A melting pot of stoke that’s a stone’s throw from skateboarding’s birthplace
By Stephen Krcmar
One of the great things about Los Angeles? People come here from all over the world to chase their dreams.
Eliot Jackson and his mother, Joi, didn’t have to journey to pursue lofty goals. They’re Angelenos. With steady support from his mom, Eliot found success quickly. In 2010, the 20-year-old Eliot achieved his dream of becoming a professional mountain biker.
A decade later, he tried something even more ambitious: to help usher in some diversity into the two-wheeled world.
He created a non-profit called Grow Cycling, and for his first project, he got his mom on board. Four years later, they inaugurated the Inglewood Pump Track — the first official pump track in Los Angeles.
“We just did something impossible. It was impossible because a city of almost 4 million people had never done it before,” wrote Eliot on the opening day of the tracks, September 26, 2023.
“It was impossible because I had almost 100 meetings that ended in “No.” It was impossible because nearly 10k individual donations raised almost $400k.”
The two pump tracks located here are amazing. They’re really fun for almost all ability levels. They’re free. And they’ve got diversity in spades.
Men, women, and non-binary people of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities congregate here to have fun and learn. There are little kids on balance bikes, Gen Z-ers on scooters, Millennials on rollerskates and inline skates, Gen Xers on dirt jumpers, and plenty of AARP folks on skateboards.
Some are even on a Ponce de León path.
One regular in his 50s quipped to me, “Here's an article for you: adolescent vert skater finds an asphalt fountain of youth in his late 50s courtesy of the Inglewood Pumptrack.”
To put it bluntly, the Inglewood Pump Track is a melting pot of stoke.
Some surfers even compare it to local surf lineups — which are often really crowded and sometimes violent. Many believe the Inglewood Pump Track is the opposite.
The pump track is “100% different than surfing,” says Michael Durand, Inglewood Pump Track regular and founder of the surf forecasting site, Swell Magnet.
“Surfing is very territorial. You tend to act more aggressively. Even at a public beach, you definitely want to stand your ground and try to intimidate others. Whereas, at the pump track, everybody's welcoming. It seems to be an instant brotherhood down there. People are cheering each other on giving each other tips. Everyone's filming each other, laughing, and having a good time. It's much more communal.”
When Durand, 58, starting going to the track, he’d always go with a buddy.
“Now, I can just go alone. I've created a whole new friend group down there,” continued Durand, who hits Inglewood about four times a week.
THE DETAILS: ONE PARK, TWO TRACKS
Woodland Track
Don’t let the official designation of beginner/intermediate fool you: this is a more difficult track for some. That’s because it’s tighter. The vast majority of folks ride it counter-clockwise, or what the Brits call anti-clockwise.
The Woodlack Track, which earns its name from some surrounding trees, includes the tightest hairpin of the two tracks. That turn is the closest you can get to the feeling of skating a bowl at Inglewood Pump Track.
On slow days and even some busy ones, younger users spend a lot of time there. The fact that most of the experienced riders post up at the other track probably has a lot to do with this.
If you’re here early in the morning, take a quick look at the track before going full tilt. A few of the turns are sometimes damp from the sprinklers.
World Championship Track
Described as intermediate/professional this track is preferred by skateboarders, more advanced riders, and, believe it or not, beginners: just riding the perimeter is a great way to get the feel of pumping.
Most run this track counterclockwise. But there’s lots of room for creativity. So keep your head on a swivel. The vast majority of the crashes on this track are due to collisions.
Fun fact: there’s some yin-yang to this track. It’s mostly symmetrical. According to a story in Thrillist, the World Championship Track was “built in a mirrored design so that two riders can start on opposite ends and complete laps at the same time.”
AMENITIES
Restrooms
Yes. They’re big city style. The toilet has no doors, and non-organic materials are occasionally smoked in the stall.
Water Fountain
Not really. We’ve heard one exists, but it isn’t close. Bring your own water.
Snacks
Nope. BYO. There are also picnic tables and grills. Some pack for a full picnic.
Weekday vibe
During the academic year, it’s usually pretty mellow until mid-afternoon when schools let out. One exception: if school isn’t in session, it can be busy on holidays, and breaks.
Weekend vibe
Early morning is typically mellow. Some even call it the AARP club because there are plenty of 50-somethings and above. But it can get very busy by mid-morning. And it’s common for very slow traffic to clog the track for long spells.
Tips for non-locals
Make a day of it. You’re just a few miles from the Venice Skatepark which has a rad snake run. Same goes for the famous El Porto surf break in Manhattan Beach: get the surf report from Swell Magnet. And if you just want to explore a great, little beach city with tons of punk rock history, head to Hermosa Beach.
Flying in or out of LAX? The park is close to the airport…about five miles.
Skatepark
There’s a small park called Nella Skatepark next to the primary parking lot for the pump track. You can’t miss it. Nella includes ramps, rails, ledges, and a quarter pipe. Trucks and Fins describes it as a “back and forth run with a quarter pipe and flat bank on the sides of a funbox and jumpbox.”
Safety gear
Not mandatory.
Social Links
The official Instagram for the track (their Facebook page is inactive)
Random notes
Every day is different. You could run into pro skateboarders any day of the week. Dogtown and Loaded are close, and their pros show up, as do OG pros from the 80s and 90s. This is one of those tracks where skateboarders are typically the majority.
There’s some occasional local color ranging from dudes zipping around the park (not the tracks) on mini bikes to locals cruising on adult trikes complete with a pit bull in the rear basket and a tall can of Bud in the water bottle holder. Plenty of folks running-what-they-brung: commuting bikes with panniers, battered hybrids, and more.
There are no super-close food options.
Although there’s a sign that recommends bike-specific and bike and skate days, this is mostly ignored. On many days, skateboarders are the majority in the World Championship track.
The Inglewood Pump track is in South LA, due west of Marina Del Rey. It’s less than 10 miles from Venice and Santa Monica and just over 10 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles Punch in Ingleewood Pump Track to Google maps and it will take you right to the parking lot. You’ll see the skatepark when you pull in. Look down the hill and you can’t miss the tracks.
The Inglewood Pump Track is located at 700 Warren Ln, Inglewood, CA 90302. For more info, check out their website. Props to Grow Cycling for making this park happen.
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