Also looking for some good routes that may not require a heck of a lot of climbing. Ive lowered my expectations for a ton of singletrack and would be fine with dirt roads to connect trails. I purchased the Nat Geo Map it tool to view all of the Trails Illustrated. Now i just need to figure out what im looking at.
There is a lot of climbing in Pisgah. Even if you stick with mainly gravel roads there is still going to be a lot of climbing.
But Pisgah is great place for bike packing. Like kkjellquist says you will just move slower than you might expect.
I have lots of good loops in the Pisgah Ranger District. Here is a good 100 mile mainly gravel loop starting and ending from the Ranger Station:
Right on FR477
Right on FR5058 Clawhammer Rd.
Straight on Buckhorn Gap Trail 103
Left on South Mills River Trail 133
Straight on FR476
Right on FR1206 Yellow Gap Rd.
Left on FR5000
Straight on FR479
Right on FR479M South Ridge Rd.
Right on FR481
Left on FR491
Left on Little Hickory Top Trail 136
Right FR479G
Right on FR479
Right on Blue Ridge Parkway
Left on Trace Ridge Trail 354 *You must walk your bike down the trail to the carsonite sign indicating where you can begin riding*
Left on FR142
Right on FR5000
Left on FR1206
Left on Hwy276
Right on FR475B
Right on FR5045
Left on Sienard Ridge Trail 609 HIKING ONLY trail. Please carry your bike and respect trail designations.
Left on Blue Ridge Parkway
Right on FR816
Left on Flat Laurel Creek Trail 346
Left on Hwy215
Left on FR140
Right on FR5031
Right on FR229
Left on FR475
Right on Long Branch Trail 116
Left on FR5095
Right on FR475
Right on Davidson River Trail 650
Right on FR475
Right on Hwy276
If anyone does this route I ask that you Please respect the trail designations and carry your bike down Trace Ridge trail until you reach a carsonite sign indicating it is okay to begin riding. Also please carry your bike up Sienard Ridge Trail (it is too steep to ride up anyway!).
My directions might be off a little in the Bent Creek area. Just wander around there for awhile.
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Part 2: