Ladwig
Light from the winter sun caught the concrete berms of Brown County’s newest attraction—a looping bike track with jumps and smooth bumps.
Despite cold temperatures, cyclists of all ages and skill levels are already using the Brown County Pump Track to drop off ledges, pump over smooth rollers, and carve through banked turns that tip their bodies almost horizontal.
“It’s great to see people of all levels,” said Danielle Nolan, who co-owns Brown County Bikes.
Nolan said she hopes the track will help more Brown County residents, especially kids, engage in physical activity and build community. Meanwhile, local government and tourism officials hope the track will give bike enthusiasts— already drawn to the area because of the trails in Brown County State Park— another reason to visit south-central Indiana.
Pump tracks get their name from riders who gain speed by shifting their weight—pumping—rather than through pedaling. Such tracks have gained popularity across the globe as a skill lab of sorts and to allow people to get physical activity in a fun and safe environment close to home.
While other communities in Indiana and nearby states have BMX tracks and even pump tracks, the local track, in Deer Run Park, sets itself apart through variety, certification, and materials.
The Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau plugs the track as the world’s only skills park certified by the Bicycle Instructor Certification Program.
Nolan said that while a lot of tracks are made of black asphalt, the local track’s concrete surface makes it look more natural, increases durability and reduces maintenance costs. Some pump tracks also are made of dirt, she said, which can create ruts and drainage challenges.
The local track offers multiple skill paths, progressive jumps, rollers (small rounded bumps you push down into to build speed), berms (tall, banked corners that let you turn fast without sliding), drops (step-downs where you roll or pop off a ledge to land smoothly below), and jumps (shaped takeoffs and landings that let riders get a little —or a lot—of air).
Nolan and her wife, Kate, said they and their children have loved traveling to pump tracks all over the country to test their biking skills.
“We really wanted to bring that to Brown County,” Kate Nolan said.
The couple’s idea got reinforced when they hosted a festival in Nashville and installed a small modular track that got an enormous response from adults and kids, who used the track all day and asked whether it would remain in Brown County permanently.
By the time the couple approached county officials, the Brown County Parks and Recreation Department already had a pump track in its fiveyear plan, based on community feedback.
Mark Shields, director of Brown County Parks & Recreation, said when the department collected feedback from the community a few years ago about what kind of programming and services they’d like to see, a pump track “was among the amenities most requested.”
“The pump track offers a fun, engaging outdoor recreational opportunity for both youth and adult cyclists to develop skills, improve balance and coordination, as well as building confidence on the bike,” he said via email. “This new amenity will be an attraction for not only Brown Countians, but also for visitors outside of the community as well.”
Shields said the department is “grateful and excited” for the park and the Nolans’ help.
With the help of friends and customers, the Nolans raised nearly $50,000, which doubled thanks to a matching grant secured by the Brown County Community Foundation. That got the project a good way to its $200,000 price tag.
The foundation’s president, Alice Susemichel, said the pump track supports health and wellness, one of the foundation’s main areas of interest.
The track provides local residents with a great place to get started on their bike skills and to get a taste for the sport, while experienced riders from Brown County or from far away can spend some time on the track to warm up before they hit the trails at Brown County State Park.
“The Nolans have a heart for ensuring that kids have opportunities to ride bicycles and get out and move,” Susemichel said.
“We were happy to help,” she said.
By June 2025, the parties had secured all their funding, with assistance from the International Mountain Bicycling Association and cycling components manufacturer Shimano, and broke ground. In mid-December of last year, community leaders officially opened the track.
Anyone can use the track, provided they wear a helmet and use a bike that does not have a motor. The Nolans’ nonprofit, Live Adventurously, will hold youth clinics, skill workshops and seasonal events at the track. They make bikes and helmets available for kids to make sure that everyone gets a chance to enjoy the new track.
While the snow and cold weather have kept riders away for much of the winter, Kate Nolan said the new track has gained some traction online, with thousands of interactions on social media.
Once the weather improves, they will organize more events to introduce people to Brown County’s newest athletic amenity.
“We’re really passionate about what we do,” Kate Nolan said. “And just to see the community and opportunities grow around here, it really makes us happy.”
Shields, the parks director, said “We are so grateful and excited to have this new feature at Deer Run Park and we encourage everyone to bring their bike and give it a try.”