Sycamore Cove Best Ride
Details
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Total Length: 4.3 mi
- Trail Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
- Climb: Hilly
- Total Elevation Gain: 600 ft
- Trails/Roads Used: US Highway 276; Sycamore Cove
- Ride Configuration: Loop
- Starting point: Davidson River Campground, Art Loeb Trailhead Parking Area
- How to Get There: From Asheville, take I-240 west to I-26 east to the exit for the Asheville Airport (exit 9). Turn right onto NC 280; follow this 4-lane highway for 16 miles toward Brevard. At the intersection with US highways 276 and 64, turn right onto US 276 west (follow signs for Pisgah National Forest). Enter Pisgah NF; turn left at the campground, about a mile past the National Forest entrance. Park in the Art Loeb Trailhead parking area, on the left just before you cross the bridge.
| Mile: | Directions: |
| Start | Ride back onto US 276 and turn right. Be wary of the traffic! |
| 0.4 | Turn left onto the Sycamore Cove trail. |
| 1.0 | Switchback, then signed intersection. Turn sharply right, uphill, staying on Sycamore Cove trail. |
| 1.7 | Intersection with the Grass Road trail. Turn right; still the Sycamore Cove tr. |
| 2.1-2.2 | Top of climb. Trail begins downhill. |
| 3.7 | US 276. Turn right. |
| 4.2 | Turn right into the campground. |
| 4.3 | Finish. |
The ride starts on US highway 276. Be careful about traffic; this is a very busy road. Upon reaching the Sycamore Cove trail, you cross a tiny stream and enter the woods, and the sound of the traffic is soon left behind. Here there are some very technical, rooty sections of trail. The trail goes up into Sycamore Cove, following the stream, which it will cross. You can either ride through the water or use the small log bridge. The trail then starts uphill, switches back once, and is quite steep at times as it climbs along the side of the cove. It's moderately technical also. The trail will turn right, cross the stream on a small log bridge, and begin pulling away from it. After passing the Grassy Road trail, the Sycamore Cove trail continues climbing through a dry cove, then curves right and picks up the side of the ridge. It tops out and begins downhill, and this section is fast, bumpy, and fun. Close growing mountain laurel forces you to stay alert and contort your body to avoid colliding with it at high speed. A wintertime view of Brevard can be seen on the right at one point. Soon, you will round the ridge, dip steeply into a cove, cross a stream, and begin following it downhill towards the highway. You will cross the stream 5 more times, once on a wooden footbridge, before reaching the highway and heading back to the campground.
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