Just moved to the southeast... Looking for routes and riders!

[Pushbutton]

So I just moved (back) to Georgia. I wasn't a bikepacker while I lived here before, but a few years in that vast expanse of amazing out west changed that. I'm in the process of trying to get together a solid list of routes in the southeast to start running through the winter and into spring to prep for my Divide run this summer. While I'm at it I figured I would try and meet up with some other bikepackers around here since it seems my old riding buddies take me for a nutter when I ask them to do a 300+ miler. 

As for routes, so far from what I have seen...

Trans North Georgia - Looks great, lots of info available.

Pinhoti - I've hiked parts of this, but I've never biked any. I am having trouble figuring out which parts are open to bikes. From the info I've gathered it seems like the 100 miles on the Georgia side is open to bikes, but the Alabama side is not. Any info on this?

Palmetto Trail, SC - It seems they have done a bunch of work since I last saw it 5ish years ago. Having a bit of trouble identifying which sections link together. I did see the trip report of the Lake Moultrie to Awendaw, but from the map it appears that it connects all the way up to Wateree Passage. Just seeing if anyone had any knowledge on what the longest completed route so far is.

Sheltowee Trace, Kentucky - I have no experience with this trail. From the Forest Service website it appears that sections 1-30 can be biked with a bit of hiking through sections 12-14. I haven't had time to really look at a map of this one yet to see where the best place to pull off would be or if there is a route from section 11 to 15 by road to remove the hike.

Pisgah National Forrest, NC - I've been to Pisgah numerous times to hike and bike. From what I have seen, many people have had success here linking a number of the trails via fire roads to create some mad rides. This is another one which I have not really had time to dig out a good map and look at. I was just seeing if anyone had done any bikepacking up there and had a solid route down.

What else is out there? I'm looking for anything and everything from the longest epics the SE has to fun 3 day runs to overnight out-and-backs.

As for riders. I'm always looking for new people to ride with. Shoot me a message if you want to throw something together. As a warning... Between my SS, my camera, and the fact I could probably be in better shape, I'm not the quickest rider in the world. But lets be fair, who bikepacks to get anywhere quickly! 

[trebor]

Pisgah National Forrest, NC - I've been to Pisgah numerous times to hike and bike. From what I have seen, many people have had success here linking a number of the trails via fire roads to create some mad rides. This is another one which I have not really had time to dig out a good map and look at. I was just seeing if anyone had done any bikepacking up there and had a solid route down.

What else is out there? I'm looking for anything and everything from the longest epics the SE has to fun 3 day runs to overnight out-and-backs.

Florida has a little group of like minded folk. There is a 175 mile individual time trial going on this weekend..... The same group usually does 3-4 events a year in the "ultra" and "solo self supported" arena.

Check out info here:
http://www.singletracksamurai.com/

Did a trip in Pisgah early this year. Here is the info:
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,1940.msg18805.html#msg18805

[Dumpster Juice]

You can take the Palmetto trail in SC from the start at BuckHall Plantation near Charleston and ride just pass Poinsett State Park. Think it is about 150 miles. Camp there and turn around and head back to BuckHall. Just Google Palmetto Trail and you can detailed maps with mile markers for these sections. Let me know if you plan a trip and I may meet up with you and ride.

[Pushbutton]

You can take the Palmetto trail in SC from the start at BuckHall Plantation near Charleston and ride just pass Poinsett State Park. Think it is about 150 miles. Camp there and turn around and head back to BuckHall. Just Google Palmetto Trail and you can detailed maps with mile markers for these sections. Let me know if you plan a trip and I may meet up with you and ride.

So that would be Awendaw to Wateree Passage it looks like. Good to know that is, in fact, a completed route. At about 300 for an out and back would make for a great ride. Thanks for the heads up Dumpster. I'll be sure to let you know when I look to run it.

[southmark]

None of the Pinhoti in Alabama is open to bikes. It is footpath only. It goes through to National Wilderness areas.

[southmark]

That should read "two" National Wilderness areas.

[steelisreal4130]

here is a link i found about some guys that just linked a bunch of trail together in VA. it would take a little work to figure it all out, but it sounds awesome.

http://forums.mtbr.com/passion/touring-virginia-mountain-bike-trail-746234.html

[orion_134]

it's about 160-worth on the GA side open to bikes.  I'll be bikepacking it with a bunch of like-minded miscreants in March and I'll let you know how it goes.  Also, another vote for SingleTrack Samurai Productions.

[Pushbutton]

here is a link i found about some guys that just linked a bunch of trail together in VA. it would take a little work to figure it all out, but it sounds awesome.

http://forums.mtbr.com/passion/touring-virginia-mountain-bike-trail-746234.html

That sounds like a great run. I'll have to try and grab some more info from him on the route. Thanks!

it's about 160-worth on the GA side open to bikes.  I'll be bikepacking it with a bunch of like-minded miscreants in March and I'll let you know how it goes.  Also, another vote for SingleTrack Samurai Productions.

I may run this soon. It looks like a really good run and the wonderful guys at Mulberry Gap are right there to assist with shuttles.

