Mountain Biking
Tsali Recreational Area
Nantahala National Forest, Cheoah Ranger District, North Carolina
Miles and miles of single track snaking along the shores of Lake Fontana.
6/17/05 – by Christopher Burk, Outdoor Travels
Tsali Recreation Area has always been a popular destination for mountain biking in North Carolina. Located along the southeastern shores of Fontana Lake, at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains, Tsali features four trails that offer plenty of saddle time and a variety of scenery.
The four trails are grouped together in two sets. Right Loop and Left Loop make up one set and Mouse Branch and Thompson’s Loop the other. The trails are open to hikers, bikers and equestrians but on a rotating schedule. One set of trails will be available for bikers to use while the other is open to horses. The next day it will be reversed. Hikers have full use of the trails on any given day.
Tsali is named for a Cherokee man who hid in this area in 1838. The US Government had ordered the Cherokees to move to Oklahoma—a tragic removal that’s known as “The Trail of Tears”. Exasperated by the brutality to his family, Tsali and others escaped to these mountains.
Tsali was coaxed to surrender by a promise to allow the others to remain in the area. Tsali voluntarily came forward as sacrifice for his people. AS a result, he, his brother, and two older sons were shot and killed.
Today the Eastern Band of Cherokee live on ancestral Cherokee land about 12 miles east of the Recreation Area.
Amenities include a campground with showers as well as a boat ramp. Hunting is also permitted so if you’re on the trails during deer season, it’s a good idea to wear hunter orange.
Tsali is a nice place to ride. Its long trails and loop systems make for full day of riding with a built-in lunch break. The only downside is that the trails are all basically cross-country. That’s great if you’re looking for some place to haul heiny but if you hunger for more technical challenges, Tsali probably isn’t the place for you. And you definitely won’t need a bike with 5” of travel.
Trail Reviews:
Left Loop and Right Loop:
Based on the trail names one would think that these trails would pretty much be mirror images of one another. Both start from the main parking lot. Both are about 12 miles long. Both offer nice views of Lake Fontana. And both use the same fire road to return to the parking lot. But that’s where the commonality ends. Left Loop is a fun, rolling ride around the lake. It offers a couple of short technical sections and some stream crossings. It does include some uphill sections but they’re mixed in nicely with downhill portions. The Right Loop is a totally different story. You ride the majority of the downhill in the first quarter of the loop and spend the rest of the time slowly climbing back up to the top. I suppose it really isn’t that bad by itself but when you factor in that you’ve already spent 12-plus miles in the saddle, it really drains you. Which is why I offered this extra piece of advice, ride the Right Loop first. Get the tough stuff out of the way while you’re still fresh.
Mouse Branch and Thompson’s Loop:
Like Left and Right Loop, these two trails share a common central trail. With the exception of one portion that cuts through the middle, Mouse Branch winds it’s way along a peninsula pretty much following the lakeshore. There are several nice views of Fontana Lake as well as an overlook that offers an impressive view of GSMNP. The trail itself is a mix of open and tight singletrack. The first half of the ride is spent working your way up to the overlook. It would be nice to say that the second half is all downhill but unfortunately that’s not the case. There are some wonderful, twisting downhill sections that, when ridden with any real speed, will test your nerve. But after that you spend most of the ride yo-yoing up and down before the final climb back to the connector trail and Thompson’s Loop. The first half of Thompson’s Loop passes along the lake before working it’s way back into the forest. From there it’s a long steady climb up what appears to be an old logging road. The climb is definitely worth it though. The rest of the loop is nothing but a screaming downhill. The trail is wide and clear with some natural humps that make for great ramps. All in all I would consider the last part of Thompson’s Loop to be the best section of all the trails.
Flint Ridge Trail
While visiting Tsali, riders might want to explore some of the other trails in the immediate area. A nicely maintained trail worth visiting is the Flint Ridge Trail located within the Nantahala Outdoor Center property off Highway 19. It’s a short ride so you can actually do it as a warm-up ride or before lunch sort of thing.
From the NOC compound, the ride is about 4.5 miles, with a loop at the end. ODT would suggest you drive to the trailhead unless you want to climb some seriously steep, gut-busting, billy goat grade access roads. There are some equipment shacks and a few vehicles in a level field where you’ll find the trail access.
The trail features some technical riding and a fairly grueling switchback climb at the very beginning. But it’s worth it because what follows is some dynamite rolling single track. Near the end, you empty out onto an old forest road. You can either ride this back down to your car, or get back on the trail and double back, riding the switchbacks in reverse.
During the ride, you'll also enjoy some incredible views of the Nantahala Gorge. Since this trail is completely on NOC property, it is open year round and – unlike Tsali – not accessible to horses. The NOC features several restaurants and a full service bike shop / rental place. It’s a beautiful spot with the Nantahala River running right smack dab through the middle. Flint Ridge is a nice diversion from Tsali if you have a few hours to explore and want grab a bite to eat afterwards. Important Note: The NOC is located in a dry county so if you want any "alternative" post-ride beverages you will need to pack it with you.
Trail Snapshot
Trail(s): 42 miles of fast single track with views of the Smokies and Lake Fontana.
Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate. True beginners might find some of the “technical” sections too challenging for their skills.
Outdoor Travels Rating: 3.75 out of 5 bikes.
Thumbs Up
- Easy access.
- A bike wash is always considered a plus.
- Scenic views of Lake Fontana and the surrounding mountains.
Thumbs Down
- Serious amount of skin shredding briers along the trail.
- Not much in the way of big obstacles or technical riding.
Nuts & Bolts
Location: Tsali is located on the southeastern shores of Lake Fontana about five miles past Bryson City on NC Route 28.
Directions: From Asheville, Take I 40 W to US 19/74 W. Go past Bryson City and turn right onto NC 28. After 5 miles, look for sign on right. From Knoxville, Take TN 41l to Merryville, TN and take NC 129 south to Deals Gap. Take left onto NC 28 south. Sign is 25 miles on left. From Murphy, Take 19/74 east to Almond, NC. Take NC 28 north. Tsali is 5 miles on right.
Facilities: Showers and flush toilets are offered at the Tsali campground. Pit toilets, water fountain and bike wash are located at trailhead parking lot.
Activities: hiking, hunting, mountain biking, horseback riding and fishing.
Admission: $2 for trail access. $15 for camping.
Maps and Stuff
Trail Map
Area Detail Map
Trail Photos
Lots of great photos to give you a good idea of what riding here is like!
General
Left Loop
Right Loop
Thompson Loop
Mouse Branch
Flint Ridge
