Pisgah, Brevard & Asheville Mountain Bike Trail Guide

Those in the know use a bit of an awed tone when they describe the mountain biking in Brevard and “The Pisgah.” For the rest of the world, it might be hard to understand all the hype about this corner of western North Carolina. But it takes just one mountain bike ride in Pisgah National Forest to become a new convert. This area has not only some of the best mountain biking in North Carolina, it also has some of the best trails in the US.

Even though there’s something for everyone here, this isn’t some manufactured bike destination. Much of the singletrack here has been taken over by mountain bikers from ancient hiking and logging trails, and as such, there are highly technical features and sections abound - on the up, and the down. There are endless miles of singletrack, connected with dirt and gravel roads that allow you to make any loop you could possibly dream up a reality, and it’s all just a short ride or drive from downtown Brevard, a beautiful town with the full roster of amenities mountain bikers need. Asheville isn’t far down the road either. But don’t just take our word for it yourself, book a flight or hop in the car, and let the Pisgah mountain bike trails open your mind.

Popular Trails & Pisgah Mountain Bike Trail Map

Maxwell to Black

Expert | 9 Miles | 3,000’ Vertical

Maxwell to Lower Black Mountain is an afterwork staple to Pisgah locals for good reason. It’s straightforward, it’s close to town, and it has a little bit of everything that makes the mountain biking here so special. It’s generally ridden as a clockwise loop, starting and ending on Highway 276, or the horsebarn parking area. The climb is emblematic of many of the climbs here, the higher you get, the harder they get. Nearly all the climbs in Pisgah start gradual, ramping up in angle and technicality as you approach the top. Most of this climb is just mellow gravel road grinding though, followed by short, but technical punch up a rooty section of singletrack, before you reach your intersection. From here, Lower Black Mountain trail dives a few thousand back down to the road, on a consistent, unrelenting fall line. There are a few tight, technical switchbacks at the top, and a few bigger moves throughout, but most of this ride is just fun, technical singletrack. Just say off your brakes through the off camber roots, and get acquainted with WNC riding.

Sycamore Cove

Intermediate | 3 Miles | 800’ Vertical

Sycamore Cove is a great warmup, or bonus lap at the end of many Pisgah rides. This loop starts and ends very close to the entrance of the forest, and is easy to ride from town. It can be ridden in either direction, and is a blast either way, but if you are riding it clockwise, be aware that there are often people party lapping it from Black Mountain, and there are plenty of blind corners. It’s less technical, and more playful than Black Mountain, with more gradual descents, and less technical features. That’s not to say it’s bland though, there are still plenty of features to play on, and it encourages higher speeds and figuring out trail gaps. Just look out for the rock armored sections, they’ve claimed more than a few wheels. And unlike many Pisgah rides, the creek crossings on Sycamore Cove have bridges, although they do get slippery in the wet. Just finished up a big ride further into the woods? Grab a Sycamore lap on your way out and really get the most of your day.

Club Gap to Avery

Intermediate-Expert | 4 Miles | 1,500’ Vertical

Pisgah is not known for its flowy jump trails. It’s the sort of place where no one makes fun of you if you preface a ride with “well, I don’t hit jumps.” But, if you do happen to like hitting jumps, Club to Avery is your ticket. Avery was re-worked last summer, from an eroded ditch into the closest thing the Pisgah has to a flow trail. And it’s a blast. There are a huge number of small to medium-sized optional tabletops, and rock gaps, as well as a few bigger features scattered along this descent. And it’s one of the fastest, smoothest descents in the area. That’s not to say it’s a non-technical sidewalk of jumps and berms. This is still mountain biking in North Carolina, and there are plenty of rocks and roots, they’re just scattered strategically between hits. This trail will leave you coming back for lap after lap until you’ve got every feature dialed.

Big Rock / Cedar Rock Trails

Intermediate-Expert | 3 Miles | 600’ Vertical

Just across the valley from Pisgah National Forrest lies Dupont. And while it may just be a 15-minute drive from Brevard, the riding over here is completely different. Dupont is a spaghetti mess of trails, with a myriad of options and intersections. Everything is fun, and everything can be ridden in multiple directions. Much of the riding here feels similar to what you’d expect in Squamish, big rock rolls with technical sections, and flowing singletrack. And it’s really hard to go wrong. Every trail connects to something else, and none of the climbs are too long or hard. So your best bet with Dupont is to give it a full day of exploration, it’s easy to make up quick loops and then reverse them, or connect to other sections of the area. Dupont also has quite a bit more moderate singletrack, so it’s a great option for stronger kids.

