There are bike parks that are planned. And there are bike parks that emerge organically from a local scene. Bellwald clearly falls into the second category. What is known today as a versatile bike park with flow trails, enduro lines, alpine descents, and an international racing presence began 20 years ago with an idea, a lot of hard work, and a group of mountain bikers who wanted to make their dream of having their own downhill trail a reality. 

It all started with an idea

The official history of Bike Park Bellwald begins with the building permit dated June 28, 2005. But its true origins go back further: to Daniel Schalbetter and Romeo Volken, two enthusiastic mountain bikers from Bellwald who were already active in the Upper Valais biking scene during their youth. After gaining initial experience in cross-country, dual slalom, and downhill, their passion shifted more and more toward downhill riding. Inspired by freeride films, bike magazines, and a trip to British Columbia—home to the legendary North Shore and Whistler Bike Park—the idea was born to create a permanent downhill trail in Bellwald as well. The conditions were ideal: a steep mountain, existing chairlifts, tourist infrastructure, and a village already shaped by mountain sports. What was missing was a legal, permanently usable downhill trail. 

To get the project off the ground, the association “Gemeinschaft alternativer Bergradfahrer” (Community of Alternative Mountain Bikers) was founded in 2004. The name said it all: they deliberately wanted to be different from traditional mountain bike clubs. The focus was on downhill, freeride, the joy of riding, and a new way to experience the mountain. Building the first trail was truly pioneering work. Equipped with shovels, pickaxes, and hand tools, the volunteers worked their way through the terrain meter by meter. A large portion of the approximately 2.2-kilometer-long downhill trail was built by hand. Support came, among others, from Sportbahnen Bellwald, which provided excavator hours, as well as from local decision-makers who placed their trust in the young project. The trail was completed in October 2005, and the official opening followed in June 2006. This made Bellwald an integral part of the Swiss gravity scene from the very beginning. The iXS Downhill Swiss Cup was held for the first time as early as 2007. What started as a single race quickly became more than just a sporting competition. Bellwald combined racing, the local scene, music, and a festival atmosphere. Two live bands per evening, a legendary atmosphere, and a course that challenged riders made the event a fixture on the calendar over the years. To this day, the Downhill Cup remains one of Bike Park Bellwald’s defining events. 

Like many pioneering projects, Bellwald relied on perseverance. Maintenance was long handled by volunteers, and later increasingly by the ski lifts with support from Civil Defense. New infrastructure was initially added only sporadically. A blue trail was added in 2010, and later individual sections were renovated. But while mountain biking as a whole was growing and enduro bikes were blurring the lines between touring, trail riding, and downhill, the Bellwald Bike Park remained in a sort of standby mode for a time. The scene knew Bellwald, but the mountain’s full potential had not yet been realized. 

The Vision for a Modern Bike Park

The turning point came in 2018. With the “Vision Bikepark 2024,” the park’s further development was comprehensively planned for the first time. Daniel Engel, Philipp Bont, and Romeo Volken outlined a future in which Bellwald would become not just a downhill trail, but a versatile bike park with various difficulty levels, complementary offerings, and long-term significance for tourism. Bellwald Tourism played a decisive role in this, particularly the then-managing director Claudio della Bianca, who drove the project forward and brought together the various stakeholders: the municipality, the mountain railways, the canton, trail builders, initiators, sponsors, local businesses, and the tourism sector. Starting in 2020, Vast Trails provided professional construction services to bring the vision to life. Shovelful by shovelful, a bike park was created that is now one of the most versatile alpine destinations in Switzerland. The Forest Bump was built as an accessible flow trail, and the existing blue trail was redeveloped into the playful Sliderman. “Into the Wild” became a nature-oriented singletrack of medium difficulty. Later came “Vast & Furious, Lord of the Rims, and the ConnectorLine King, which also opened up the upper section between approximately 2,070 and 2,560 meters above sea level. 

The Bike Park Takes the World Stage

The original downhill dream has evolved into a bike destination with breadth, depth, and alpine character. This development has also put Bellwald on the international map in terms of sports. Together with the Aletsch Arena, the region has established enduro races at the highest level. Following the 2024 Enduro World Cup and the 2025 World Championships, another World Cup will take place in 2026. In addition, the Downhill Cup remains an important part of the bike park’s identity. Bellwald thus combines everything that defines modern bike destinations: options for beginners and families, challenging trails for advanced riders, true gravity DNA, and a strong connection to the scene. 

20th Anniversary and Looking Ahead

To mark its 20th anniversary, Bellwald is not only looking back but also looking ahead. On the weekend of July 4 and 5, 2026, the anniversary will be celebrated with an event for riders, families, guests, and locals. The focus will be on the bike park’s history, community gatherings, biking experiences, bike tests, a festival food court, and musical entertainment. It’s an anniversary celebration for everyone who has shaped, supported, built, maintained, visited, and helped develop the bike park over the years. 

A special highlight of the anniversary is the new partnership with Crankbrothers. The renowned bike component brand is becoming the official presenting partner of the legendary Dirty Cranking Trail—the very trail that played a pivotal role in launching the history of Bike Park Bellwald 20 years ago. This means that it’s not just any trail receiving new sponsorship, but the heart of the park: a descent that has stood for downhill riding, technical sections, speed, courage, and true gravity culture for two decades. The connection between Dirty Cranking and Crankbrothers seems almost obvious. Not only does the name fit, but so does the philosophy behind it. Dirty Cranking stands for an authentic, direct, and uncompromising form of mountain biking. Crankbrothers, on the other hand, has long been a brand strongly associated with racing DNA, functional design, and technical precision. The brand was founded in 1997 in Laguna Beach, California, and is now one of the world’s best-known manufacturers of mountain bike components and accessories. Crankbrothers gained fame, among other things, for its innovative Eggbeater pedal, which set new standards with its minimalist design and uncompromising functionality. Today, the product line includes pedals, cycling shoes, wheels, dropper posts, tools, and pumps—products developed for performance, reliability, and riding enjoyment across a wide variety of terrain. In Switzerland, Crankbrothers is represented by Intercycle AG, based in Sursee. 

There, too, the partnership is seen as a natural fit. According to Intercycle, the history of the Dirty Cranking Trail fits perfectly with Crankbrothers’ racing DNA. The goal is to work together to get even more riders excited about Bellwald and to further develop the trail’s visibility with a strong brand. The new trail branding featuring the Crankbrothers logo will be visible starting with the 2026 season. For Bellwald, the partnership is more than just a traditional advertising space. It connects the history of a local pioneering project with an international brand that enjoys high credibility in the world of mountain biking. This makes the anniversary not only a look back but also a sign of the next phase of development for Bike Park Bellwald. 

“The Dirty Cranking Trail has been the heart of our bike park for two decades and an absolute highlight for downhill fans from Switzerland and abroad,” says Romeo Volken, founder and president of the Bike Park Bellwald association. “In Crankbrothers, we’ve found a partner who shares the same passion for technology, precision, and adrenaline—a perfect match.” Today, Bike Park Bellwald is far more than just an additional tourist attraction. It has become part of the mountain village’s identity, a gathering place for the regional biking scene, a training and adventure space for children and teens, an economic driver during the summer, and an example of what can be achieved when idealism, local support, and professional development come together. 

The history of Bike Park Bellwald began with volunteers, hand tools, and a dash of Canadian inspiration. Twenty years later, Bellwald stands for alpine biking with both a past and a future. And with Crankbrothers partnering with the Dirty Cranking Trail, the very place where this story began is gaining new visibility.

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