By Jeff Edmonds, FBRA Boys Program Staff
We are fortunate in Western North Carolina to be surrounded by wonderful places to mountain bike. There are renowned steep and challenging singletrack trails to be had, and there are plenty of places that are appropriate for beginners and for families with varying ability levels to ride together.
I started mountain biking in Western North Carolina in my early 30s. Originally it was something to do when it was dry and there weren’t many rivers and creeks running in the area. It slowly became my main pastime. Having learned to ride here and gone from a total beginner to being an “OK-ish” mountain biker, I feel like I’ve gotten to know a lot of the varying levels of riding over the years. Working for FBRA and taking students biking after school and on summer trips has further expanded my knowledge of trails in the area. Check out my top five family friendly mountain bike rides:
Dupont State Forest
Dupont has a lot to offer. For a bit of fun flow with a few different options, park at Guion Farm. From this trailhead you can access Ridgeline, via Buck Forest Road, and then come back along Jim Branch. This loop is just short of 5 miles with 610 feet of climbing. To add on a little bit of distance (1.5 miles) and a trail that adds just a little more technicality, Hickory Mountain loop is a great addition. Parking at Guion Farm also gives the option of adding on an additional ride at the end. Leaving the parking lot and heading south on Sky Valley Rd. will take you up to Rocky Ridge trail which provides another great flowy downhill that is comparable in difficulty to Ridgeline.
Tsali National Recreation Area
Tsali has four different loops. It is fairly friendly in regards to difficulty. Being near the lake the terrain is undulating, and although you will find a steep section or two, most of the climbs are not particularly long. Make sure to pay attention to the schedule- the Forest Service alternates what loops are open to mountain bikes each day. The following is a description from the US Forest Service’s website:
- The Right Loop, rated moderately difficult, offers 13.9 miles of single track, with shorter 4- and 8-mile loops possible.
- The Left Loop, rated moderately difficult, is 11.9 miles of single track with views toward the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Fontana Lake.
- The Mouse Branch Trail, rated moderately difficult, is 8.7 miles of single track and includes old logging roads.
- The Thompson Loop, rated moderately difficult, is 7.3 miles of single track.
Bent Creek Experimental Forest
Bent Creek has great options for everyone. All of the lower trails off Bent Creek Gap Road provide a lot of varied terrain with not a large amount of climbing. Explorer loop is a great option that is rideable for most and great fun. In total it is right around 3 miles with less than 400 feet of climbing. Parking at the Explorer Loop Trailhead head up the gravel and take either the second left for middle explorer (a little less climbing and slightly shorter), or continue on to Upper Explorer for just a little more mileage and climbing… Just down the road from this is the Boyd Branch trailhead. You can ride up Boyd Branch Rd. and take the Boyd Branch trail back to Bent Creek Road. This loop is just over two miles, has minimal climbing, and is fast and flowy… a perfect beginner ride or something short to add on to Boyd Branch loop.
Ride Kanuga
Kanuga is a great option for Mountain Biking in Western North Carolina. It is a pedal access bike park just outside of Hendersonville. It does require paying for a daily pass which is worth considering. It has a very flowy green trail (Evergreen) that provides a fun mile of downhill that is a great intro to riding machine built flow with small table tops and berms. The green trail can be lapped and that alone would be a fun afternoon. Once one is feeling good on Evergreen there are multiple blue rated trail options off the top as well. Rhodo Ruckus is a good one to try after Evergreen. It is a flow trail that is a tad steeper than Evergreen and has a little more of a natural feel to it, but still flows with no large features on it.
Gateway Trail System
The Gateway Trails just outside of Old Fort consist of 14 miles of new trail that are all great options for newer riders. This is a great spot to learn to ride and is just down the road from local gems like Heartbreak and Kitsuma.
If you are just starting to get into mountain biking, downloading an app like TrailForks for information on trails and navigation while riding is highly recommended. We are really lucky to live in an area with access to literally hundreds of miles of quality trails all within a relatively short distance. These are all great places to start and great places to ride with a large mix of ability levels… From there branching out to rides in North Mills River, Turkey Pen, the Pisgah Ranger District, Big Ivy, and Paint Rock are all available within in less than hour’s drive of Asheville.
We can’t wait for you to get out there and try some of our family friendly mountain bike rides in WNC!