Seven Springs will open its lift-accessed Bike Park today at discounted rates and plans to add two to three more trails by mid-June to give riders additional variety, mileage and challenge.

The resort also will open a bike shop in the Skier Services Building and the yurt at the base of The Spot, the four-acre terrain park where riders can hang out after their runs.

The high-speed, six-passenger Coca Cola Polar Bear Express chairlift will whisk riders to the top of the front side of the resort where they can pedal a short distance to the start of the course.

The current and new bike trails "are all about flow," said Judd de Vall, a former professional rider and project manager for Alpine Bike Parks, the consulting and construction firm hired to develop the Bike Park.

"We want to build a diversity of [machine -- and hand-built] trails that will provide an exceptional experience for a broad range of riders -- from first-timers to experts," de Vall said. "Some of our trails will be extremely challenging, but we want to [emphasize that they] aren't just for hard-core downhillers.

"Meandering, lift-accessed trails are a perfect experience for families who are looking for a way to ride together without long climbs. The trails can be an especially good way to introduce family members and children to our favorite summer experience."

The park's first trail, a serpentine run almost a mile long, opened in September. It includes bermed or banked turns, rolling jumps, tabletop jumps and natural terrain.

The park will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for weekends only throughout most of June, and for weekends and holidays only from Sept. 2 to Oct. 26. It will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from June 28 through Sept. 1.

Each rider must buy a Gravity Bike Pass that will cost $15 until more trails are opened. It will then increase to $29. Season passes are $199.

Helmets and body armor are a good idea. You can rent a torso protector that covers the chest and back for $10 for a half day, $15 for a full day. The rental fee for full-suspension Kona mountain bikes, which includes a helmet and shin and elbow pads, is $50 for a half-day, $75 for a full day.

For more information, go to www.7springs.com or call 1-800-452-2223.

Hidden Valley and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa also rent mountain bikes. For more information, go to www.myhid denvalleyresort.com (1-814-443-8000) or www.nemacolin.com (1-800-422-2736).

Tomorrow is the deadline to sign up for "Keels, Heels and Wheels," a June 13-15 ecotour in Ohiopyle State Park, where participants will spend two days and one night enjoying a variety of outdoor activities and interpretive programs.

The first day consists of a 4-mile interpretive hike to two of the park's picturesque waterfalls and a 9-mile bike trip on the Youghiogheny River Trail. Dinner will feature some local wild edibles and local legends around a campfire. A moonlit cruise on Cranberry Lake will follow. Overnight accommodations will be in Ohiopyle's cottages.

The second day includes a leisurely interpretive float trip on the Middle Youghiogheny and a hike on the Meadow Run Trail.

The cost, based on double occupancy, ranges from $150-$205 per person and includes all meals, interpretive programs, equipment rental and overnight accommodations. Space is limited for this popular program. For more information or a registration form, contact Barbara Wallace or Clyde Trout at 724-329-0986 or eeohiopyle@qcol.net.

The Butler Freeport Trail Council has extended an open invitation to a groundbreaking ceremony for the final 4 miles of the trail into Butler.

Council spokesman Bob Ingoldsby said the event, which will include refreshments, entertainment, a Chinese auction, prizes and a community walk, will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 7 at Franklin Field on Herman Road. The new addition to the 20-mile trail was the subject of "many years of litigation and countless volunteer hours," Ingoldsby said.

For more information, go to www.ButlerFreeportTrail.org.