Burton’s Terrain Park Guide for Beginners: Having Fun & Staying Safe

If you’ve ever been to a ski resort, chances are good that you’ve come across a terrain park. Heck, maybe you even rode through one accidentally and got to see riders catching air or hitting a rail, up close and personal. Terrain parks are designated freestyle areas filled with carefully placed jumps, rails, boxes, and other snow features, designed to encourage freestyle progression for snowboarders and skiers alike. Most resorts have at least one terrain park, but more often they have multiple terrain parks with different-sized features to appeal to all experience levels.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a Burton Pro Team rider, understanding how to use the terrain park safely is essential to having a good time and progressing at an appropriate pace. That’s why the experts at Burton put together this beginner terrain park guide; to help you understand terrain park etiquette, ride safely, prevent serious injuries, and have the most fun possible.

• What is a terrain park?
• What gear do you need for the terrain park?
• Learn the Terrain Park Rules
• Terrain Park Mistakes to Avoid
• Get Out There and Have the Most Fun Possible

What is a terrain park?

A terrain park is like a playground on the snow. Parks feature rails, jumps, boxes, stairs, logs, or snow shapes, and can mimick natural or urban environments. Terrain parks are dedicated freestyle areas at resorts, usually fenced off, where skiers and snowboarders can practice and progress their riding.

The sizes of features in terrain parks are always signed from XS (extra-small) to XL (extra-large), allowing everyone to choose the right obstacle for their experience level. If you want to practice new tricks, learn something you’ve never tried before, or step up to bigger features in a controlled environment, the terrain park is a great place to do it.

What gear do you need for the terrain park?

You’ll want to make sure that your snowboard gear is safe and dialed before playing in the terrain park. This means that in addition to the standard items, like snowboard, boots, and bindings, you’ll also want to consider investing in some personal protective equipment (PPE), to lessen the chances of a serious injury. Finally, bring a snowboard multitool in case you need to tighten your bindings or make quick changes to your snowboarding stance.

• Snowboard Helmet
• Wrist Guards
• Impact Shorts
• Knee Pads
• Snowboard Multitool

When learning freestyle maneuvers like jumping and jibbing, you will fall down, no matter how naturally talented you may be. There’s no need to fall down and ALSO get a concussion, break your wrist, or bruise your tailbone. Wear PPE, and you'll reduce the chances of a serious injury.

Pro tip: Looking for a freestyle snowboard to take on the terrain park? Check out Burton’s Official Snowboard Buying Guide for everything you need to find a board that’s right for you.

Learn the Terrain Park Rules

Learning terrain park rules and etiquette is really about ensuring that everyone stays safe, has fun, and gets to take their turn. When entering any terrain park, the main rules are always posted on large signs at the top of the park, but there may be some regional differences, so don’t hesitate to ask the park crew how things work before dropping into your first freestyle obstacle.

According to NSAA’s Park Smart, there are five key rules to know and follow in the terrain park.

1. Start Small
2. Make a Plan
3. Always Look
4. Respect
5. Take it Easy

Pro tip: While not technically part of the five key rules, it's important to know that every park has a designated entrance and exit. Don’t ever duck ropes to get in or out of the park.

1. Start Small

• Look for features with XS or S signs at the take-off to get to know the park.
• Work your way up using the feature size as a guide.
• Don’t move up to larger freestyle features until you feel comfortable.
• Remember that every terrain park is different and when travelling to a new mountain, start small each time.
• Start simple and slowly build up your skills and the complexity of your maneuvers as you go.

2. Make a Plan

• Decide which features you are going to hit before dropping in.
• Know where you want to go.
• Keep space between yourself and the person in front of you.
• Be aware of who is behind or beside you.
• Know what size park features are in the line you choose.
• Call your drop-in.

3. Always Look

• Look before you leap and do a scope run to check out the features before hitting them.
• Be aware of the riders around you, how close you are to them, or if they fall in your path. The person in front of you always has the right of way.
• Look above and below before crossing feature lanes.
• Look for hazards like fallen signs, fences, or riders blocking a feature for someone who has fallen.
• When spectating, make sure that you are completely outside the landing zone or run out of features.

4. Respect

• Respect other riders in the terrain park.
• Respect your ability and experience riding the features in the park.
• Respect the freestyle terrain and the way the park is built.

5. Take It Easy

• Start slow and do some warm-up laps in the park before committing to bigger jumps and rails.
• Check your speed and surroundings; parks change constantly due to weather and wear and tear.
• Give lots of space to riders in front of you, in case they fall.
• Know your limits and when it's time to call it.

Terrain Park Mistakes to Avoid

After getting geared up and familiarizing yourself with the rules of the terrain park, there are a few more things to be cautious of, for your safety, and the safety of those around you.

Overconfidence

Don’t get distracted by what everyone else is doing. Stick to your plan and progress at a rate that feels good. Learning new tricks on your snowboard takes time, so once you’ve mastered a few maneuvers, remember that you shouldn't necessarily jump from small to extra-large right away. Progress steadily.

Pro tip: When you can perform a freestyle maneuver fast, slow, delayed, and switch, then you're probably ready to move up to a larger version of that feature. If you're not feeling totally dialed on a maneuver, keep practicing.

Ignoring the Rules

Terrain park etiquette is the key to safety, and if you ignore the terrain park rules, you’re more likely to have a collision, get yourself hurt, or even hurt someone else. Stick to the rules so that everyone can have fun.

Tunnel Vision

It’s easy to focus on the line or your trick, but you also need to pay attention to your surroundings. Knowing who’s riding the features near you will help you adjust your speed and stop in the right spot if anyone falls nearby. You can also learn a lot by watching how experienced riders flow through terrain park features and use the park’s layout to their advantage.

Get Out There and Have the Most Fun Possible

You’ve got what you need to start progressing in the terrain park safely, so grab your crew and get that trick list dialed. Every snowboard park has the rules of the terrain park posted when you enter, so if you ever need a reminder, give those signs a read before dropping in. If you follow good terrain park etiquette, you’ll be sure to have a good time, every time. Don’t forget to add your snowboard crew, sunny days, and soft snow to your list of must-haves on a good park day. And remember, if you’ve never tried any freestyle maneuvers, Burton recommends taking a freestyle lesson from a qualified instructor. They’ll help you learn the basics so you can have fun from day one.