Ride

Average Rating

Reviews

Louise
I learned how to mountain bike at Bent Creek, with this ride being my "maiden" voyage. I continue to love this ride and add it on any time I can, even if it's just to warm up. Please note that this trail can become very muddy after rains. Due to its frequent use, some wide mud bogs have developed causing considerable trail damage. If riding after a rain, please stay on trail to prevent further damage. Have fun!

Note: this ride has been removed, due to the trails it uses being converted into roads for a logging project. A modified version will be created once the logging project is complete!

Elliott
I don't have very much experience riding singletrack but this was a really fun ride. The hardest part of the ride is staying on the correct path because there are few signs. I suggest stopping by lake Powhatan for a swim after you're done too.

Louise
This was the second trail I learned to ride on. Even though my skill level can easily take me to Five Points, I still love this downhill.

Chris Yatcko
Sick-amor-a! We ride this trail almost every time we are in NC. Not for newbies. The climb is a pain in the butt on a 30lb. full suspension bike, but you'll appreciate suspension on the ride down. Wet roots and rocks will keep you honest. The surface has never been really dry when we've been there. It's definitely a classic. Make sure to go back and ride Thrift Cove when you are done. The two trails together make for an awesome morning ride and there are some nice opportunities for big air at the bottom of Thrift. Enjoy!

Chris E.
Another good way to do this ride is to start at the work area across from the campground, and take the gradual climb up to Grass Road. Follow Grass Road and then turn left at Sycamore Cove trail and follow it back down to the bottom. This cuts out the gnarly climb while still allowing you to enjoy the cool downhill section.

MR
I am relatively new to mountain biking, but this ride is awesome. You may have to walk some of the uphills, but the downhills and views are unforgettable. By the way, most riders stick to this ride. You are missing Dupont if you do so. Try crossing the Little River at Corn Mill Shoals for some great singletrack on the other side on your way to Bridal Veil Falls. Remember, Dupont has at least three good access points. [Note from webmaster: this is absolutely true! This ride is intended as a way to get started at DSF. Your exploration should continue after you enjoy it!]

JP
Eastern slickrock was a great ride! The maps from this site were right on the money. There are tons of other trails in this area [DSF]. We spent all day there and didn't even hit half of them. We stayed on the recommended loop and also checked out the water falls.

Jason Fox
We rode the route recommended by [this] website and thoroughly enjoyed it. Fairly easy climbs, very exciting downhills, and some great scenery make this one I will definitely ride again. I also liked the variety of trails you have to choose at Dupont. I highly recommend it.

allekat51@aol.com
I've been riding with my 2 sons at Pisgah, Issaquena, Croft and now Dupont. This is one of my favorite rides. We just happened to have followed the same route you have listed. Great views, love the slick rock, easy to get to. All-around the best. The shorter route down Cedar is really fast. Have fun!!

Dan Gerst
I have riden Paris Mountain and this ride puts it to shame!

Lisa:
This ride is the best! We ended up doing the slightly longer version because we missed the turn at the top of the slickrock. It was still really fun though. The slickrock downhills were great and the singletrack on the Burnt Mtn. Trail is awesome. I would recommend this trail to riders of all ability levels. I spent a week up in the Pisgah area, and this trail was way more fun than any trails we did in Pisgah.

Andy Clingempeel:
A great ride for something different; great views. I did have trouble picking up the downhill section of slickrock from the top of the ridge.

Chris:
Both of these trails are first rate jewels. I love the views and tight singletrack on the Cedar Rock trail, while the Burnt Mountain trail has one of the better downhills I have ridden in the area. Cedar Rock has got to be the MICROSCOPIC MOAB of the east with beautiful vistas from atop the mountain. Give it a try, you won't regret it.

Jay
This ride was highlighted by two or three miles of slickrock, beautiful views of the mountains, and a short decent. The ride was short at six miles and can be added to by combining trails leading to High Falls and Triple Falls.

Note: this ride has been removed, due to the trails it uses being converted into roads for a logging project. A modified version will be created once the logging project is complete!

Charles Hill:
As a former native of North Carolina and a frequent visitor, I always ride this trail when I am town. I highly recommend as moderate to easy trail that highlights great biking WNC.

Chris:
This is one of the best rides in the state. I have never been on a ride this fun and technical east of Colorado. I'd recommend this ride to any competent biker!

Louise:
This ride has it all! Beautiful forest, fun downhills, and enough climbs to keep you honest. If you could only do one ride at Bent Creek, I would recommend this one linked with the Sidehill that dumps into Laurel Branch.

Doug:
For someone from a non-mountainous area of the state, this ride kicked my butt with all of the climbing involved, but that downhill run is SO worth the agony! It has a little bit of everything. It starts with a fire road climb, to three sections of singletrack going up over rocks and roots, to a downhill that seems to last forever. This run is the reason I went and bought disc breaks. If you're in Bent Creek, you have got to go to The Top.

Jay
A good local ride, not far from Asheville. The trails are not marked and I would recommend finding a local to show you around. Over all a good warm up for other challenges of Pisgah.

