Mountain Biking

An Adventure Sport for the Ages

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The Southern Appalachian region is a panacea for outdoor enthusiasts of all types, including mountain bikers. Though I grew up in these mountains, I never enjoyed biking as a young girl. Busy with dance lessons, baton classes, and musical theater, zipping along trails on two wheels wasn’t part of my repertoire. Fast forward many decades and I’m Mom to two active boys, ages 9 and 12. Despite my limited background knowledge on the topic of high adventure, I’ve since figured it out. 

My older child began mountain biking a couple years ago and was hooked. His best friends are also big mountain bikers, as is my boyfriend’s 14-year old son. With many young bikers in my realm, I even purchased a mountain bike of my own. I’m not hitting the black diamond trails anytime soon, which are more difficult, but I enjoy challenging myself to the more forgiving blues and greens. 

If you’re a person who finds thrills on chained wheel transport, you’ll find no shortage of mountain biking fun in the Smoky Mountains. East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, especially, offer a number of biking trails. While there are hundreds of trails in the area, below are a few we’ve recently experienced. 

Bent Creek – Asheville, North Carolina Located in the Pisgah National Forest, Bent Creek is popular with locals and tourists. The area contains a collection of trails well suited to an array of riding styles and abilities. Beginning and intermediate mountain bikers, families, and groups will enjoy the Bent Creek system. There are some advanced trails, but none of the trails in the Bent Creek system are considered extremely technical. Most follow old roads or railroad beds and only a few sections have steeps, rocks, roots, and mud that would require high skill. Hard-packed, fast, flowing trails lie between these obstacles. 

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Kanuga Bike Park – Hendersonville, North Carolina Two avid mountain bikers, Neko Mulally and Dave LaMond, founded Kanuga with a concept to make riding fun and welcoming. Kanuga Bike Park features one-way, downhill terrain for bikers of all abilities. There is a mix of jump lines, natural features, and unique trails specifically designed to help someone progress as a rider. Bikers can enjoy an exciting day on trails while taking in the sights and scents of Kanuga’s old growth forest. 

Raccoon Mountain – Chattanooga, Tennessee Raccoon Mountain is composed of several trails that circle the TVA Raccoon Mountain pumped storage facility. While the trails present a variety of riding environments, the system is best described as intermediate and advanced, and most likely not a first option for beginner riders. While a few select trails are fairly smooth without much elevation change and can be described as beginner-friendly, this type of trail only makes up about 10 percent of the system. 

Tannery Knobs – Johnson City, Tennessee Designed as a skills park for all ages, riders can experience the thrill of off-road riding in a progressive mountain biking environment with endless mountain views. Tannery Knobs covers over 40 acres of heavily wooded terrain, and all trails and features have been professionally designed and built. The land for this trail system was donated by the Summers-Taylor Construction Company in 2016 and sits less than a mile from the newly constructed Tweetsie Trail. 

Tsali – Swain County, North Carolina Tsali, often referred to as the Queen Mother of single track mountain biking trails, is located in the Nantahala National Forest. A favorite among bikers, Tsali trails offer stunning views of Fontana Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from three different overlooks. The four trail loops at Tsali Recreation Area are grouped into pairs, with one pair or the other open to mountain bikes on a given day. Along with Jackrabbit Mountain, Panthertown Valley, Hanging Dog (Ramsey Bluff) and the relatively new Flint Ridge trails, Tsali is one of precious few trail systems open for mountain biking in the Nantahala National Forest.

Western Carolina University Trail System – Cullowhee, North Carolina WCU boasts its own intricate system of seven narrow, winding, single-track trails, accessible to bikers, hikers, and trail runners. The entire system is 6.8 miles total with two trailhead locations: one located at the parking lot of the Health and Human Services Building and the other at the lot of the softball field. A cool aspect of the WCU Trail System is members of the group can hike and run while others mountain bike. 

Safety Tips

  • Always wear a helmet and eye protection. 
  • Stay on the designated trail. Even if it seems fun to take shortcuts and sidetracks, it can get you lost, damage fragile plant life, and cause erosion. 
  • Be courteous when coming across other trail users. 
  • Check the weather and dress appropriately. 
  • Use the buddy system and avoid riding alone. If you’re alone, make sure someone knows where you are going and an estimated return time.
  • Ensure your cell phone is fully charge before hitting the trail. 
  • Be cognizant of horses; they frighten easily. 
  • Do not litter. General rule is “pack it in, pack it out.” 
  • Stay hydrated. 

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