Mountain Biking Trails
Places I've ridden personally and my opinions of them.
22 Places • 1 Save • ago
Free
Lake Imaging Parking Lot
@mygracefilledjourney
My favorite trail system in the area. Several different options to take, multi use trails, Ridgeline is awesome!
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Tsali Trailhead, US Forest Service, Cheoah Ranger District
@mygracefilledjourney
Miles and miles of flowy trails. Very scenic.
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Rocky Knob Mountain Bike Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Very fun trails. Some technical with gaps, drops, jumps. Lots of climbing! Not for beginners. It's called Rocky Knob for a reason, you'll see. Easy to get lots of speed coming down the jump line. Had a painful crash on it!
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Mountain Creek Park
@mygracefilledjourney
The best new trail system in the Lake Norman area. Nothing too exciting, just smooth and miles of trails without much elevation change so no hard climbs. Trails can be a little difficult to navigate. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the map before starting.
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Fire Mountain Trails - Bike Trail Head
@mygracefilledjourney
Great trails but LOTS of climbing. They have several technical features like, gaps, drops, jumps. For more advanced riders. E-bikes ARE allowed here.
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Lake James State Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice trails, change direction each year. Not too crowded. The trails are located in the Paddy's Creek section of the park near the swim beach.
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Fonta Flora State Trail - Wolfpit Access & Parking
@mygracefilledjourney
Smooth trails, great for riders of all ages.
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Hickory City Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Good trails, close to I40 if you're passing through and need to burn off some calories.
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Jacob Fork Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice 2.5 mile loop. If you live in the area it's worth a stop.
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Catawba Meadows Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Not mountain biking but they have a nice greenway if the other trails in the area are too wet to ride. Paved, goes all the way into town so you can stop for a bite to eat.
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Mazeppa Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Perfect trails for beginners. Nothing technical but still fun. Bring the kiddos here.
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George Poston Park
@mygracefilledjourney
I wasn’t impressed with the mountain biking trails but they have the best pump track I’ve seen anywhere near here. It’s paved so you may have to share it with skateboarders or BMX bikes. To be fair I only rode two of the mountain biking trails. I wanted to ride the others but couldn’t figure out how to get to them.
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Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Great pump track! Trails are laid out well considering it's a relatively small area. I'm hoping to go back at some point when I'm traveling that direction.
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Santos Trails
@mygracefilledjourney
My favorite trails in all of Florida. Definitely worth putting on your bucket list if you're in the Southeast.
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Alafia River State Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice trail system in central Florida. Has a few technical features. Not as good as Santos but still a fun ride.
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Mount Dora Trail
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice short trails, if you find yourself in the area. Not worth traveling a long distance.
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Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail
@mygracefilledjourney
This isn't necessarily mountain biking but it is one of my favorite places to ride. There are several shuttle services available in the town of Damascus Virginia. For a small fee they will drop you and your bike off at the top of the mountain so all you have to do is leisurely and at your own pace come down the mountain back to your vehicle. They also all rent bicycles if you don't happen to have one of your own. Expect it to take 2 to 3 hours for the entire ride. There are several places to stop and rest and even a couple places to grab a bite to eat along the way. Great for families.
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Hanging Rock State Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice state park to camp at. Around $26 per night. No services for RVs here although some sites can fit smaller units. This is mainly for car/ tent camping. Stays full on the weekends. Sites must be reserved online. Bathhouses are closed mid December- mid March with only an outhouse available during winter. Numerous hiking trails, mountain biking trails, a kayak put in/ take out on the Dan River. The Dan River Co can shuttle you for a small fee. The park has a lake for swimming (fee) and fishing. Great views, clean, friendly staff, everything I’ve come to expect at North Carolina’s state parks.
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Sherman Branch Nature Preserve
@mygracefilledjourney
Very fun trails with some wooden obstacles scattered throughout the forest. Lots of roots so a little challenging at times. The main loop crosses the service road in multiple places so if you need to bail it’s no problem. E bikes are not allowed here. They do have a porta potti available. Parking lot is gated so I’m assuming it’s closed after dark.
