A 52 mile bike ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway with 7,400 ft of climbing. It’s a challenging ride. Some of the grades reach 10% on the road that leads up to the top of Mount Mitchell. I usually have taken my touring bike, because it is geared lower than my road bike. But either bike would work on this route.
Where to Park
There used to be some parking at Grassy Creek Falls, but as I was researching this page I discovered that that lot is closed. I’ll have to research where else to park there. Worst case is to parking on the Blue Ridge Parkway somewhere close to Little Switzerland.
Description
I love biking of the Blue Ridge Parkway! Its like a hike on a bike. This ride is along some of the highest portions of the parkway. There are several good overlooks to stop at and take in the views. The route is an out and back ride with 5,200 ft of climbing on the way out and 2,400 ft on the way back. The climbs on the Blue Ridge Parkway are typically long and steady, as are the descents!
When you get to the top of Mount Mitchell, you can take a short hide to the top of the mountain to take in the views. About 1.5 miles from the top of Mount Mitchell is the Mount Mitchell State Park Restaurant. This is a great restaurant to stop at for lunch. Great views and good food. Check online to see if it is open before you leave, because if it is not open you’ll want to bring more food with you.
There are lots of good descents on the return from Mount Mitchell, but still 2,200 feet of climbing will challenge you. After the ride, you should try to eat at the Little Switzerland Inn – their restaurant is excellent!
Here is the route on Strava: http://www.strava.com/routes/3011465664706949408