Mt Mitchell route options?
05-25-19, 06:47 PM
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Mt Mitchell route options?
Thinking on doing several days of riding on/near BRP this year. Not looking at doing the "Assault" route, per se, but wondering if there is somewhere near the valley floor where I can safely park and ride to the top and back in about 40 - 60 miles. Or, would it just be better to park somewhere on the BRP and ride from there?
05-27-19, 05:18 PM
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Folk Art Center to MM is 31.5 mi, 5800' climbing, one way. Craggy Gardens to MM is 13.9 mi, 2200' climbing, one way. Plus several overlooks along the way you could park.
Best time to do lots of climbing is not in June-August due to temp/humidity (AOMM is in May). Sections of BRP are occasionally closed due to ice, snow, rockfall, storm erosion damage to roadway, etc, so check before trip planning. Riding BRP when it's closed to motor vehicles is pretty nice. Most traffic is near cities (Cherokee, Asheville, Blowing Rock, etc). Sections of BRP south of Asheville's Tunnel Road intersection have a lot of commuter traffic during work days/rush hours. Not much traffic South of Pisgah Inn and you can camp there (or get a room if lucky) as well as Graveyard Fields and Shining Rock further south. Water at all these places, no fires or bike on trails at SRWA (lock bike up at parking area/latrine or hide in the forest immediately south of the paved access road on the intersecting Art Loeb trail, down which there are good camp sites).
There will be more cars and people north of MM on the BRP, but more services near the BRP too. South of Asheville services are few and can be 20 miles and 3000 feet down from BRP.
There are probably a hundred places to park along the BRP and day ride all you want. Camping is fairly limited and services are anywhere from 15" to a whole days ride away.
Techniques for Planning Bicycle Trips on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Best time to do lots of climbing is not in June-August due to temp/humidity (AOMM is in May). Sections of BRP are occasionally closed due to ice, snow, rockfall, storm erosion damage to roadway, etc, so check before trip planning. Riding BRP when it's closed to motor vehicles is pretty nice. Most traffic is near cities (Cherokee, Asheville, Blowing Rock, etc). Sections of BRP south of Asheville's Tunnel Road intersection have a lot of commuter traffic during work days/rush hours. Not much traffic South of Pisgah Inn and you can camp there (or get a room if lucky) as well as Graveyard Fields and Shining Rock further south. Water at all these places, no fires or bike on trails at SRWA (lock bike up at parking area/latrine or hide in the forest immediately south of the paved access road on the intersecting Art Loeb trail, down which there are good camp sites).
There will be more cars and people north of MM on the BRP, but more services near the BRP too. South of Asheville services are few and can be 20 miles and 3000 feet down from BRP.
There are probably a hundred places to park along the BRP and day ride all you want. Camping is fairly limited and services are anywhere from 15" to a whole days ride away.
Techniques for Planning Bicycle Trips on the Blue Ridge Parkway
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