Bracken Mountain Trail System

Intermediate | 4 Miles | 800’ Vertical

So far we’ve highlighted a bunch of trails for folks who like big, technical descents. But fear not, the Pisgah has much more to offer. Bracken Mountain is a prime example. The trailhead is nestled in a neighboorhood close to downtown Brevard, and is a favorite hiking, mountain biking, and jogging area. It’s also a great place for beginners and younger riders to get some miles in. The trails here are all much less technical and steep than the riding in the national forest proper, and are fun, fast, and flowy. You can ride from Bracken all the way over to the larger Pisgah trail system, or you can just stick close to the car and spin laps, choosing different options to climb or descend. It’s a pretty dense network, with a lot of short trails to choose from, so it will keep you entertained much longer than its size suggests.

Bennett Gap

Expert | 3 Miles | 1,400’ Vertical

Bennett Gap is that trail you go ride to figure out how good you actually are. It can be looped into several other big rides, or ridden mostly alone, no matter how you do it, be prepared to walk your bike a little. It’s steep, rocky, rooty, and relentless. In other words, awesome. This trail plunges through several steep, rocky chutes, blazes through tight rhododendron tunnels, and even features a few fun rock gaps. While most of it is technical to a level that any expert rider should be able to ride it pretty quickly without scoping any lines, there are two sections with high-consequence, exposed moves that are worth checking out before you ride (or more likely walk) through. Don’t ride Bennett on your first day in town, it will be humbling, and not in a fun way. Instead work up to it, get warmed up, figure out the Pisgah, and then hit Bennett when you’re at your strongest. It won’t disappoint.

Where to Eat in Brevard

Not only does Brevard do mountain biking trails well, it does food well. It’s really hard to strike out, but we do have a few favorite spots. The Pisgah Tavern is located literally at the entrance to the forest, and it makes sense to park there and just ride from there for many rides. They have plenty of good beer on tap, their canned beer is cheap, and there’s a rotating lineup of delicious food trucks in the parking lot every day.

Magpie is a classy “meat and three” joint in Brevard that specializes in simple but delicious barbeque, and a huge selection of craft beer.

And speaking of craft beer, you owe it to yourself to visit some breweries in the area. There is a ridiculous amount of really good beer being made here. Brevard Brewing has some clean beers, and Oskar Blues has a huge taproom and complex, complete with bike park.

But the real don’t miss destination is the Sierra Nevada “Taproom.” “Taproom” doesn’t do this place justice. It’s a temple to all things beer. The huge brewery and taproom campus is all built with cutting edge sustainable materials and techniques, and features a huge garden where they grow many of the ingredients used in their kitchen. It’s family and dog friendly, with a huge estate littered with beer stands. And their tapas options are simple, affordable, and phenomenal.

Where To Stay When Mountain Biking in Brevard & Pisgah

There is a wide variety of lodging in Brevard, with everything from houses for rent, to your typical hotel chains. If you’re looking for a classic bed and breakfast experience close to downtown though, go to the Red House Inn. Their rooms are large and clean, and the english breakfast (made by an Englishman) is the best way to start a big day of riding. And the owners are riders and are happy to give you advice on what’s riding well at the moment.

Typical Weather and Conditions

Brevard is typically either a bit muggy, or rainy. This is not a place that does dry heat. That said, the riding weather is good from early spring to late fall, and through the winter there is still plenty of trail that’s good to go. It drizzles and rains often, but most of the trails here ride well when wet, just look out for slippery roots. It barely every gets really dusty here, instead conditions range between “hero dirt” and “slightly wet hero dirt.” Temperatures are also moderate, it’s never really too hot to ride, but it does drop below freezing on occasion in the winter. Just be aware, it’s often very humid, so bring a lot of extra socks and underwear, your clothes don’t dry out between rides very well. And on that note, a wet lube for you chain is essential.

How to Get to the Pisgah Mountain Bike Trails & Brevard

There are several options for getting to Brevard. If you’re flying, you’re best off flying into Asheville Regional airport. It’s just a short drive from Brevard, and is a nice, convenient airport. It’s also possible to fly into Atlanta or Charlotte and drive to the Pisgah mountain bike trails. Driving, Brevard is about an hour from Asheville, two and a half hours from Charlotte, and three hours from Atlanta.