Felton Pump Track
Learn more about the proposed track below and stay up to date with the process.
Latest Update: Board of Supervisors Approves Felton Pump Track!
On Tuesday, 12/12/23, the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors voted to move forward with the proposed pump track at Felton’s Covered Bridge County Park.
This means that we’re officially one step closer to building the new track!
The meeting approved a working agreement between the SCMTS team and Santa Cruz County Parks and gave the County Parks Director the authority to approve the track’s final design.
This decision will enable us to move through the final design process more quickly, and begin on track construction as soon as next year. Thank you to everyone who spoke up in support of the pump track.
Whether you commented on the agenda item, emailed the Board of Supervisors directly, or attended today’s meeting, you were an important part of the success we saw today. We’re proud to have such a supportive community!
Up next: we’ll fine-tune the track’s design with the County Parks Director, and begin to pull together construction details so that we can begin fundraising for this project. Stay tuned for more from our team in the months ahead!
The Project
We've teamed up with Santa Cruz County Parks to design a new pump track for Felton's Covered Bridge County Park, located at the intersection of Graham Hill Road and Mount Hermon Road, and need community input to bring this plan to life.
What is a pump track?
A pump track is a series of rollers, jumps, and banked turns that connect in a closed loop. They’re popular across all age groups, and over 100,000 trips are made to existing pump tracks in the City of Santa Cruz each year.
The proposed track would take the place of an unused volleyball court in Covered Bridge County Park. It would bring new outdoor recreation opportunities to the area, and be the only resource of its kind in the San Lorenzo Valley.
Key Stats
- Paved surface suitable for bikes, skateboards, roller skates, etc.
- Features of various sizes, suitable for all skill levels
- Similar in size to Harvey West Pump Track in the City of Santa Cruz
Pump Tracks in Action
Check out this video for a peek inside our team's construction of the Ramsay Park Pump Track in Watsonville (2021).
The Ramsay Park Pump Track sees thousands of trips from locals and visitors each month.
Project FAQs
The Santa Cruz Mountain Trails Stewardship in partnership with County Park Friends propose building a pump track at Felton Covered Bridge Park. The San Lorenzo Valley has a deficit of parks and other recreational amenities compared to other areas of San Cruz County. A pump track would be a great addition as it will provide a recreational experience to a diverse range of users of all ages.
What is a pump track?
A pump track is a track for wheeled sports equipment that, when ridden properly, does not require pedaling or pushing, but a “pumping” action to maintain momentum. pump tracks can be constructed out of different materials. Dirt is the traditional surfacing, but, the use of asphalt surfacing minimizes maintenance needs and allows for other wheeled users such as skateboards, scooters, roller skates etc., in addition to bicycles. pump tracks can be utilized by people of all ages and skill levels and allow for skills progression.
Are there other pump tracks nearby?
Several examples of pump track can be seen in the county. Ramsay Park, Harvey West Park, the Westside Pump Track, Skypark, McGregor Park and Chanticleer Park all have pump track facilities. Notably absent from this list is any park in the San Lorenzo Valley. Felton Covered Bridge Park would provide the perfect location for a pump track, sitting at the intersection of major transportation routes in and out of the San Lorenzo Valley.
Please note: The closest existing pump track is at Skypark in Scotts Valley. This pump track is temporary. It will be demolished to make way for new housing development in the area.
Where will people park?
Felton Covered Bridge Park has 32 parking spaces. The park is also adjacent to a Santa Cruz Metro bus stop. Many users will choose to ride to the park from their homes.
Will the pump track affect access to the Covered Bridge?
No. All existing walking pathways will remain as-is. The pump track will not be visible from the bridge nor deter from the existing views to and from the historic bridge.
How much space will be left over for community events (festivals, BBQs, etc)?
The proposed pump track will reduce the usable lawn space interior of the walking path and west of the volleyball court by 13% (6,500 sf of approximately 50,000 sf of lawn). This is mostly the margins between existing volleyball court and path. This will still provide space for community events while reducing the watering and mowing requirements of the turf.
What will the hours of operation be?
The pump track will be open from sunrise to sundown consistent with park hours.
Won’t a pump track be an eyesore on this beautiful park?
Pump tracks can be made aesthetically pleasing and to blend into a park landscape by using features such as split rail fencing, artificial turf, and/or native plant landscaping.
What will be used to address the noise created from the use of the pump track?
The pump track will be paved with smooth, fine aggregate asphalt and will create minimal noise from use by skateboards, scooters, and bicycles.
What is the plan for dust control during construction and regular use?
The site will be watered during construction to control dust. The track will be paved and landscape areas will be mulched and no dust should be created by use.
Who will maintain the pump track?
SCMTS will maintain the track surface. County Parks will maintain landscaping.
Will the pump track be fenced?
The pump track will be surrounded by a split rail fence.
Will lights be installed for the new track?
No, there will be no new lighting installed for the pump track.
Power On
Building and maintaining trails happens all year long. And there are lots of ways you can connect with other riders and hikers to dig in the dirt, learn techniques for building world-class trails, and much more.
