For many years, Jake Sitler of Marietta was a professional cyclist. He raced in Europe and had an impressive career, but in 2018 he was hit by a car, leaving him with a broken back and an uncertain future. Although he made a comeback in 2022 when he represented the United States in the Mountain Bike World Championships, he shifted his focus to running Endo Cafe & Collective, a wellness endeavor with a location in Lancaster city and in Marietta.

But the passion for mountain biking never left the father of two young boys, and he wanted a way to share that passion with the community.

Thanks to Sitler's efforts, the Marietta Woods Trail Project will soon be open to anyone who wants to mountain bike, from novices to avid riders.

"I know how to help people get into the sport, and I know that there's not a lot of accessible, easy mountain biking trails in central Pennsylvania," he said. "The area is very rocky and full of roots."

Sitler, who claims he's ridden on the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail "more than anyone in the history of Marietta," hoped to find a way to make mountain biking available to anyone, and he discovered an opportunity when he saw an old lumber yard for sale along the trail.

He pitched an idea to Marietta Borough officials: Could he recruit SAMBA, the Susquehanna Area Mountain Bike Association, to help oversee the project and install a bicycle playground and create mountain bike trails off the river trail?

"I told them I would raise all of the money needed," Sitler recalled. In April, he organized the Dusty Susque, a trail ride that raised more than $10,000. To date, he's raised upward of $40,000 through donations from local businesses and individuals.

The first phase of the Marietta Woods Trail Project is the construction of a bicycle playground, an area where bikers can practice on rollers, berms, bridges and other features designed to build skills and confidence.

"It's meant to develop the smallest kid on a bike to teens or adults looking to get into mountain biking," Sitler explained. "It's going to have places parents can sit and watch their kids ride laps and learn skills development."

The project also includes a little under 40 acres of ground through which Sitler and his team will sculpt 2 miles of mountain bike trails.

Eventually, he hopes to extend the trail system down to Columbia, offering 7 to 8 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails to complement the Northwest River Trail.

The bicycle playground was constructed over two weeks in late July and early August, and it's located near Front Street Park, 502 E. Front St., Marietta. The trail construction is expected to be completed by Labor Day weekend.

Along with encouraging the public to come out and discover mountain biking, Sitler noted that the space will be used by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL), which includes students from Donegal School District.

"Society as a whole, we're removing spaces for our children to be outside in nature and be active," Sitler said. "Screens are taking over, and it's harder for people to find ways to get outside safely. I want this to be a community-minded space and a project for the community."

Sitler estimates he and his team have put in more than 150 hours of work so far on the project, and he's hoping to hold a launch party in early September when the first phase of the project is complete.

He noted that the project has relied on numerous sponsors, who have donated everything from money to tons of dirt.

Sponsors include Burkhart Excavating, Peak Hardscapes, Shank's Tavern, Stichler Carpentry, BN Excavating, Kinsley Materials, Endo Cafe & Collective and Bartlett Tree Experts.

He hopes people will enjoy mountain biking the way his young children have.

"I see the confidence my boys get from learning these skills on a bike," he said. "As a child, a bike is your first mode of freedom and your first opportunity to go out and discover."

To learn more about the Marietta Woods Trail Project, follow "Marietta Woods Project" on Instagram or "SAMBA - Susquehanna Area Mountain Bike Association" on Facebook.