[KevinGT]

I'm looking to combine these two trails into a single ride from The Hub and hoping for a recommendation for the best option.

I'm thinking we'd climb Avery Creek Rd to Club Gap. Descend Avery Creek trail, climb Avery Creek road again to where it crosses Bennett Gap, and then descent Bennett.

Is that a good way to hit both these?

 

[Timothy G. Parrish]

I'm looking to combine these two trails into a single ride from The Hub and hoping for a recommendation for the best option.

I'm thinking we'd climb Avery Creek Rd to Club Gap. Descend Avery Creek trail, climb Avery Creek road again to where it crosses Bennett Gap, and then descent Bennett.

Is that a good way to hit both these?

That's about the only way to do that.

 

[Harold]

That's about the only way to do that.

Well, the easiest, maybe.

I've climbed Avery Creek Rd. to climb Lower Buckthorn to Clawhammer (or just climb Clawhammer from behind the horse stables), then to Black Left, over Rich Mtn, and dropping down to Avery Creek Trail that way. I just rode back to The Hub from there, but if you felt up to it, you could climb Avery Creek Rd. back up to Bennett to add that downhill, too. Again, it's a harder ride with more climbing, but it also hits the two target descents.

 

[Wu-D]

Well, the easiest, maybe.

I've climbed Avery Creek Rd. to climb Lower Buckthorn to Clawhammer (or just climb Clawhammer from behind the horse stables), then to Black Left, over Rich Mtn, and dropping down to Avery Creek Trail that way. I just rode back to The Hub from there, but if you felt up to it, you could climb Avery Creek Rd. back up to Bennett to add that downhill, too. Again, it's a harder ride with more climbing, but it also hits the two target descents.

Yeah, to get some scenery change, go up Claw, left up Black over Rich Mtn, and down Avery, then up Avery rd and down Bennett.

 

[aenima]

Just did up Clawhammer, left on Black and down Avery the other day. You get a little bit of good DH from Black down to the top of Avery creek.

There's a few trees down on Black that you have to climb over, as well as a few big trees down on Avery.

When you get down to the Avery/Buckhorn gap intersection, stay to the right on Buckhorn up to Avery creek road, it's an easier climb and puts you up closer to Bennett.

 

[KevinGT]

Thanks all. Did the route I listed and we had a great ride. Used every bit of the 160mm travel on my rental Transition Scout!

I normally ride a HT singlespeed but also have a 2012 Yeti ASR-5 that I bring to Pisgah. I blew out the dropper seals on Kitsuma the day before and don't want to dump any money into a 2012 26" bike so I opted to rent for Bennett. I used to laugh at people who bought 160mm travel bikes when I "can ride anything they can ride on my SS HT." HA! Now I know why people buy 160mm travel bikes. Avery Creek and Bennett gap were SO fun knowing I could handle the drops, roots and ruts at higher speeds.