Two years ago, things looked pretty bleak at the southern end of Lake Dillon: a rampant pine-beetle infestation had decimated yet another gorgeous grove of pines. But the bugs didn’t get the last laugh. Rising out of the ashes—or rather, out of the heaps of branches and needles—left in their wake comes the newly minted Frisco Adventure Park.

Opened last summer (and operated as a tubing hill, terrain park, and beginner ski slope this past winter), the one-of-a-kind mountain bike park is now in high gear. The literal two-wheel playground consists of a series of dirt jumps and ramps with four runs suited to beginner through advanced riders, a downhill pump track, a flow track, and a dual slalom course. And unlike lift-accessed downhill runs on the nearby slopes, the course here is free to anyone who has a bike and wants to play.

“Frisco is on the leading edge in the bike park industry,” says Frisco Adventure Park operations manager Josh Olsen. “The riding community is blessed to have something like this at their fingertips. People have been waiting for this since they were children.”

Riders of all ages are welcome to rocket through the course; in fact, you’ll even find adult and youth bike camps offered by the Frisco Recreation Department. And if flying a kite, having a picnic, or playing ball is your preferred park pastime, the larger Peninsula Recreation Area accommodates with fields, a baseball diamond, and a day lodge serving snacks and beverages. The peninsula also has a complete disc golf course, a skate park, a number of hiking and biking trails, and a campground.

The infestation may have thinned the forest a bit (you’ll want extra sunscreen due to the lack of shade), but the horizon is full of new toys. Take that, pine beetles!