Learning to Build MTB Trails, with Tony Boone
Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast
Singletracks.com
4.7 • 574 Ratings
🗓️ 31 October 2022
⏱️ 75 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Tony Boone has been building mountain bike trails for more than 30 years, and literally helped write the book on the subject, contributing to IMBA’s Guides to Building Sweet Singletrack and Providing Great Riding. He established the first bike patrol in Colorado in 1989 and has been an active member of the Professional Trail Builders Association since 1995.
In this episode we ask:
- What was it like working as a Boulder open space employee?
- How do the early trails compare to the ones you’re involved in creating today?
- How do you learn and establish best practices for trail building?
- What are some of the most common mistakes new trail builders make?
- How did you get involved working with IMBA, and building trails overseas?
- What was it like seeing the development of mountain biking in places like China?
- What are some of the trail projects you’re most proud of?
- What led you to create a community college trail building course? How do trail builders benefit from a more formal education?
- What is life like as a full time trail builder?
- How do concepts like sustainability and stewardship fit into recreational trail building?
- What does the Jim Angel quote, “People don’t need trails, the land does,” mean to you?
Connect with Tony and learn more at tonyboonetrails.com.
This episode of the Singletracks podcast is sponsored by Explore Brevard.
Professional mountain biker Adam Craig says it’s one of the top three places in the universe he’s ever ridden. Where is this magical mountain biking nirvana? It’s none other than Brevard, North Carolina, home to Pisgah National Forest and DuPont Recreational Forest. The area boasts over 300 miles of peerless singletrack, not to mention hundreds of miles of gravel roads, creating a near endless array of routes, terrains, and challenges to explore. Four vibrant bike shops will get you sorted, whether you need gear, service, or a top notch rental. Top it off with an array of craft breweries, cafes and gathering spots that have earned Brevard the title as one of the best small towns in America in 2021. It all adds up to a premier mountain biking destination you’ll want to experience for yourself. Find out more at ExploreBrevard.com.
✏️ A written transcript of this conversation is available at singletracks.com.
--Keep up with the latest in mountain biking at Singletracks.com and on Instagram @singletracks
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hi, just leave on work now. Sorry, it's a bit loud. Um, basically, so I was thinking we could get Mackeys tonight. Had a big Mac on my mind all day and delivery fee on the app is now from 99P. So you win? Of course you are. Love you. Bye. Exclusively on the McDonald's app. 18 plus service fee and small order fee may apply. Participating restaurants. Serving times and teas and Cs and Cs apply. This week we're resharing one of our favorite episodes of the single tracks podcast. |
| 0:24.8 | If you've already heard this one, don't worry because we'll be back next week with an all-new show. |
| 0:29.2 | Are you enjoying the single tracks podcast? |
| 0:31.6 | Well, we could use your support. |
| 0:33.3 | The small but dedicated single tracks team works hard to share the mountain bike information |
| 0:37.5 | that inspires epic adventures. |
| 0:39.8 | Through this podcast, our worldwide database of trail maps and photos, and daily news |
| 0:45.0 | and reviews on the website. |
| 0:47.2 | So consider becoming a monthly, annual, or lifetime pro supporter, and enjoy ad-free |
| 0:53.1 | browsing on the website, free single-track stickers |
| 0:56.2 | in the mail, and discounts on merch for as little as $3 per month. |
| 1:01.4 | Go to singletrax.com slash support to sign up and to find out other ways you can help support |
| 1:06.7 | our mission. That's singletrax.com slash support. Thank you and happy trails. |
| 1:12.0 | Hey everybody, welcome to the single tracks podcast. My name is Jeff and today my guest is Tony Boone. |
| 1:19.4 | Tony has been building mountain bike trails for more than 30 years and he literally helped |
| 1:24.6 | write the book on the subject contributing to both Emba's Guide to Building Sweet Single Track and also Emba's Guide to Providing Great Writing. |
| 1:33.8 | He established the first bike patrol in Colorado back in 1989 and has been an active |
| 1:39.3 | member of the Professional Trail Builders Association since 1995. |
| 1:45.0 | Thanks for joining us, Tony. |
| 1:47.0 | Hey, thanks, Jeff. |
| 1:47.8 | Glad to be here. |
| 1:48.8 | So have you always been interested in trails? |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Singletracks.com, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Singletracks.com and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.