Mtn Bike Rides

Plateau Rides

Festival 2001 Bike Rides

Highland Adventures Guide Service, LLC. will coordinate several rides in the beautiful wilderness area surrounding Wartburg. If your tastes run to hardcore mountain biking or just a nice easy road ride (and all points in between), you can explore the area by bike. Send us an email and let us know if you plan to do one of these. We will offer specific rides based upon rider interest. Some of the possibilities include:

Mountain Biking

Lone Mountain - Saturday April 7 @ 10 AM

The Lone Mountain State Forest includes 3,600 acres of pine and hardwood forest. Wildflower viewing can be spectacular on the Sawmill Trail in the Spring. Many of the trails crisscross rocky creekbeds which are mainly dry in the summer months, but make for technical riding. The 1,200' climb to Coyote Pt. from the intersection of Ervia Armes Rd. and the Longest Mile Trail is rewarded with stunning views of the Emory River Valley, and on a clear day one can see the Smoky Mountains. Several options are available for a beginner-intermediate ride from the trailhead. We will have an out and back ride on Carl Black Spur or loop going out on Carl Black Spur and returning on Ervia Armes Gravel Rd. There are options here for an intermediate to advanced (Longest Mile/Coyote Point) ride which requires good cardiovascular fitness and the ability negotiate uphill and downhill switchbacks. Sign up  via email.  Meet at the intersection of Ervia Armes Rd. and the Longest Mile trailhead. 

Directions to Lone Mtn: From Wartburg, follow Highway 27/29 South for approximately 4 miles. Turn west at the Lone Mountain State Forest signs (Clayton Howard Rd.) and go about 0.3 miles past the Forestry headquarters and continue 3 more miles to around to the gravel road off of Bob Armes Circle (then Ervia Armes Road) and start at the Longest Mile trailhead.

Optional Choice of Bike 

Gobey Loop (All abilities) - Saturday April 7 @ 3 PM

This is a beautiful loop along the headwaters of the Emory River which is suitable for all ability levels. It can be done on a road or mountain bike and is guaranteed to show you the best of East Tennessee's rich mountain heritage. Starting in downtown Wartburg, we will ride approximately 11 miles through the virtually untouched Gobey Valley, with it's pristine farmland surrounded by the rugged Cumberland Mountains. Please let us know in advance via email at or at the Highland Adventures Guide Service booth Saturday at the Festival.

Road Biking

Lancing Loop (Road Biking) - Sunday April 8 @ 10 AM

If you're a roadie, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that, then join us for a ride on the Lancing Loop on Sunday morning of the festival. We'll leave from downtown Wartburg at 10:00 AM, and should be back in 2 to 2 1/2 hours. It's approximately 30 miles of undulating terrain leaving Wartburg, traveling through the historic town of Lancing, then heading North to Pilot Mountain and back to Wartburg through Annadel. It's a slice of Appalachian heaven waiting to be explored. Sign up online via email Light refreshments will be available at the start/finish.

More About the Area

The Cumberland Plateau offers something for everyone who loves the outdoors. If you are interested in mountain biking, there are a number of nearby mountain bike trails, varying from gravel roads to steep single track. This map may help you locate the areas described below.

·         Frozen Head State Park, east of Wartburg, off of highway 62 has a gated jeep road that climbs steeply 6.6 miles to a fire tower offering panoramic views of the Cumberlands and the Tennessee Valley.

·         Lone Mountain State Forest to the south of Wartburg has some steep and challenging single-track that circles Lone Mountain. Good views to the south are provided at Coyote Point.

·         The Catoosa Wildlife Management Area to the west of Wartburg, offers numerous gravel roads and some jeep roads. The roads cross the various whitewater creeks and rivers.

·         Black Mountain further to the southwest, at the Crab Orchard exit of I-40, offers some challenging jeep roads. The Cumberland Trail is also accessible from Black Mountain.

·         The Big South Fork area to the north up US 27, provides many mountain biking opportunities.

·         Windrock Mountain: We have only just found out about bicycle access to this area. Many legendary routes have been spoken about in hushed tones through the years, but until recently we've not been able to legally go there. Now it's changed and you can share in its exploration.

Thanks to Tom Dunigan for his contribution of this info. Send comments or additions to Tom Dunigan. Check out his East Tennessee bike rides site.