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Backyard Trails
@mygracefilledjourney
I visited here in 2023. The trails are broken up into 4 different areas that are all accessed from the greenway. The only section I found enjoyable was the middle third. It’s a little confusing finding which way to enter this area so I recommend using an app like AllTrails. The trail was flowy, had a couple jump lines, and was pretty smooth for the most part. This is far from my favorite trail system, but if you find yourself in this part of Charlotte it’s worth riding once. I rode an e-bike here, but there’s no elevation change so it really wasn’t necessary.
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Purser-Hulsey Park
@mygracefilledjourney
This park has a little bit of everything. They have a really cool tight twisty pine forest section called “The Enchanted Forest”. It will really test you if you have wide handlebars. There’s several cool teepee like structures here that kids are sure to love. The trails wind all around the woods and the back section leads to a nice jump line that can be sessioned multiple times. Along the trails you’ll see numerous painted rocks, including an area all painted like ladybugs. There’s a wooden boardwalk over a swampy area and a couple small wooden bridges. There are no restrooms here. I rode an e-bike and didn’t see any signage stating they weren’t allowed, although it really wasn’t necessary since this trail isn’t very long and doesn’t have a great deal of elevation changes. Be aware that this trail is heavily used by walkers that from my experience are oblivious to oncoming bikers. There is a designation for which way walkers and bikers should travel.
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Lake Norman State Park
@mygracefilledjourney
I camped at this paid campground in June of 2022. Very clean, safe, newly renovated. Highly recommended for tents, rvs, cabin rentals. Great mtn biking trails and even a swim beach.
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* * *
CURATED BY
Hello friends, I’m Justin. I’m a wanderer, adventure seeker, and an avid outdoorsman who's grateful to my creator for giving me the ability to pursue my passions, and for showing me grace when I totally blow it. If you've found any value in the information I've posted please consider leaving a small tip. I would be most grateful as it would help to fund the journey. Have a blessed day!
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Mountain Biking Trails
Places I've ridden personally and my opinions of them.
22 Places • 1 Save • ago
Free
Lake Imaging Parking Lot
@mygracefilledjourney
My favorite trail system in the area. Several different options to take, multi use trails, Ridgeline is awesome!
Add to
Details
Tsali Trailhead, US Forest Service, Cheoah Ranger District
@mygracefilledjourney
Miles and miles of flowy trails. Very scenic.
Add to
Details
Rocky Knob Mountain Bike Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Very fun trails. Some technical with gaps, drops, jumps. Lots of climbing! Not for beginners. It's called Rocky Knob for a reason, you'll see. Easy to get lots of speed coming down the jump line. Had a painful crash on it!
Add to
Details
Mountain Creek Park
@mygracefilledjourney
The best new trail system in the Lake Norman area. Nothing too exciting, just smooth and miles of trails without much elevation change so no hard climbs. Trails can be a little difficult to navigate. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the map before starting.
Add to
Details
Fire Mountain Trails - Bike Trail Head
@mygracefilledjourney
Great trails but LOTS of climbing. They have several technical features like, gaps, drops, jumps. For more advanced riders. E-bikes ARE allowed here.
Add to
Details
Lake James State Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice trails, change direction each year. Not too crowded. The trails are located in the Paddy's Creek section of the park near the swim beach.
Add to
Details
Fonta Flora State Trail - Wolfpit Access & Parking
@mygracefilledjourney
Smooth trails, great for riders of all ages.
Add to
Details
Hickory City Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Good trails, close to I40 if you're passing through and need to burn off some calories.
Add to
Details
Jacob Fork Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice 2.5 mile loop. If you live in the area it's worth a stop.
Add to
Details
Catawba Meadows Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Not mountain biking but they have a nice greenway if the other trails in the area are too wet to ride. Paved, goes all the way into town so you can stop for a bite to eat.
Add to
Details
Mazeppa Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Perfect trails for beginners. Nothing technical but still fun. Bring the kiddos here.
Add to
Details
George Poston Park
@mygracefilledjourney
I wasn’t impressed with the mountain biking trails but they have the best pump track I’ve seen anywhere near here. It’s paved so you may have to share it with skateboarders or BMX bikes. To be fair I only rode two of the mountain biking trails. I wanted to ride the others but couldn’t figure out how to get to them.
