Rocking and Rolling

Think of gravel biking as a hybrid between mountain biking and road cycling. In most cases, gravel biking takes place on an unpaved road with bikes that are similar to road bikes, but with wider and/or treaded tires.

In a word: fun. Gravel bikes enable you to explore deep in the woods while riding on non-technical surfaces. So, in many respects, you get the benefits of mountain biking without the technical challenges of maneuvering around large rocks and roots.

Thanks to Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Recreational Forest, there are literally hundreds of miles of well-maintained gravel roads, often referred to as “Forest Service” or “FS” roads. The opportunities for deep exploration into pristine corners of our county are multiplied many times over when your mode of transportation is a gravel bike.

Thanks to the growing popularity of gravel biking, manufacturers offer a wide range of gravel-specific bikes featuring wider tires and a more relaxed geometry. Some road bikes can be up-fitted with wider and/or treaded tires to turn them into “gravel grinders.” You can also repurpose your mountain bike for gravel grinding with no modifications. Hardtail mountain bikes make for a great gravel riding option.

Grab a map. Pisgah Map Company offers superb trail maps that show the various FS Roads in Pisgah and DuPont. If you’re looking to go electronic, Avenza Maps Mobile Apps offer Forest Service Maps. Other options include AllTrails and Trailforks.

We call this the Looking Glass Loop. Leaving the Pisgah Ranger Station, ride a short distance north on US276 before turning right onto FS477, also known as Avery Creek Road. Thankfully, the gravel surface from here to the Pisgah Horse Stables is relatively flat, giving you a chance to put in a nice warm-up before the road tilts up. And tilt up it does.

Over the next three miles, a total of 25-some-odd switchbacks carry you up over 1,136 feet with an average gradient of 7.2%. Thankfully, what goes up must come down. The next 2.5 miles is a downhill hootenanny that spits you out onto the pavement of US276, just below the Cradle of Forestry where you’ll enjoy another fun descent on the pavement until you intersect with FS475b on your right.

A series of short climbs and descents (not to mention two stunning views of Looking Glass Rock along the way: look left) leads to a final long descent that puts you out just above the Pisgah Fish Hatchery and the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. From here, it’s an easy pedal on pavement back to where you began. All told, you’ll cover some 20 miles and almost 2,000 feet of climbing.

Transylvania Tips
Mid-week is sweet: fewer people and great hotel deals make visiting Transylvania County during the week a great option.