The 197 mile Appalachia Bikepacking route provides a four to five day immersion into the rugged landscape and unique culture at the intersection of north Georgia, southeast Tennessee and extreme western North Carolina.
APPALACHIA BIKEPACKING
BLUE CAR BODY ROAD
Expansive ranches, well groomed gravel and WMA access roads make the 48 mile mixed-surface Blue Car Body Road route through rural Paulding County, Georgia seem far removed. Several gated roads and a short section of hike-a-bike give this route an adventurous feel. Even so, a fit rider could cycle to the start from Atlanta.
TALONA CREEK
The adventurous 48 mile mixed-surface Talona Creek route is centered around the self-procliamed "MTB Capital of Georgia." Elijay is more accessible to Atlanta than the far northern mountains and this route includes a little bit of everything, from bucolic country roads past orchards and wineries to gnarly and nearly off the grid gravel and even a bit of seldom used singletrack to keep things spicy.
DAS BOOT CUP
Georgia's 46 mile Das Boot Cup route goes up, then down, then up some more, most of it on gravel forest service roads. "You will be climbing for the next hour" explained one rider. Beautiful landscapes, lots of options for apres-ride in the City of Helen and a crossing of Duke's Creek make this an unforgettable route.
MORGAN VALLEY CENTURY
The Morgan Valley Century route utilizes the scenic and car-free Silver Comet Trail for most of its length while gently rolling, low traffic Morgan Valley Road eliminates what is arguably the least appealing section of the trail. This could be your first century or your next PR. A variety of trailhead options make this route adaptable to rides of any length.
GEORGIA GRAVEL TRAVERSE
The Georgia Gravel Traverse is gravel bikepacking route across some of the highest mountains in North Georgia. Showcasing Georgia's spectacular mountains and world class gravel, the GGT meanders 253 miles and climbs over 29,000 feet from the Georgia-South Carolina border to the western edge of the Cohutta Mountains.
NIMBLEWILL GAP
Set a few minutes west of Dahlonega, Georgia on some of the same roads used for the Southern Cross gravel race, the 47 mile Nimblewill Gap gravel route includes an unmaintained US Forest Service road over the gap from which the route takes its name. A mountain bike wouldn't be out of place on this route.
GRAVEL REAPER
The start of the 68 mile Gravel Reaper route is located two hours north of Atlanta in the heart of Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The area is a mecca for outdoor activity and on summer weekends you may encounter dozens of others on MTB, gravel and road bikes. This route climbs and descends several ridges and passes Camp Merrill, home to the US Army's 5th Ranger Training Battalion.
COHUTTA DEATH MARCH
The Cohutta Death March is a 76 mile circumnavigation of the federally protected Cohutta Wilderness in North Georgia and adjoining Big Frog Wilderness in Tennessee. Using gravel forest service roads for all but one mile, this route lives up to its name.
TOUR D’ATLANTA
From skyscrapers and upscale shops to rough urban neighborhoods to tree lined streets lacking any indication of a major city, Atlanta is a amazingly diverse place. The 38 mile Tour d'Atlanta is a blatant attempt to pack as much of that diversity as possible into a morning on the bike.
RED CLAY RAMBLE
The Red Clay Ramble is a gently rolling, 60 mile gravel route through the farms and forests of Middle Georgia. Yes, the soil is red clay. A store stop in the town of Gray has been added to the "official" race route for the sake of hydration.
BRASWELL MOUNTAIN METRIC
The Braswell Mountain Metric is a classic 100 km road route west from the Atlanta suburbs into rural Paulding County with one major climb over Braswell Mountain. The return east uses the most interesting section of the Silver Comet Trail including the 800 foot long tunnel under Brushy Mountain and the 750 foot long trestle over Pumpkinvine Creek.
THE PINNACLE ROUTES
Starting in the alpine city of Helen Georgia, metric, fondo and century options all feature iconic paved climbs and gravel ascents to remote mountain peaks. On some days you can literally ride up into the clouds. Over 135 ft/mile climbing make the Pinnacle routes some of the most difficult one day routes in the state of Georgia.
LUCAS LOOP
Horse farms. Strava segments. Dog chases. 30 miles. 2100 feet. 40% gravel. A little over two hours ride time. Perfect. This route is a jewel in Atlanta's backyard.
CONASAUGA CRUSHER
The 43 mile Conasauga Crusher gravel route reflects the rugged and remote nature of the Cohutta Mountains on the GA/TN border. Expect rough gravel, plentiful water and no cell service. A bear sighting is not out of the question.