The Best More Difficult Mountain Bike Rides in Western North Carolina

Rides by Difficulty: Easy | Moderate | More Difficult | Most Difficult

This page includes all rides rated More Difficult.

Each ride has its own printable guide page with all the information and links, including (where available):

• directions to the starting point
• difficulty
• length
• elevation change
• a map
• photos from along the way, and
• a detailed description and trail directions.

Fletcher Creek Ride

• This tributary of Mills River has many popular trails in its watershed. This ride features a difficult climb, ridge riding, a very steep and technical downhill, technical singletrack, and gravel road cruising. It also includes the awesome Fletcher...
• 8.4mi, Climbs Steeply
• Tread Condition: Very Rough

Eastern Slickrock Ride

• This figure-8 loop ride has a ton of special features, including what makes riding at DuPont unique: large sections of slickrock on the Cedar and Big Rock trails. It also has some significant climbs, some fast, flowy sections of trail, a very...
• 5.4mi, Hilly
• Tread Condition: Moderately Rough

Daniel Ridge Ride

• This classic loop in the Davidson River area traverses the core of a scenic area packed with natural features. As the ride goes, it's moderate: not too steep, but somewhat rocky and plenty of roots along with eroded spots for most of its length to...
• 4mi, Climbs Moderately
• Tread Condition: Moderately Rough

Picklesimer Fields Ride

• Starts beside a scenic creek with rushing waterfalls and calm, meandering sections. Goes through beautiful forests. You'll ride through the open, grassy Picklesimer Fields area itself. The route includes long/moderate and short/steep uphills, fast...
• 11mi, Climbs Steeply
• Tread Condition: Moderately Rough

Flat Laurel Creek Ride

• Featuring a route that's all above 5000 ft. in elevation, this ride is split into two main parts: a paved road climb and a rough trail descent. Though the descent is never steep, it's extremely rocky and wet, but travels through an incredibly scenic...
• 7.0mi, Climbs Moderately
• Tread Condition: Very Rough

Staire Creek (Big Ivy North Tour) Ride

• This route takes the rider through a scenic, lush section of Pisgah National Forest with some huge trees. The ride features a steep gravel road climb, gravel road cruising, and a very steep, technical singletrack downhill. While it's a fun ride by...
• 7.3mi, Climbs Moderately
• Tread Condition: Moderately Rough

Douglas Falls (Big Ivy South Tour) Ride

• This is a leisurely gravel road cruising through lush forests with cascading streams brings you to the Douglas Falls trail, a 1/2 mile hike to a 60-foot, free-falling waterfall. Return on a less-traveled gravel road and pick up a little-used, steep,...
• 8.9mi, Climbs Moderately
• Tread Condition: Moderately Rough