Whether you've just purchased your first mountain bike, or want to push yourself to the limit by testing out some of your seasoned single-track skills, the mountains of North Georgia offer some of the best trail systems for mountain biking in the country. So, secure your bike to the back of your car, grab your helmet and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime with these top mountain biking trails all around the northern part of the state.
Woodring Branch in Ellijay. Access at the Woodring Branch Recreation Area off Highway 282. www.singletracks.com.
The Woodring Branch Trail offers beginning bikers a chance to get their feet dirty and experience real mountain biking without needing a storehouse of skills. This 3.5-mile loop offers single-track biking with an easy to moderate level of difficulty, stunning forest canopies and unbeatable views of lakes and streams along the way. You can hike or bike this trail, so make sure to watch out for foot traffic.
Bull Mountain / Jake Mountain trail system in Dahlonega. Access parking off of Highway 52-W. www.singletracks.com.
If you're in need of a little more mileage, try out the Bull Mountain and Jake Mountain trail system located in Dahlonega. With over 30 miles of intermediate level primitive, double-track and single-track, you'll love the variety and complexity of these scenic trails. You'll feel like you're the only person on the planet as you bike along the remote and picturesque mountain climbs.
Aska Adventure trail system in Blue Ridge. Access at the Deep Gap parking area off of Aska Road. www.blueridgemountains.com.
With its mixed terrain and track types, the Aska Adventure trail system up in Blue Ridge has a little something for everyone. Featuring a mostly moderate level of difficulty, you'll want to have some mountain biking experience if you want to attempt the whole 17-mile trail system. With large rocks, quick turns and fast downhill stretches, even the most skilled mountain biker will have a blast.
Bear Creek trail system in Ellijay. Access trailhead off of Gates Chapel Road. www.singletracks.com.
Along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Ellijay, you'll find the Bear Creek trail system with its windy inclines, challenging creeks and switchbacks along both single and double-track trails. This 10-mile loop ranks in at an intermediate level of difficulty, and takes you past the raging Bear Creek and through scenic stops overlooking the Cohuttas. If you're looking for speed, this uninterrupted trail will give you the super fast experience you crave.
Hickory Nut Trail in Helen. Accessed off of Highway 365. www.singletracks.com.
Hosting some of the most challenging, strenuous and difficult trails in Georgia, the Hickory Nut Trail is every mountain biker's dream come true. This 19-mile advanced level loop along the Appalachian Trail provides a heart pounding mix of vigorous climbs, tumbling rocks and turbulent descents. As a more intense mountain biking trail, this one is not for beginners or the faint of heart.
Looking for a great way to enjoy riding your bicycle a little closer to the city? Check out the cyclist's guide to Atlanta.
