First trip to Pisgah

[RoddyMcWolfenstein]

Heading up to PNF for the first time Oct 16-18. Camping at the Bike Farm. Looking for recommendations on a route for approx 20 miles or so , to do on Saturday. Will be just me and a buddy , both on hard tails. We are of intermediate skill. Would love to incorporate some creeks and waterfalls. Any ideas or general info would be great.


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[Gearhart]

Heading up to PNF for the first time Oct 16-18. Camping at the Bike Farm. Looking for recommendations on a route for approx 20 miles or so , to do on Saturday. Will be just me and a buddy , both on hard tails. We are of intermediate skill. Would love to incorporate some creeks and waterfalls. Any ideas or general info would be great.


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Check out pisgah area sorba's web site for recommended rides with detailed descriptions

[Lithified]

As soon as you get to town, I'd pick up the Pisgah Map Company maps for Pisgah and Dupont. Several recommended loops listed there too.

[RoddyMcWolfenstein]

Yep, looked at Pisgah Soria site and planning to get a map. Just wondering if anyone has any personal favorites

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[Banjopickin]

Seasonal Trails are open then so I would look at the Black Mtn. -> Buckwheat -> Bennet Gap route. Then Clawhammer to Maxwell Cove and Black Mtn. To the Ranger Station for more mileage. That keeps you fairly close to "civilization" too with options to bail if necessary.

Squirrel gap (via Mullinax and S. Mills) as an out and back is one of my favorite 20 milers too. This puts you deep in Pisgah and is a very remote ride so keep that in mind.

Another option is 475B -> Cove Creek -> Daniels Ridge -> Long Branch - Cat Gap. Great 20ish miler that hits a seasonal trail and loads of singletrack.

If you've never been to Pisgah before, be prepared for long steep climbing and technical descending. 20 miles can really take it out of you and feel more like 30-40 miles at flatter locales. I ride my hard tail 90% of the time in Pisgah and have a blast. Have fun!

[woodchips]

From a dude who just hit Pisgah for the first time a few weeks back on a rigid (tubeless, stock Stache 5)...

I rode Black Mtn solo from Pressley Gap one early Tue morning and there wasn't another soul around the entire time. When I got to the bottom, my smile was so freakin' huge - it was the best time on a mtb I've ever had!

Ride duration was about 2.5hrs. Getting to the point of the descent took some work but it was well worth it.

Btw, kids at the Hub said that section of Black Mtn, by Pisgah standards, is intermediate.

ps - I kept the Pisgah trail map on me and had no difficulties getting around.

Whatever you decide to do, I'd try not to bite off more than you can chew on your first ride there, ... and have a kickass time!

[Acme54321]

If you're looking for waterfalls DuPont is the place to go.

[woodchips]

Before my first mtb'g trip to Pisgah and Dupont, I hit both areas a few times to photograph falls.

Here's an overall falls map...

Western North Carolina Waterfalls Map

Falls in the Pisgah area, etc...

Waterfalls of the Pisgah Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest

...and falls in the Dupont area...

DuPont State Forest waterfalls

If I wanted to more easily combine some biking with waterfall viewing, I'd hit Dupont first.

If I wanted to blow my mind mtb'g for the first time in the area, I would hit Pisgah first.

[Lithified]

Deleted: wrong thread

[Gearhart]

Before my first mtb'g trip to Pisgah and Dupont, I hit both areas a few times to photograph falls.

Here's an overall falls map...

Western North Carolina Waterfalls Map

Falls in the Pisgah area, etc...

Waterfalls of the Pisgah Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest

...and falls in the Dupont area...






DuPont State Forest waterfalls

If I wanted to more easily combine some biking with waterfall viewing, I'd hit Dupont first.

If I wanted to blow my mind mtb'g for the first time in the area, I would hit Pisgah first.

Marked