Add to
Details
Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Great pump track! Trails are laid out well considering it's a relatively small area. I'm hoping to go back at some point when I'm traveling that direction.
Add to
Details
Santos Trails
@mygracefilledjourney
My favorite trails in all of Florida. Definitely worth putting on your bucket list if you're in the Southeast.
Add to
Details
Alafia River State Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice trail system in central Florida. Has a few technical features. Not as good as Santos but still a fun ride.
Add to
Details
Mount Dora Trail
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice short trails, if you find yourself in the area. Not worth traveling a long distance.
Add to
Details
Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail
@mygracefilledjourney
This isn't necessarily mountain biking but it is one of my favorite places to ride. There are several shuttle services available in the town of Damascus Virginia. For a small fee they will drop you and your bike off at the top of the mountain so all you have to do is leisurely and at your own pace come down the mountain back to your vehicle. They also all rent bicycles if you don't happen to have one of your own. Expect it to take 2 to 3 hours for the entire ride. There are several places to stop and rest and even a couple places to grab a bite to eat along the way. Great for families.
Add to
Details
Hanging Rock State Park
@mygracefilledjourney
Nice state park to camp at. Around $26 per night. No services for RVs here although some sites can fit smaller units. This is mainly for car/ tent camping. Stays full on the weekends. Sites must be reserved online. Bathhouses are closed mid December- mid March with only an outhouse available during winter. Numerous hiking trails, mountain biking trails, a kayak put in/ take out on the Dan River. The Dan River Co can shuttle you for a small fee. The park has a lake for swimming (fee) and fishing. Great views, clean, friendly staff, everything I’ve come to expect at North Carolina’s state parks.
Add to
Details
Sherman Branch Nature Preserve
@mygracefilledjourney
Very fun trails with some wooden obstacles scattered throughout the forest. Lots of roots so a little challenging at times. The main loop crosses the service road in multiple places so if you need to bail it’s no problem. E bikes are not allowed here. They do have a porta potti available. Parking lot is gated so I’m assuming it’s closed after dark.
Add to
Details
Backyard Trails
@mygracefilledjourney
I visited here in 2023. The trails are broken up into 4 different areas that are all accessed from the greenway. The only section I found enjoyable was the middle third. It’s a little confusing finding which way to enter this area so I recommend using an app like AllTrails. The trail was flowy, had a couple jump lines, and was pretty smooth for the most part. This is far from my favorite trail system, but if you find yourself in this part of Charlotte it’s worth riding once. I rode an e-bike here, but there’s no elevation change so it really wasn’t necessary.
Add to
Details
Purser-Hulsey Park
@mygracefilledjourney
This park has a little bit of everything. They have a really cool tight twisty pine forest section called “The Enchanted Forest”. It will really test you if you have wide handlebars. There’s several cool teepee like structures here that kids are sure to love. The trails wind all around the woods and the back section leads to a nice jump line that can be sessioned multiple times. Along the trails you’ll see numerous painted rocks, including an area all painted like ladybugs. There’s a wooden boardwalk over a swampy area and a couple small wooden bridges. There are no restrooms here. I rode an e-bike and didn’t see any signage stating they weren’t allowed, although it really wasn’t necessary since this trail isn’t very long and doesn’t have a great deal of elevation changes. Be aware that this trail is heavily used by walkers that from my experience are oblivious to oncoming bikers. There is a designation for which way walkers and bikers should travel.
Add to
Details
Lake Norman State Park
@mygracefilledjourney
I camped at this paid campground in June of 2022. Very clean, safe, newly renovated. Highly recommended for tents, rvs, cabin rentals. Great mtn biking trails and even a swim beach.
Add to
Details

* * *
CURATED BY
Hello friends, I’m Justin. I’m a wanderer, adventure seeker, and an avid outdoorsman who's grateful to my creator for giving me the ability to pursue my passions, and for showing me grace when I totally blow it. If you've found any value in the information I've posted please consider leaving a small tip. I would be most grateful as it would help to fund the journey. Have a blessed day!
Send A Tip
Support My Grace Filled Journey’s work.
Select your tip amount
$5
$10
$20
$50
Or type in other amount
Powered by Thatch
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Powered by Thatch: Where great trips are made.
© My Grace Filled Journey Privacy Terms