Ways to Go

There’s an overwhelming diversity of trails in Pisgah Forest, DuPont State Recreational Forest, and Bracken Mountain Reserve, ranging from fun and flowy to rugged and unforgiving. DuPont is ideal for all skill levels and almost always offers two lines of attack, one rolling and another slabby and playful. Pisgah and Bracken are less egalitarian, with long climbs, big drops, and off-camber ridgelines that demand handling skills and fitness.

For area road riding, the options are equally plentiful and no less glorious. Empty country lanes with good pavement yield hellacious climbs, stunning vistas, and bomber descents.

Mountain Biking 

Ridgeline, DuPont State Recreational Forest - {Easy}

At that golden hour when light pours through the trees, speeding down Ridgeline is an ethereal experience. Wind in your face. Smooth berms. Gentle rollers. Freedom. Ridgeline is the kind of trail that makes mountain bikers fall in love.

Davidson River-Cove Creek-Butter Gap, Pisgah Forest - {Intermediate}

This is the route Todd Branham features in his Couch Potato Race, and for good reason: It’s some of the loveliest and most fun riding at Pisgah. These trails offer a fair bit of climbing, rowdy downhills, rhododendron tunnels, waterfalls, and great views of Looking Glass Rock.

Avery Creek/Buckwheat knob/Bennett gap/Black Mountain, Pisgah Forest - {Difficult}

These close-lying epic descents all begin at the Pisgah Forest Horse Stables. Gut out a tough climb up Clawhammer Road and you’ll have three great options for fast, chunky downhills. There are heaps of technical moves and a bottomless supply of big drops.

Road Biking

DuPont Loop - {Easy}

Pedal Old Hendersonville Road to Everett Road to Crab Creek for relatively empty country roads and gorgeous views of rolling farm land. A moderate climb puts you in the lap of DuPont State Recreational Forest. Check out the waterfalls and buzz down US 276 back to Brevard to cap a 31-mile ride.

Assault on the Carolinas - {Intermediate}

Test a route that comes from a wildly popular road race hosted in Brevard every April. This 65-mile loop descends into South Carolina before serving up brutal climbs on Walnut Hill Road and Caesar’s Head.

Parkway Loop - {Difficult}

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a biking icon, and this route is worthy of every cyclist’s bucket list. It begins with an extended climb up US 276 past Looking Glass Falls. Head south on the parkway and take in breathtaking views until you reach the NC 215 access road and drop downhill. You’ll cover 60 incredible miles by the time you roll back into Brevard.