Photo by GOSKATE
Tobey Skatepark-Midtown
Located in Midtown, Tobey Skatepark is one of Memphis’ most recognizable places to skate and offers a little bit of everything. The park has bowls, ramps, rails, stairs, snake runs and the famous Memphis Wave, making it a strong option for skaters who enjoy transition and carving but still want some street features to work with. The bowls and snake run give transition skaters plenty of room to build speed and connect lines, while the stairs, rails and smaller obstacles give street skaters places to practice tricks. The variety also makes Tobey a good place for someone who has moved beyond the very basics and wants to start experimenting with different types of skating.
For beginners, Tobey has smaller features that can be used to build confidence, but some of the larger bowls and the Memphis Wave are better left until you are comfortable controlling your board. Someone looking for a traditional Memphis skatepark experience with a mixture of street and transition should put Tobey near the top of their list. One thing to keep in mind is that Tobey is an outdoor park with posted seasonal hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in summer and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter. There are no night lights.
Raleigh Springs-North Memphis
Raleigh Springs is a good choice for skaters who want variety, particularly if you like going back and forth between street and transition. The roughly 18,000-square-foot park has a large bowl and transition areas, while its street section includes ledges, manual pads, handrails, stairs, flat bars, banks and other obstacles. That combination makes it useful for skaters who are still figuring out what style they enjoy. A beginner can work on basic riding and smaller features, while a more experienced skater can use the larger transition and street obstacles to practice more advanced tricks.
One of Raleigh Springs’ biggest advantages is its lighting. The park is known locally as a place where skaters can continue riding after the sun goes down, making it one of the area’s more useful options for an evening session. If you want a park that can accommodate both street and transition skating and gives you the option of skating later in the day, Raleigh Springs is worth checking out.
Photo by Society Memphis
Society is different from the other parks on this list because it is an indoor skatepark. The approximately 10,000-square-foot facility has a mixture of ramps and rails designed for different styles and skill levels, including street obstacles, quarter pipes, a mini ramp and a larger halfpipe. That makes it particularly useful for skaters who want to work on transition, but there is enough street terrain for people who prefer ledges, rails and flatground-style tricks. Society also offers skate lessons and structured programs, which can make it especially appealing to someone who is picking up a skateboard for the first time.
The biggest strength for beginners is the environment. Instead of learning on rough outdoor concrete or worrying about rain, an inexperienced skater can practice in an indoor facility built around skating. It is also a good option for Memphis skaters who want to escape the heat or weather. Because it is indoors, lighting is not an issue for nighttime skating, although you still need to follow Society’s posted hours and special-event schedule. There is also a skate shop and coffee area, so someone coming to skate can easily make a longer visit out of it. Society charges a day-pass fee, unlike the city’s free public skateparks.
Hernando Skatepark-Hernando, MS
For Memphis skaters willing to cross the state line, the Hernando Skatepark at Renasant Park is another worthwhile option. The park has historically been known more for its transition terrain and smooth concrete, with bowls and flowing lines that allow skaters to maintain speed rather than constantly stopping to set up for the next obstacle. More recently, the park has also added a street/plaza component, giving skaters more opportunities to work on rails, ledges and other street-style tricks. That combination makes Hernando a good destination for someone who wants to mix transition skating with some street skating in the same session.
Hernando is especially worth considering if you prefer smooth concrete and flowing bowl lines. A beginner who is comfortable riding a skateboard can use the easier parts of the transition, while experienced bowl skaters have more room to push themselves. The park is located alongside a larger green-space area and dog park, which can make it a nice destination for a longer outing. I would plan on skating during the daytime, however. Current city planning documents actually list adding security lighting and updating the lighting system as recommendations for Renasant Park, so I would not advertise the skatepark as a reliably lighted night-skating spot.
AL-town diy-Midtown
Al-Town is for the skater who wants something different from a polished city-built skatepark. It is a DIY park created and maintained by local skaters, giving it a much rougher and more unconventional character than Tobey or Raleigh Springs. The park has quarter pipes, banks, ramps, rails and other homemade obstacles, and the rougher concrete and unusual layouts are part of what makes the experience unique. This is a place where transition skaters and people who enjoy creative lines can have fun experimenting with features that you may not find at a conventional skatepark.
Because it is a DIY spot, Al-Town is probably better suited for someone who already has some experience on a skateboard and is comfortable adapting to imperfect surfaces and unconventional obstacles. It is not the place I would send a complete beginner who wants smooth concrete and clearly defined beginner features. The park is informal and does not have the same level of staffing or maintenance as a city facility, so skaters should pay attention to their surroundings, bring water and skate within their ability. There are no lights at night.
