Elk Mountain Scenic Parkway (Asheville Road Cycling): The quintessential road ride for Asheville cyclists is the Elk Mountain Scenic Highway and it definitely packs a punch. This challenging ride begins with a steep, leg-crushing climb up Elk Mountain Scenic Highway before cresting the summit of the climb at Buzzard Rock before dropping into a fast descent to Bull Gap and the Blue Ridge Parkway. A lot of options abound, including great gravel rides in this area, but a favorite is to continue heading south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Town Mountain Road and wind your way down the steep mountain descent to a right turn onto Sunset Drive and wind your way through the modern houses and great vistas to connect to the Grove Park Inn and Kimberly Ave to complete the loop.
For those daring enough to push their limits on two wheels, the Elk Mountain Scenic Highway is not just a ride but a visceral experience. Cyclists are drawn here for the chance to pit their strength against one of Asheville’s most punishing and beautiful routes. This is no Sunday spin; it’s a test of endurance wrapped in mountain vistas that steal your breath as easily as the climb does.
Starting in Asheville’s historic north end, the journey lures riders in with a deceptive gentleness, a quiet stretch of smooth road that glides through farmland and lush meadows. Early on, there’s a calm here, as the landscape unfolds at a manageable pace, almost as if it’s giving you one last moment to reconsider. But that peace is short-lived. Soon, the road steepens and twists, revealing the first taste of what Elk Mountain Scenic Highway has to offer: a relentless climb that shifts from incline to intensity with unrelenting enthusiasm.
The ascent up Elk Mountain is a pure, steady grind—one that demands focus and determination. As the road snakes higher, each switchback becomes its own mini-epic, a tactical maneuver as you power around corners that tilt skyward, demanding everything from your legs and lungs. Here, at elevations that crest over 3,500 feet, you can feel the air thinning, cool and sharp against your skin, each breath a refreshing, essential gasp. The surroundings amplify that wild sensation, dense woods pressing in close with towering evergreens and hardwoods that stand as silent witnesses to your climb. Light filters in dappled patterns through branches, casting the road in an almost mystical glow that sharpens the senses.
At the highway’s upper reaches, time seems to warp. There’s a quiet up here, broken only by the steady cadence of your pedaling and the occasional whisper of the wind. On clear days, the view stretches across the Blue Ridge range in a way that’s almost cinematic, rolling hills and ridges cascading endlessly into the distance. This stretch rewards a pause, an interlude where the silence and scope of the landscape are both humbling and invigorating. You’ll feel yourself perched on the edge of something vast and timeless, a reminder of the world beyond the day-to-day.
But the true exhilaration lies in the descent. Cresting the peak, you shift gears and lean forward, and just like that, gravity takes over. The road unwinds beneath you in a mad dash of speed and sound, each corner another thrill as you carve your way down. Here, the mountain offers its own kind of reward: a rush of adrenaline that’s equal parts skill and surrender, as you navigate each hairpin turn with a mix of caution and daring. There’s an intimacy to the ride now, a sense of connection to the road and the rhythm of the bike as it surges down the mountain.
As you return to Asheville, with the last curves behind you and the city’s lights in the distance, you’re left with more than just the satisfaction of finishing. Elk Mountain Scenic Highway leaves its mark, a vivid memory of grit, glory, and the grandeur of the Blue Ridge. For those brave enough to tackle it, this ride is a story to tell and an experience that stays with you long after the wheels stop spinning.
Directions from Asheville: From downtown take Merrimon Ave. N 2 miles. Turn right on Beaverdam Rd at Ingles grocery store and head out Beaverdam Rd. for 1 mile to Elk Mountain Scenic Highway on the left. Alternate routes include heading up to Sunset Drive for a nice, gradual climb with minimal traffic.
