[dogfuel]

Any suggestions for a <30 mile gravel or fire road route near Atlanta? I'll be visiting and just thinking about Sunday afternoon (short with multiple loops is fine)....

Thanks!

 

[parser]

I realize this might be too late but there is some gravel in the Johns Mountain area of Chattahoochee National Forest. It's death by climbing but what else would you get from gravel forest service road? Oh, and there are some fairly rugged sections of the Pinhoti through there, which are also death by climbing but would give you some sections of singletrack if you have any interest in that. I think it's about an hour from the northwest side of Atlanta.

 

[dogfuel]

Thanks! I'm old, fat and single speed, so climbs are slow, but death by climbing generally goes with long descents (no obligation to or benifit from pedaling down on a single speed) so I may try it when back next month. I've run stretches of the Pinhoti in Alabama and it may be a little rough for the bike I had in mind, but gravel FS roads are usually great!

 

[parser]

You know, on second thought, it will be hard to link up 30 miles at that location, unless you don't mind riding a bunch of paved back roads. The climb to Johns Mountain is definitely a good climb but if you are not riding Pinhoti you might hope for another suggestion. The gravel tends to be shortish dead ends off Pocket Road. It's still a nice place to ride but I can't find a loop there without using the trail. Maybe some more locals will know of another option.

 

[scottymchanson]

There are a lot of good gravel rds near dahlonega. I ride Coopers Gap rd and Winding Stair rd as a loop sometimes when I'm riding the trails at Bull Mountain. Really nice riding out there but you're guaranteed some long climbs and super fast downhills.