There are two mountain bike skills parks in Fort Collins: one in Lory State Park and one in Spring Canyon Park. The Lory State Park skills area is larger, more comprehensive, and more appropriate for riders of all ages and skills levels than the one in Spring Canyon Park. Both are marked on the following Google map with biker icons. For more fun, read my list of mountain bike trails along the northern Front Range and my review of Valmont Bike Park in Boulder.
The Lory State Park Corral Center was designed and created by Lee McCormak and Steve Wentz of http://www.leelikesbikes.com. It is located near the visitor center and is open year round, weather permitting. It is a great skills park because it promotes fun and safety. There are three sections within the 69,000 square foot corral that each represent a different level of difficulty: the Skills Area for beginners, the Pump Track for seasoned riders, and the Dirt Jumps for high flyers. The Skills Area is a safe place to start because its features are low to the ground.
The Pump Track tests your navigation skills for tight corners because it spins you around and across mounds in various directions.
The Dirt Jumps area is a perfect place to overcome your fear of heights, with regard to mountain biking, before hitting the real trail.
The elevated wood walkways are a little too high for a fully rigid mountain bike so I did not give them a try. After warming up at the skills park, I had fun mountain biking on the Lory State Park Valley Trails.
The Spring Canyon Park is geared more towards experienced riders with good mountain bikes because most of skill challenges are narrow and elevated two to three feet off the ground. The elevated wood walkway in the near part of the following picture is one of only two challenges suitable for novice riders.
Two Knobby Tires 