A new outdoor recreation opportunity is taking shape in Cordell with the opening of an e-bike and mountain bike trail located across from Midwest Motorsports on North Glenn English Street. The trail officially opened to the public on December 27 and is the vision of local bike enthusiast Dale Selman.
Selman said the idea for the trail began when he learned the wooded property was for sale.
“Some of my friends owned this property, and I heard they were looking to sell it, so I went and looked at it out of curiosity. I never paid much attention all these years driving past it, but it’s covered thick in trees, and lots of water flows through the property,” Selman said.
At the time, Selman was recovering from an injury and had recently purchased an e-bike.
“At the time, my leg was in a cast, and I’d purchased an e-bike for easy mobility, so it was fresh on my mind,” he said. “I thought it would be cool to get more kids and adults involved, and it’s something that’s been part of my life for as long as I can remember.”
The trail’s location was chosen in part because of its proximity to Midwest Motorsports, which Selman says plays a key role in supporting riders.
“Midwest Motorsports carries high-quality e-bike lines RAWRR & Stacyc. These bikes range from beginners at 3-4 years old up to adults,” Selman said. “They stock helmets, gloves, tires, and tubes, and have a great service department to keep you on the trail.”
Once the trail is fully open, Selman said memberships and waivers will be available for new members to purchase, including annual single and family memberships, at Midwest Motorsports during their normal business hours.
“Another bike enthusiast and local philanthropist, Eddie Brown Motors, is directly across the road. Maybe in the future, we’ll be able to help more with his Christmas bike drive,” Selman said.
Midwest Motorsports reported that December 27 was an “awesome demo day” working alongside Selman, and they expressed appreciation to friends and customers who came out to ride. The shop noted that some e-bike models are currently on sale and encouraged anyone with questions to stop by or contact them directly. Midwest Motorsports will be working with Selman on yearly passes, which will be sold through the shop. Riders interested in purchasing a pass or doing a test run on the trail are asked to stop by Midwest Motorsports to sign a waiver before riding. The business also thanked the community for supporting their small shop.
The opening day drew a strong response from the community.
“We had a great turnout on Dec. 27th, about 25 riders signed in to make a lap, and several youngsters test rode bikes out in the parking area,” Selman said. “Midwest Motorsports brought several bikes over for the public to demo. I’ve had several people hit me up about buying memberships for frequent visits, so I’m pretty optimistic.”
The trail has been designed with families and beginners in mind.
“I have families in mind when we’re designing the trails, so they are fairly beginner/novice rider level,” Selman said. “There’s a couple of creek crossings that might require some riders to walk their bike across, and a short uphill section that gives some riders trouble.”
He added that the natural terrain plays a role in the riding experience.
“The main obstacles are trees. We cut the trail tight between the trees to maintain speed, and there’s a turn just past every turn,” Selman said.
The area is also designed to be welcoming for nonriders.
“There’s also plenty of room off the trails for mom and dad to hike around, and enjoy nature while the kids ride, and more open areas to ride a 3-wheeled bike, or one with a kid trailer,” he said.
Selman expects official member access to begin soon.
“I expect we’ll open the trails to members by February 1st officially,” he said. “The trails will be open seven days a week during daylight hours to members.”
Safety and respect for the space will be emphasized.
“There will be rules to agree to when signing up for memberships, and posted rules at the entrance,” Selman said. “The main ones are that bike riders always wear a helmet. Never ride beyond your capabilities. Respect other visitors in the park. Failure to comply will result in suspension from the park.”
The trail is designated strictly for bicycles and e-bikes.
“The trail is designed for bikes and e-bikes first, not to disturb our neighbors, so gas engine machines are strictly forbidden from the trails,” Selman said. “Second, we want to preserve the trail’s condition and avoid ruts gas bikes tend to make. We will close the trails during wet periods for rider safety and to avoid damaging the trails.”
Selman also welcomed community involvement.
“Last, I’m open to volunteers. If you’re a bike enthusiast who wants to help develop obstacles while spending some time in nature, we’re just getting started,” he said.
Looking to the future, Selman hopes the trail inspires more outdoor activity in Cordell.
“I hope the trails help introduce local kids to the bicycle and e-bike community,” he said. “I don’t see kids on bikes like they were when I was a kid, so I hope to help change that.”
He added, “If you look at BMX and mountain bike racers, they’re built like weightlifters. Riding a bicycle has that element about it where it’s so much fun, and gives you the feeling of freedom so much, you can exercise all day long and never realize it.”
Additional trail development is already underway.
“We’re also working on cutting more bike and hike trails at Cordell Lake,” Selman said. “Given the size of the property and density of the woods, I think we’ll make another 5-6 miles of trails out there, compared to the 1-mile loop at the Green Scene.”
Selman closed with an invitation to the community: “I hope to see everyone soon at Selman’s Green Scene.”