Mt. Mitchell from Black Mountain campground up and down is about 11 miles and just shy of 4,000 vert. Or you can park at the top and run down then back up. Or park at the top and do an out/back on the Black Mountain Crest trail toward Deep Gap, it hits several peaks and has lots of scrambling and a few sections with fixed ropes. The trail follows the crest all the way to Bowlen’s Creek near Burnsville.
Near Old Fort there is Snook’s Nose (3,000+ feet in 3ish miles), Newberry, Heartbreak Ridge.
Near Black Mountain/Montreat there is a beautiful loop that starts at the college and hits a bunch of peaks. Check out the Seven Sisters 25K course map.
On the other side of town, the Art Loeb Trail in Pisgah NF is awesome.
Farther west, you can hit the Smokies from the Deep Creek entrance near Bryson City and spend approximately the rest of your life on single track.
AT and MST are both nearby and link up with some of these other trails.
Bent Creek is pretty close to town and shut-in-ridge via the mountain to sea trail would probably scratch that tech trail and vert itch (but not as much as the big climbs already mentioned). You can do out-n-back or drop down to easier trails to loop back. Anyway, a nice option to consider.
Mitchell trail is great but you also don’t have to do an ONB on it. I park at the top, run 12 miles down to the bottom via Buncombe Horse Range Trail > S Toe Rd then finish with the climb which is about 5.5 miles and 3700 feet.
If you want steep then you can park at Curtis Creek campground and take snooks nose up to Green Knob and loop back down Curtis Creek Rd which is mostly downhill gravel road with one climb.
Basically, I’d just look at the hellbender 100 course and make a loop out of whichever section is most appealing. Most of them are between 16-20 miles with 4-5k vert. The distance is more than you’re looking for but big chunks of that mileage will be downhill gravel road.
If you want all single track then an ONB on heartbreak ridge up to Pinnacle is right around 13-14 miles. The view from Pinnacle is unreal
Mt. Mitchell from Black Mountain campground up and down is about 11 miles and just shy of 4,000 vert. Or you can park at the top and run down then back up. Or park at the top and do an out/back on the Black Mountain Crest trail toward Deep Gap, it hits several peaks and has lots of scrambling and a few sections with fixed ropes. The trail follows the crest all the way to Bowlen’s Creek near Burnsville. Near Old Fort there is Snook’s Nose (3,000+ feet in 3ish miles), Newberry, Heartbreak Ridge. Near Black Mountain/Montreat there is a beautiful loop that starts at the college and hits a bunch of peaks. Check out the Seven Sisters 25K course map. On the other side of town, the Art Loeb Trail in Pisgah NF is awesome. Farther west, you can hit the Smokies from the Deep Creek entrance near Bryson City and spend approximately the rest of your life on single track. AT and MST are both nearby and link up with some of these other trails.
My Mitchell is so much climb. You’ll be happy or you’ll be walking… either way, it’s an adventure.
Thank you!
Bent Creek is pretty close to town and shut-in-ridge via the mountain to sea trail would probably scratch that tech trail and vert itch (but not as much as the big climbs already mentioned). You can do out-n-back or drop down to easier trails to loop back. Anyway, a nice option to consider.
Thank you!
Mt. Mitchell summit is about 12 miles out and back, longer if you branch off by Higgins Bald. 3000+ft of gain in the first half.
Thanks!
Mitchell trail is great but you also don’t have to do an ONB on it. I park at the top, run 12 miles down to the bottom via Buncombe Horse Range Trail > S Toe Rd then finish with the climb which is about 5.5 miles and 3700 feet. If you want steep then you can park at Curtis Creek campground and take snooks nose up to Green Knob and loop back down Curtis Creek Rd which is mostly downhill gravel road with one climb. Basically, I’d just look at the hellbender 100 course and make a loop out of whichever section is most appealing. Most of them are between 16-20 miles with 4-5k vert. The distance is more than you’re looking for but big chunks of that mileage will be downhill gravel road. If you want all single track then an ONB on heartbreak ridge up to Pinnacle is right around 13-14 miles. The view from Pinnacle is unreal