From Backyard Jumps to the X Games: Trail Builder Dave King

Building Dirt Trails in Patapsco Valley State Park

Photo Courtesy of the Friends of Patapsco Valley State Park

While I’m an avid trail user, I’ll admit—I know very little about trail building. I’ve heard it’s part art, part science. One rider who volunteers with trail building at Patapsco Valley State Park once described it like this: “You have to read the land—it’s expressive. You're carving motion into the earth.” Then comes the science: drainage, measured trail grades, and kinematics.

Dave King knows this balance better than most.

What began as a childhood passion—building backyard trails and jumps—grew into a full-fledged career. By 2009, King started DirtSculpt. According to the company’s website, the team is made up of “professional riders who transcend multiple riding styles.”

They’ve got a pretty impressive resume—back in 2013, they built the BMX Dirt course for the X Games. The company travels all over the country building trails.

Closer to home, they’ve left their mark on Patapsco Valley State Park. In 2014, they added the pump t…