Conrad
The downhill section on Fletcher Creek is among the best in Pisgah. For more experienced riders, I would [definitely] recommend that you ride up the Trace Ridge trail and take a left at Spencer Gap. This is a moderate climb with a couple of tough sections but all ridable. At the top take a left for the down hill back to Fletcher Creek Road. Take a right and follow the Fletcher Creek signs. Once you make the left off of the gravel road [Neverending Road] onto the singletrack the downhill cruise begins. Its fairly smooth and fast. It's a great loop. If you do not take in the Trace Ridge section, I would give this trail an 8 because of its easy rating and almost 7 miles of gravel road.

R.V.
Fletcher Creek was my first big mountain bike ride and holds a special place in my heart. It has some moderate climbing and great technical single track. My favorite way to ride this now is to go up the Neverending Road, make a left on Spencer Branch and ride to where Fletcher Creek, Spencer Branch and Middle Fork come together. I then take a right on Middle Fork and ride up to the Neverending Road. There go right and come back to the Fletcher Creek trail head. Here take a right and follow Fletcher Creek to the Reservoir road. You can then decide whether to take a breather and go right to see the Hendersonville Reservoir or go left towards the parking lot. This particular route is about 14 miles and a personal favorite. Happy Riding!

Mickey Shortt, Jr.
Sweet ride!  Beautiful scenery along the trail - plenty of cascades, a nice downhill on the way back. The beginning of the trail is primarily uphill, but it isn't too rough. Beautiful falls...great trip!

Jay
After reading the comments on this ride my expectations were high. For all the fire road climbing, however, I thought the reward factor/fun factor should have amounted to more than a 4 mile/ 30 minute decent. The decent was steep in parts, and fun for the brief time it lasted, but I think there are better trails out there where the reward factor is higher.

Michael Erb:
Not too technical but not too easy either. The view from the overlook was great and so was swimming in the lake after the ride. Watch out for a steep section of uphill near the end of right loop.

Jim:
I have been riding for almost 2 years and I have to say, this is the best ride I have done yet!! The climbs were worth it, there is a point in the trail where there is an overlook of the lake, and it has one of the best downhills!! If you don't believe me, ride it yourself, then you will understand! 

Donna:
I am an out-of-shape mother of two and I had an absolute ball on the Right Loop at Tsali! We only rode to the first alternate, but for someone in not the best shape, it was a blast! It had rained a lot and it was great fun rushing through all of the mud. I am ready to go back and do it again!

R.V.
What can I say....the best of the best. This is 80% singletrack and where can you find this much fast, fun, technical, easy, climbing.....anyway you get the point. There is some of the most beautiful scenery in Western North Carolina on these 2 trails. The trails are kept up well with the fee that is required to ride. If you ride it much I would suggest that you by a yearly permit. The only fault that I have with Tsali is that it doesn't start at the edge of my back yard. This is also a personal favorite. Happy Riding!

Kevin Patterson
The trails are very good; some are very technical and some pretty easy. I liked them very much. I would come back if I were more experienced. I live on an island and I am not used to mountains. They were great trails.

Scott Megahee
Tsali's Left Loop is the best mixture of cardio and scenery I have have ever ridden. The first few miles runs around the shores of Fontana Lake. This and the beautiful mountain views make this one of my all time favorites.

Jay:
This ride lives up to everything I had read. It was 1.5 hours from Asheville, the area and views were awesome, the trails were in great shape, the ride offered enough mileage (19 for both loops combined) and challenges to keep us on our toes. There are other trails that are more technical, but these are trails that cross-country races are made of. The Mouse Branch/Thompson Loop trails can only be ridden on alternate days - the schedule at the trail head will specify the times. Overall, the fun factor is high for this set of trails!

Spoke
Bring your lungs! The downhill makes it all worth it.

Chris:
I always have to ride the Laurel Mountain trail every time I visit the area. There are many other trails that connect to this jewel. I like the Pilot cove connector, the Pilot Rock trail and there is one that I have yet to see on a map. It is on your right as you are climbing Laurel Mountain and it goes through a gap (I am not sure which gap); it is past the Pilot Cove Connector. This trail connects with the Big Creek Trail and is downhill 90 percent of the way. This adds many more miles to Laurel Mountain trail because it ends at the Hendersonville Reservoir. You can take the North Mills River Trail, and look on the right for the Yellow Gap Trail, which seems to end at a gravel road. Here you take a left and go downhill. This brings you to FR 1206 (the road you started on) and you take a right and ride over the mountain to Yellow Gap. This loop is not the best to do in cold weather due to the number of river crossings you have on the Big Creek Trail and the North Mills River Trail, [but] on a hot summer day, it is the best.

JD:
An excellent mix of everything the Pisgah has to offer, from mellow fire roads to technical singletrack.

Chris:
This has become one of my favorites in the Davidson River area of Pisgah. I did this ride starting from the horse stables on a 35+ lb. freeride bike mainly because I am stupid and like pain. I would highly recommend going the direction everybody else does (the way this site has posted)! This trail has some of the most amazing views and downhills either way you go. I don't recommend riding this trail solo - the penalties are rather harsh for even the smallest mistake. This is a trail that will make a beginner never want to ride again - that is if he or she survives BLACK MOUNTAIN!

Jim:
As a Brevard native living in OH I never miss this ride when I'm in town. Try it backwards from the work center to the stables. The first 1.3 miles gain 1180 ft. of elevation (lungs now on the outside)!! 

Chad:
It's fun, but a wee bit painful. Some hike-a-bikin' on the way up but well worth the effort for the downhill in the end.