BREVARD, NC
Physical Exertion: Intermediate+ / Technical Ability: Intermediate+ to Advanced
What to expect in Brevard: East Coast rowdiness! Technical descents in Pisgah NF with lots of roots, rocks, and steep sections!
Brevard sits in a beautiful valley in western North Carolina, nestled nicely in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Located right between Dupont State Forest and Pisgah National Forest, there’s more riding here than you could cover in weeks, much less a 4-day trip. The key word when it comes to the riding in Brevard is “rowdy”, as we’re focusing all our energy on getting the best of Pisgah NF on this trip.
In Pisgah National Forest, just a few minutes north of town, you’ll see what east coast technical riding is all about: from the uber-tech trails like Black Mountain and Bennett Gap to the intermediate-level stuff like Daniel Ridge and Sycamore Cove. The climbs are typically on steady logging roads with a bit of steep singletrack mixed in, and the descents are long, rooty, rocky and damn fun. This is our favorite place to ride east of the Rockies; join us, and you’ll see why.
Airport Options: Asheville (45 minutes) – Charlotte (2 hrs)
INTERACTIVE BREVARD TRAIL MAP
EXAMPLE ITINERARY
Day One: Arrival Day! On the first day of our trip, plan to meet at our designated lodging around 5-6pm that evening. We’ll do a quick introduction, followed by bike setups, a welcome dinner and drinks. The first night is meant to be social and relaxing, as we’re getting ready for four big days on the bike!
Day Two: Spencer Gap and Trace Ridge. Today’s ride is going to be a proper intro, so make sure you put in the miles leading up to your trip. Just east of town is Mills River, home of some of the best Pisgah trails we’ve ridden. Today we’ll link together a “double loop” combining Trace Ridge, Spencer Gap, Fletcher Creek and a couple other bonuses- the perfect mix of trails if you ask us. Expect some old school tech on Trace Ridge, along with “new school” man made features on Spencer Gap to give you the perfect Pisgah experience. Lunch at the trucks halfway through the ride will give you a good chance to refuel and take a break!
Day Three: Squirrel Gap to Avery Creek. This is a new one for 2024 (and beyond), and has a bit of a backcountry adventure feel along with some of the big name descents in the Pisgah area. We’ll run this as a big point to point, hitting some new trails like Squirrel Gap and Horse Cove, but then we’ll finish with proper DHs on Avery Creek and Middle Black.
Day Four: Classic Pisgah DHs. Today’s the day you’ve been waiting for: we’re going to combine Buckwheat Gap, Bennett Gap, Upper Black and more to give you the ultimate in Pisgah descents. It’s going to be a big day (we’ll even start with a shuttle), but these are some of the best, chunkiest descents on the east coast. Saddle up!
Day Five: Dupont Loops. Last day of the trip, but it doesn’t mean that we’re going to take it easy on you- we’re heading over to Dupont to check out the slickrock, tech and flow! We’ll pack a lot of awesome trails into a 10-12 mile loop, and we promise you’ll leave Brevard with a big-ass smile on your face!
