Mountain Biking - Where to go in NC

My wife is set on going to North Carolina this summer, but I want to steer the trip into some riding for me:D She has found a place near Bryson City, but the reviews I read on Tsali make the trails seem lame. The reveiw on Fontana Village trail seems a little better. I want a serious trail to ride and could give a rats a** about the view. Can any one give me the low down on the Bryson City area, and if there is nothing there, where should I be looking at?

Tsali is a very sweet place to ride. There are a total of 4 loops there. The trails are shared with the equestrian riders. You alternate day to day as to which trails you're allowed to ride. The trails are not super technical, more smooth buffed single track but definately worth riding.

Other places to go in NC include Asheville and the Pisgah Nat'l Forest. Pisgah has some of the the best and most diverse riding in one general area. DuPont Forest a bit further East and South. You can always go up towards Boone and Blowing Rock and ride the ski lifts up and DH all day at Sugar and Beech Mtns. I think it's Beech that runs the lifts, but I can't remember.

The thing that always leaves an impression on me is that riding in NC is more challanging not due to technical aspects, but just due to the climbing. Being from FL, my cardio isn't up to the task of climbing that much, but once I do make it to the top, my technical abilities allow me to blow past going down.

What I'm trying to say is, "You'll have fun regardless!"

L8R

Go to Asheville and go wild. I stayed too close to Tsali when i went and was only in Asheville for the day, but DAM that is some nice riding. Just stay in a hotel close to the western part of Asheville and then go to a shop to find trails. There's so much riding there it's crazy. Something to consider is you should see if you can hook up with a local for the ride b/c there's a lot to know about what's going on. Had i not met up with someone on the parking lot before my ride it would've been a lot more confusing since there's trails all over the mountain and all can be interconnected.

It's a sweet place. Good Luck

Look up the guys at Liberty Bicycles, they are quite friendly and informative. Unfortunately, I have only been road riding their and can't tell you one way or the other. However, some guys that I worked with in a bike shop a coouple of years ago went to Tsali and said that it was incredible, some of the best trails they have ridden, so, I guess it depends on who you talk to. Another shop you could talk to is Bio Wheels. They are in downtown Asheville. They do tours and the like, so I'm sure they can point you in the right direction.

bent creek trail in asheville

Have fun, I have lived here 37 years and Have only been to Tsali once, rained out and to Ashville just for trials comps.

Pisgah. Ride Black Mountain if you really want an ass-kicking ride and some insanely technical descending.

And Tsali is deffinitely nothing to snub.. it's an awesome place to ride. I love that area... go up there a couple times per year to paddle, ride, camp, etc.

Pisgah

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Definitely tsali.Fontana village trail is pretty good.But tsali is better.

Originally posted by Rev.Chuck
Have fun, I have lived here 37 years and Have only been to Tsali once, rained out and to Ashville just for trials comps.

So where have you been riding for all these years?