[sjanes]

http://ashevillejanes.blogspot.com/2011/06/pisgah-traverse.html

this is a route I am working on in NC,  I hope to get some gps data together this winter and might do a mass start in later March

[Luis]

http://ashevillejanes.blogspot.com/2011/06/pisgah-traverse.html

this is a route I am working on in NC,  I hope to get some gps data together this winter and might do a mass start in later March

Hey Stephen, this route looks awesome (Pilot loaded? lol),  I've always wanted to do something like that in Pisgah, there's so much potential out there to go even farther west...  March would conflict with the Huracan 300 for me though, any particular reason for March (besides the fickle spring weather)?   

BTW thanks for the PMBAR grilled cheese sammies, life savers right there!

Luis

[LiiT]

Awesome!!!  Congrats on your future trip to the Divide.  I'd like to hike and bike the CDT and GDMBR one day...   More recently, a couple of friends and myself rode the Georgia half of the Pinhoti Trail (Oct 2011).  Only two sections are closed to MTB's-The first is a connector trail approx 10 miles from the the N terminus "mountaintown connector?" approx 1.5 mi long and connects to Bear Creek trail.  Honestly this section wasn't very rideable, but still scenic. 

The other section is at Horn mountain just after you finish the Dug Gap Rd. to Snake Creek Gap section of trail which is pretty brutal as far as technical goes.  I enjoyed it nonetheless albeit getting off and on the bike a thousand times.  We had a short but difficult day just getting about 8-10 miles outside of Dalton to the Swamp Creek campsite w/ water. 

The next day we skipped the Horn mountain 4 mile hike and dipped to the right down to the Villanow CS and then took Pocket Rd back to the trailhead on the southside of the Horn mtn ridge.  The Nat Geo map was the best from the N. Terminus to Dalton then we used printed topos after that, which unfortunately didn't always agree with the plastic trailmarkers or Nat Geo map...We worked it out.  The trailhead for the final few miles is hard to locate off jackson chapel/loop rd?  look for the blue blazes and white trail markers up high in the trees and look back for the last known marker and you'll find it...there's a nice woodsign well off the road in a pine forest. 

 There's a lil motel in Sumerville $63 same parking lot as dollar general and ingles and small diner across the street.  7.5 mile ride to the right from high point trailhead.  Fill your bottles in cave springs-rolater park on your way out of town for your final night--the best water!!! Took us a week and we camped all the nights cept that one...rode the silver comet trail back to atlanta.

Have a great ride!!! I know we did!!!  I'm hoping to do it again next year.

 Also, I'm currently researching Sheltowee Trace and just ordered a data book this week.  StokeD!!!  And of course, would like to do the TNGA.

See ya by the campfire! 

[SandSurfer]

I think going further west from the Pisgah Traverse it would be possible to connect to the beginning of the Trans GA route.  I've done a bit of looking on the National Geographic maps and it seems possible to connect the two by going west of 215 (where there appears to be a bit more bicycle single track) and then heading south, mostly using dirt roads with a bit of pavement.  Heading north from the ORAMM area trails I wonder if it would be possible to connect to the Cherokee NF and then up to Damascus at the southern end of the VA Mtb route.  That would make a continuous route from the AL/GA line in the south almost to MD.  From there, someone is trying to figure out a route through PA.  We could be getting closer to an Eastern divide type route, with way more singletrack.

[dgjessee]

We could be getting closer to an Eastern divide type route, with way more singletrack.

 

Pinhoti west of Dalton is epic! It's gorgeous, hard, but you get a lot of flow mixed in as well. It's true singletrack for a lot of it too.  If you dont mind hitting some pavement you can ride south along the GA/AL border and hit the Silver Comet Path (I hate calling it a trail) and ride it back to Atlanta.

[dgjessee]

btw, I am in Atlanta and planning to do the CTR next summer so would love some shake down rides.

[devid61]

Pinhoti - I've hiked parts of this, but I've never biked any. I am having trouble figuring out which parts are open to bikes. From the info I've gathered it seems like the 100 miles on the Georgia side is open to bikes, but the Alabama side is not. Any info on this?

Palmetto Trail, SC - It seems they have done a bunch of work since I last saw it 5ish years ago. Having a bit of trouble identifying which sections link together. I did see the trip report of the Lake Moultrie to Awendaw, but from the map it appears that it connects all the way up to Wateree Passage. Just seeing if anyone had any knowledge on what the longest completed route so far is.

Sheltowee Trace, Kentucky - I have no experience with this trail. From the Forest Service website it appears that sections 1-30 can be biked with a bit of hiking through sections 12-14. I haven't had time to really look at a map of this one yet to see where the best place to pull off would be or if there is a route from section 11 to 15 by road to remove the hike.

Pisgah National Forrest, NC - I've been to Pisgah numerous times to hike and bike. From what I have seen, many people have had success here linking a number of the trails via fire roads to create some mad rides. This is another one which I have not really had time to dig out a good map and look at. I was just seeing if anyone had done any bikepacking up there and had a solid route down.

[donmeredith74]

The Palmetto Trail is more or less continuous from Charleston (Awendaw) to downtown Columbia. North of there, its tough to string very many adjacent segments together.

The lower section includes a fair bit of dirt road and secondary roads and the trail condition is pretty raw when its single track but it is a nice long ride (~250 miles from Charleston to Columbia). The only real gap is between Ft Jackson & Wateree. Those two are pretty easily connected via back roads.

DM