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Outdoor Adventures

Bicycling

Many miles of scenic roads in the North Carolina mountains are designated bike routes and are popular for both day outings and competitive riding events.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is the best-known of these roads, and motorists share the way with road bikers throughout the year. North of Asheville, the Parkway leads to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Each spring, cyclists from across the country come to participate in the "Assault on Mount Mitchell," a 100-mile race along the 5,000 foot ascent to the peak.

The "Road to Nowhere" in the far western mountains is a lightly traveled road that winds for eight miles into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park north of Bryson City and offers a moderate ride with great views of Fontana Lake.

Western North Carolina's small towns are also excellent destinations for riders who like to stop for a good restaurant, ice cream parlor, historic site or craft gallery.

The City of Asheville has miles of bicycle-friendly roadways along which cyclists can travel to many local attractions.