Discover why Calleva’s Mountain Biking Camp is the perfect choice for your child’s summer adventure! From beginner to intermediate levels, our program offers hands-on learning, well-maintained equipment, and access to premier biking locations in Maryland and Virginia.
With a focus on mountain biking skill development and environmental education, our campers explore nature while gaining confidence and building friendships. Join us for an unforgettable outdoor experience!
Overview of the mountain biking programs at Calleva
There are three main camp options for mountain biking for kids at Calleva: MD Mountain Biking Camp, and MD Explorers.
MD Calleva Mountain Biking camp serves as an introduction to the exciting world of mountain biking. During the week, campers sample the best mountain biking in Maryland and Virginia. Additionally, this camp includes an exciting Thursday Overnight!
Our WV High Adventure Mountain Biking Camp is on hiatus in 2026, but it’s worth noting that West Virginia is home to some of the best mountain biking on the East Coast. We love Black Water Falls State Park because it is a favorite Calleva throwback from the early years.
Our latest addition to the mountain biking program is designed for our MD Explorers. Now even our youngest campers can enjoy the thrill of mountain biking, with activities and equipment designed especially for them!
The Explorers mountain biking program is using BALANCE BIKES!! They are such a great way for little riders to feel comfortable on 2 wheels. There are no pedals, but campers can still learn to kick off and balance in the way they would on a pedal bike. Our goal here is to lay a foundation of skills and a love of biking that empowers 6-8 year olds with a taste of Calleva-style adventure on the biking trails.
The introduction of mountain biking camp and how it aligns with the camp’s mission
Flash may now be famous for his cookies from the Farm Store, but once upon the beginning of Calleva he was the Mountain Biking Instructor. Flash’s dedication to adventure is where it all started.
Calleva has always been and will always be about trying new things. New camps that get campers outdoors, pushing themselves to try new things, do hard things and conquer new challenges. You can read more about the early days of Calleva and the heart of camp in our recent Markoff Brother interview.
This year we were looking to expand our Explorers’ program and needed a couple of additional activities to offer our youngest adventurers. The addition of mountain biking to Explorers gets campers learning more had skills at an early age. This not only prepares campers for more epic adventures as they grow, but fosters new ways for campers to spend time outdoors during the year.
Skill levels of the mountain biking programs and how these levels are differentiated
Calleva’s mountain biking programs are geared toward beginner and intermediate riders. We start with the basics and build up. With the addition of mountain biking to the Explorers program we are now offering the basics of mountain biking using balance bikes. Then riders will progress to full pedal bikes.
The MD Mountain Biking Adventure camp is designed for beginners. Once campers are at the intermediate to advanced level they are ready for the WV Mountain Biking High Adventure camp.
For our Adventure and High Adventure camps, depending on the skill level within a group, the instructor may choose to separate into two groups to better serve the campers. At Calleva we pride ourselves on a challenge by choice philosophy. This allows us to meet campers where they are with a focus on progress, not perfection.
Mountain biking equipment provided at the camp
For all mountain biking programs, Calleva provides a fleet of capable and well maintained mountain bikes. The balance bikes used for Explorers are perfect for young riders just starting out.
Balance bikes are for all ages! We are proud owners of 2 fleets of balance bikes that fit 5 to 12 year olds! This allows campers who have never been on any bike up to very experienced riders to gain confidence in body positioning, momentum, and basic obstacles of mountain biking.
We also have pedal kits that we can use to upgrade the bikes, if there is a significant camper interest. The more skilled a camper is, the more they may be able to challenge themselves on the track.
Our fleet of bikes is available to meet the needs of all riders, but campers are allowed to bring their own bikes on Adventure and High Adventure programs if they prefer.
Dedicated facilities or trails designed specifically for mountain biking
For our Adventure and High Adventure camps we visit an array of locations depending on the weather and group skill level. MD Mountain Biking Camp travels to an array of locations including but not limited to Schaeffer Farms, Fountainhead Regional Park, Patapsco State Park, Gambrill State Park, and the Calleva Farm.
Our WV Mountain Biking Camp visits some of the best mountain biking on the East Coast. Trails like Hellbender and Plantation are just a few of the routes during a high adventure week.
Our Explorers will stay on the pump track. This is a fill dirt track full of burms, bumps, low logs and more on the Calleva Farm this summer. The leader of our OneWheel program had built a pretty sweet pump track for them to use in the past. This year, without OneWheel on our offerings, we Explorers decided we would take over the pump track!
Mountain biking programs incorporate educational elements for campers
Mountain biking at Calleva in general teaches campers classic etiquette in public use spaces. Things like how to share the trail, LNT, don’t ride muddy trails, etc. During Explorers, campers will have drills to practice their balance. Additionally they will have the opportunity to work on some obstacles of their very own to learn how a trail is built for “flow”.
The MD Mountain Biking program is designed to progressively introduce campers to mountain biking. On Day 1, we teach basic trail riding, trail etiquette, and basic bike maintenance. For Day 2, we focus specifically on cornering, rocks, and roots. On Day 3, we transition to techniques such as pumping, jumpings, and dropping. Finally, on our overnight, we travel to trails that challenge all the skills we learned during the week.
The High Adventure WV Mountain Biking camp is designed for intermediate to advanced riders. However, that does not mean they won’t be learning anything new. Campers will practice cornering, approaching features with brake control, practice drops and getting air. Campers will learn evening bike tips and attend a maintenance class at Blackwater Bikes.
Like everything we do at Calleva, we approach mountain biking with the same always learning and always growing mentality. Campers will learn new skill on and off their bikes.
Mountain Biking camps complement the other activities offered at Calleva
The goal of Explorers is for campers to get a “taste of it all!” At Calleva, we pride ourselves on educating kids to be safe, competent adventure sports enthusiasts. So the more sports we can give them a foundation for, the better!
Mountain biking skills, such as risk management, transfer over well to other Calleva activities such as whitewater kayaking and rock climbing. Our mountain biking programs provide children with opportunities to push themselves out of their comfort zones and tackle obstacles that may have seemed unfeasible. The confidence from such an experience will carry over to all aspects of a campers life.
Opportunities for campers to combine mountain biking with other outdoor experiences
Biking is exhausting!! Especially in Maryland, in the summer. Those 95 degree days with 90% humidity will really push our campers! One of the best parts about our biking program is that it is balanced with finding the perfect swimming hole in the afternoon!
Be it Seneca creek, the Potomac or else where, the bikers are pretty good at finding some epic rope swings.
Plans to expand or enhance the mountain biking program in the future
Beginning this summer, we will be reintroducing Mountain Biking High adventures and mountain biking during Explorers. It certainly helps to differentiate skill levels and/or ages. Which is why we have shifted to an older group for biking this year.
We are excited to see where the camper enthusiasm takes the future of our mountain biking programs.
Pump up Adventure with Mountain Biking Camp at Calleva
Mountain Biking Camp at Calleva offers an unparalleled summer adventure experience for children of all skill levels. From our MD Mountain Biking Camp to the WV High Adventure Mountain Biking Camp and the MD Explorers program, there’s something for every young rider.
Our focus on skill development, environmental education, and outdoor exploration sets us apart, providing campers with the tools they need to succeed on and off the trails. With well-maintained equipment, experienced instructors, and access to premier biking locations, Mountain Biking Camp at Calleva promises an unforgettable summer filled with excitement, growth, and endless outdoor adventures. Join us and watch your child thrive in the exhilarating world of mountain biking!
Julia Markoff
Mountain Biking Instructor
Julia grew up at Calleva. Her back yard was the Calleva farm so it’s no surprise she is a pro at all things outdoors. Julia joined the family business as a camp counselor when she was 13. She is currently attending the University of Idaho studying architecture.
Julia loves mountain biking! She learned how to mountain bike right here at Calleva from a bull rider we called Cowboy Kyle because he rode bulls. Her favorite part of mountain biking is that there is always something to learn and you go places that you never would have thought of.
Olivia Murphy
Events Director & Farm Camp Director
Olivia is the Farm Camp Director and Calleva’s Events Director. She has been with the Calleva team since Summer 2008 starting as a JC for the excitement of a paycheck. Her favorite part of being at Calleva is the unceasing entertainment.
She is also a whitewater kayak instructor and loves to mountain bike, whichever is seasonally appropriate would be her favorite at the time. Olivia enjoys how EVERY day is different and that she gets to work with a STELLAR team.
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