[KevinGT]

I'm not a big trail explorer like some people, meaning I tend to find trails I like and ride them a lot. But Pisgah is different in that it's SO big I always feel I am missing something if I ride a trail I've ridden before. I live in NE Georgia so I can get to Pisgah for a day trip pretty easily and have access to a house if needed for a quick weekender.

So far, I've ridden:
Middle/Lower Black and Thrift Cove
Green's Lick/Ingles
Kitsuma
Bennett Gap
Avery Creek

I see that these are on a lot of "top 10 Pisgah trails" lists so they're obviously popular. What are some trails I'm missing? I tend to spend one day riding Dupont when I'm up there but after Bennett and Avery Creek, I'm thinking to just stick with Pisgah. I'm sure my singlespeed will understand.

 

[wncbiker]

North Mills River area with Spencer Gap, Spencer Branch, Fletcher Creek, Trace Ridge and Wash Creek can be looped together for an enjoyable ride.

 

[jamatt]

There's a ride I posted on MTBP called Mostah Mills that's a pretty good route to hit most of NMR. I also put up a ride called Crazy Eight in the Squirrel Gap/SMR area, dunno if I'd singlespeed that tho'.

 

[Harold]

What are some trails I'm missing?

Quite a lot. Some of which I've ridden myself, some I haven't (yet).

Squirrel
Turkeypen
Laurel/Pilot
Butter
Buckwheat
Cove Creek
Farlow
Upper Black (for "the view").
Sycamore

Dupont is great to mix in with a Pisgah trip when you're worn out from being beaten up by rough trails.

 

[LaXCarp]

Squirrel Gap is my favorite trail in Pisgah. Also put Cove Creek to Daniels Ridge (CCW) on your list.

 

[KevinGT]

Thanks all. Lots to try for my next trip. I'm trying to justify a new FS bike even though I don't ride one more than 10 times a year. I figure if I do enough day trips to Pisgah, that'll certainly justify a new bike. While my 2012 Yeti ASR-5 is absolutely fine, it doesn't mean I don't need a new one

I usually stay in Fletcher when I'm up there and Turkey Pen is right on the way to Brevard so that loop will probably be my next.

I haven't ridden enough to judge but the Kitsuma descent is probably my favorite so far. I think Avery Creek, Bennett, and Middle/Lower Black all had the same feel and same level of difficulty (save the two impossible (for me) rock drops on Bennett) with a great mix of tech and speed, Kitsuma is the one that had me grinning the whole way down. I may even like it more than Ridgeline.

 

[matty22c]

Daniel's Ridge is a great, quick ride you can hit on a arrival or departure days. You can also go both directions or pedal up to farlow. I rode DR last weeknd and I forgot how much I love that trail.

 

[Adodero]

Out and back on Squirrel is a good time, it's very different from the rest of Pisgah and is really cool, especially this time of year. It's fairly remote and doesn't see a lot of traffic, though, so probably best to go with someone. If you are short on time, the best way to do it is to go up to the 'saddle' where Squirrel peaks (Take S Mills -> Mullinax -> Squirrel) and turn around or go all the way to the bridge and turn around if you have more time. If you really want a bigger day, take all of Squirrel to full Black mountain.

Sometimes I recommend Squirrel to Laurel Creek, but I hear Laurel is real overgrown right now with tons of trees down, but that's a nice one in the summer because you have a few deep creek crossings to cool off in.

The N Mills River stuff has already been covered (Spencer Branch & Trace Ridge), but Laurel/Pilot is another good one to consider. It's pretty tough both ways and is a long 12 miles or so, but well worth it, real rocky with a few techie switchbacks.

The fish hatchery is great for the more mellow stuff in Pisgah. If you don't mind knocking out a 25 mile day, the Couch Potato route is great this time of year, although the climb up Daniel's Ridge is a questionable route. Generally I prefer riding back there Oct15-Apr15 when Cat Gap is opened for riding, otherwise Butter is kindof a chore to get out of unless you like technical climbing. What I'd do back there is take Headwaters -> Cove Creek Rd -> Cove Creek trail all the way down, then at the bottom of Cove after you climb up the logs and cross the stream, go right and ride/push up to Lanning, then go right and climb the road up to the intersection with Daniel's Ridge. Go right to go up Daniel's, then descend CCW. I'd pass on Butter until the winter, but if you really wanna go up there, you can go right onto the road, follow it to the Gloucester Gap, go left and ride the road until you see a parking area with a gated road on the left. Climb that, descend until you reach Long Branch, then climb Long Branch until you reach the intersection with Searcy Creek Rd, which you descend back to the main road and to your car.

 

[Forest Rider]

I thought this thread was going to be about WalMart bikes.