5 of the best mountain bike trails in North Carolina

Among eastern US states, North Carolina is literally tops: Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, towers 6,684 feet above the Pisgah National Forest. Though only the far western portion of the state is mountainous, hundreds of excellent mountain bike trails can be found throughout North Carolina, from the coastal plains to the Piedmont to the Appalachian Mountains in the west.

It’s been nine years since we last wrote about the best trails in North Carolina, and in that time, new trails have been built all across the state. Historic singletrack routes deep in the Appalachians have been joined by modern feature-filled flow trails and shuttle-served bike parks. With so much trail development and such incredible diversity, it’s tough to limit this list to just 5 of the best trails… but you can’t go wrong with any of these choices:

Black Mountain, Brevard

I imagine if you asked anyone who lives outside North Carolina to name a must-ride in Pisgah National Forest, many of them would say Black Mountain — and with good reason. The Black Mountain trail features an excellent descent set among lush mountainsides covered with ferns and rhododendron. It’s also one of the quickest and easiest trailheads to find in a forest that often feels like navigating a plate of spaghetti.

Rich Dillen, aka “Dicky,” is a mountain bike racer and professional bike messenger based out of Charlotte, NC, and on the days when he’s schlepping critical legal documents across town, he tells us he’s dreaming of that Black Mountain descent.

“The Black Mountain Trail in Pisgah is my absolute favorite descent in NC,” said Dicky. “Pedaling through the rhododendron tunnel at the top knowing that the gnar starts right around the corner and keeps on in every way, shape, and form until I reach the bottom gives me much [excitement].  Once I get my wheels on Middle Black, my lizard brain kicks in full brapping throttle. Zen levels of nirvana and stupid bliss. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that when I get to the bottom, it’s a pretty short ride to the Pisgah Tavern.”

Over the years, “heavy trail use, unsustainable grades and heavy precipitation have caused severe erosion to [one] section of the Black Mountain trail,” wrote SORBA. So, Pisgah Area SORBA built a 3.6-mile reroute, decommissioning 2.2 miles of trail. The reroute “features a bit more flow, with some chunk embedded in it,” according to Daniel Sapp, President of Pisgah Area SORBA.

Heartbreak Ridge, Old Fort

Heartbreak Ridge is a longtime classic mountain bike ride in the northern reaches of the Pisgah National Forest near the town of Old Fort. “Heartbreak Ridge will throw a little bit of everything at you,” wrote Aaron Chamberlain, former Marketing Specialist for Singletracks. “There are steep chutes, big rocks, little rocks, loose rocks, roots, and tight switchbacks. It takes a long, tough descent to make my hands hurt, and this certainly qualified. I stopped a couple times on the way down to shake them out. I haven’t had to do that during a downhill since my last trip to Colorado!”

Heartbreak Ridge was extended in 2024 with a new segment known as “Lower Heartbreak Ridge.” “The new trail is a key component in the plan to connect Mount Mitchell to Old Fort almost entirely on singletrack trail, linking the western end of Jarrett Creek Road to Mill Creek Road in Old Fort at the Fonta Flora Copper Ridge trailhead,” wrote the G5 Collective.

Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, the new Lower Heartbreak Ridge has been destroyed by Hurricane Helene and remains closed. Hopefully, it will reopen in the future.

Until it reopens, riders can link to Star Gap to complete the ride.

Cedar Rock and Big Rock, DuPont State Recreational Forest, Brevard

The adjacent Cedar Rock and Big Rock trails in DuPont State Recreational Forest are unique among North Carolina mountain bike trails. These two trails traverse a granite dome in the heart of the popular trail system, allowing riders to rip down rippled granite slickrock, with visions of Moab playing through their heads. The trails are best linked by “climbing up the long side of Cedar Rock and then descending down Big Rock,” according to Sapp.

DuPont as a whole is one of the most popular mountain bike trail networks in the entire state, and it’s one of the largest, too, with roughly 80 miles of trails open to mountain bikes. While some riders prefer the smooth flow of trails like Ridgeline, and others will seek out chundery rock gardens, almost everyone can agree that the vaulted rock dome with spectacular views in the middle of the forest is truly special. If you’re planning a ride in DuPont, make sure you take a rip down Big Rock!

Greenslick, Bent Creek Experimental Forest, Asheville

Bent Creek Experimental Forest is one of the most-ridden trail networks in North Carolina, thanks to its proximity to downtown Asheville. The black diamond-rated Greenslick has long been one of the most storied trails in the forest. While technically two-way, it’s best ridden in the downhill direction. Riders drop almost 800ft over the nearly two miles of descending through a series of rock features and jumps.

Over the years, Greenslick fell into disrepair. However, the trail is now riding better than ever, thanks to a complete rebuild in 2024.

The pressure to get the rebuild just right was very high, since Greenslick was so well-loved by the locals. “We put everything we had in it to try to make the most hardcore, old school, Asheville-bike bro [say], ‘oh, this is actually a rugged trail,’” said Peter Mills, owner and founder of Elevated Trail Design, which completed the rebuild. “It was a challenge. I know some folks didn’t want to bid because of that. But I think we kind of surprised some folks. I mean, I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback.”

Ride Kanuga Bike Park, Hendersonville

Yes, most of the trails on this list are iconic mountain bike routes that have been around for decades, although three of these classic routes have been rebuilt or extended. But this selection is all-new.

Ride Kanuga Bike Park epitomizes the trend of shuttle-served bike parks being built on private land popping up all around the nation. And what better place to build a dedicated bike park than in mountainous Western North Carolina, which boasts year-round riding?!

Ride Kanuga is located on the west side of Hendersonville and sits on about 200 acres of land leased from the Kanuga camp and conference center. The park offers eight downhill mountain bike trails with about 500 feet of vert separating the trailhead and the top of the mountain. There are two climbing trails and two beginner, two intermediate, and four expert descending trails. The longest descent, the green-rated Evergreen trail, is about a mile and a half long.

Ride Kanuga “fills a unique niche in our mountain bike community,” said Callie Horwath, Brand & Park Manager for Ride Kanuga. “While the area is loaded with tons of great singletrack, we focused on building progressive trails that help riders develop skills in a safe, purpose-built environment. We also have tons of jumps and features, which is also something our area lacks. It’s a family-friendly spot that welcomes everyone from beginners to pros, and we also allow e-bikes—something not permitted on most of the surrounding trail networks. On top of that, we’ve built a strong, tight-knit community among our riders, which keeps the vibe positive and welcoming.”

Runners-up:

1. Laurel Mountain to Pilot Rock, Mills River
2. Squirrel Gap, Brevard
3. Backyard Trails, Charlotte
4. Chestnut Mountain Park, Canton
5. Fire Mountain, Cherokee

Your turn: What’s your favorite mountain bike trail in North Carolina?