There's Great New

Mountain Biking in the Boone Area!

2011 is a great time to discover mountain biking in the Boone Area. New trails have opened at Boone's Rocky Knob Park and atop Beech Mountain!

The first phase of the brand new Rocky Knob Mountain Biking Park opened in Boone on May 1 with the 1.6-mile Rocky Branch Trail loop. The 1-mile Lower Knob Trail opened a second loop option in late July. The rest of this great new mountain biking destination is under construction right now. Another 5+ miles and a skills/practice area are expected to debut by late in the year. Check out the Park's Facebook page.

Last spring, the town of Beech Mountain christened the new Emerald Outback trail system, 8 miles of new single- and double-track trails open at cool, more-than-mile-high elevations. Trailhead parking is across the street from the Beech Mountain Town Hall and Chamber of Commerce. Visit the town's Parks and Recreation Department Web site, then click "Trails" and "Emerald Outback" for a map/brochure.

September 24-25, 2011 USA Cycling’s major national event, the Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships, came to Beech Mountain for the first year of a two-year run.

Besides Rocky Knob Park, don't miss Boone's Greenway—the newest addition to our trail guide. The diverse trail system offers single track that complements a wonderful assortment of paved riverside rides. Sugar Mountain offers an extensive trail network, and from July through early-September,  chairlift rides give cyclists and their mountain bikes a lift to the top for exciting descents from the summit. Download a trail map at the bottom of the resort's homepage.

The Pisgah National Forest in the Boone Area has miles of dedicated mountain bike routes. The acclaimed W. Kerr Scott Reservoir network of mountain biking trails is just 45 minutes away near Wilkesboro.

No wonder "mountain" and "biking" go together so well in the Boone Area. Easy to expert trails await in one of the most exciting places in the country to ride a mountain bike.  National publications repeatedly name Boone one of the country's best places for outdoor adventure—and mountain biking is an exciting part of the mix. Boone is the High Country hub for mountain biking in the South.

Get involved—you don't have to live in the Boone Area to enjoy organized rides with the Boone Area Cyclists. Or better yet—volunteer your time to build more great biking trails at Rocky Knob Park!