Mountain Biking in Asheville and Western North Carolina
Mountain biking is a sport more and more people have come to enjoy in recent years. Anyone in need of a workout and a good time? Aren't we all? Well, grab a bike and go ride! Whether you live here, or are visiting Asheville, you couldn't find a better place to enjoy the sport. The mountains around Asheville offer a variety of terrain for mountain bikers to tackle, from easy paved and gravel roads to challenging, technical single-track trails that plummet 2000' off rocky mountainsides.
And of course, there is no lack of Southern Appalachian scenery to enjoy while you ride - cascading waterfalls, fern-lined trails, scenic views, and fall colors abound. Mountain biking is a great way to experience more of the outdoors than you can while hiking. You can cover more terrain in less time, and have fun while doing it! The Asheville area has often been cited as a "Mecca" for mountain biking. Numerous trails, combined with easy access to a large portion of the country's population, make it a popular and well-known spot to ride.
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Riding and Safety Tips
As extreme outdoor sports go, Mountain Biking is fairly safe and easy at the beginners level. However, there are a few riding tips and safety concerns that all riders should be aware of.
Visit our Riding and Safety Tips page for more.
Where to Ride
So you have your bike, helmet, a pack full of tools and energy bars, and a sunny day. Where to go ride? Here are some places to investigate. Unless it is a loop, distances are listed as one-way, so remember to double them if you ride the trail out-and-back!
Local Cycling Clubs
Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, BRBC works to promote bicycling (mountain and road)in the Asheville and Western NC area. They hold group rides as well as trail maintenance sessions in Pisgah and the Dupont State Forest.
www.blueridgebicycleclub.org
Pisgah Area SORBA, (Southeastern Off-road Bicycle Association) has recently approved the formation of the Pisgah chapter. Check out this great group for group rides, trail work, and advocacy.
www.pisgahareasorba.org
Local Outfitters
Whether you need a new bike, a tune-up, or just some advice on any aspect of cycling, you might want to check out one of Asheville's great local bike shops.
Bio Wheels
81 Coxe Avenue. Asheville, NC 28801
888-881-BIKE
www.biowheels.com
Hearn's Cycling and Fitness
34 Broadway St. Asheville, NC 28801
828-253-4800
www.hearns-cycling.com
Liberty Bicycles
1378 Hendersonville Rd. Asheville, NC 28803
828-274-2453
www.libertybikes.com
Ski Country Sports
1000 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804
828-254-2771
www.skicountrysports.com
Pro Bikes
610 Haywood Rd # B. Asheville, NC 28806
828-253-2800
www.pro-bikes.com
Second Gear
415 Haywood Rd # A. Asheville, NC 28806
828-258-0757
www.secondgearwnc.com
Carolina Fatz Cycling Center
1240 Brevard Rd. Asheville, NC 28806
828-665-7744
carolinafatz.blogspot.com
Epic Cycles
108 Black Mountain Ave. Black Mountain, NC 28711
828-669-5969
Youngblood Bicycles
233 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
828-251-4686
youngbloodbikes.com
REI - Asheville
31 Schenck Parkway. Asheville, NC 28803
828-687-0918
www.rei.com
Web Resources
Be sure to check the weather before you ride, and know what to expect while you're out there. Here are some resources you may find useful while planning your ride.
Asheville Cycling, great local site w/events, maps, discussion boards, and more
www.ashevillecycling.com
MTB WNC, for trail info, directions, maps, and photos of mountain biking in WNC
www.mtbikewnc.com
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), provides trail advocacy, trail building schools, and various other services to mountain bikers across the US and beyond.
www.imba.com
Rays Weather Center, provides local forecasts, graphics, and area web cameras.
www.raysweather.com
High Country Webcams, what's the weather like outside right now?
Check out these handy area webcams to find out!
About the Author
Jordan Mitchell is an Asheville native who has been biking Asheville's trails as long as he can remember. Soon after he started mountain biking, he decided that there wasn't enough information about the area's trails on the Internet, so he launched mtbikewnc.com with trip reports, trail observations and photography which grew vastly over the years. Currently attending A-B Tech College perusing a degree in Web Design, Jordan lives in Asheville with his wife, Tasha, and spends as much time as possible hiking, mountain biking, and photographing the southern Appalachian Mountains.
