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Tags:
Level: Intermediate
Length: 8 mi (12.9 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Loop
Elevation: +354/ -342 ft
Total: 7 riders
Mountain Biking Gem Mine
#200 of 549 mountain bike trails in North Carolina
from the forest service rd. gate you climb approximately 4 miles on old dirt road. Gem Mine trail is found to the right and is marked by a large berm with a rock cairn. At any point that looks like a fork in the trail, stay right. This is a fun ripping descent with a little bit of climbing, a couple of small creek/drainage crossings and some fun jumps on the more open old road bed towards the end. Very Pisgah back country trail experience. This trail is on the list for work and improvement efforts by the National Forest Service and the NW NC MTB Alliance.
First added by shawnmoore1 on Mar 14, 2017. Last updated Apr 21, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
Look for a dirt road (Spencer Branch Rd.) to the right just past Shallow Creek Gap Rd. on Roby Martin Rd. (heading away from Hwy. 321)
Not knowing what to expect I started climbing. The 4 mile ascent was fairly smooth with a gradual incline. The trail is on the right in a turn and is marked with a stack of rock and a tent post. The descent was really fun. You have to really watch your lines because of the trial being washed out in some places. There is one pretty challenging rock garden. The descending slows down after 20 minutes and they are small sections of ascending and descending before you go back into the main log road.
| ThankJust to offer an alternate view thought I would post.
| ThankIMO, none of this is single track. It's all logging road but in places it's not been cleared in a while so there's a narrow path through the grown up vegetation.
Large loose rocks on the faster descents making them a little sketchy at speed.
Positive is that it is free of sights and sounds of civilization and has typical pisgah forest beauty.
Personally I won't drive past Zack's Fork trail again to go here. It's way more fun.
The ride begins with 4 miles of sustained climbing gaining close to 1,000 feet in elevation on a forest road. There are some great views on your way to the top. At four miles you will see a green trail blaze on your right with a stack of rocks on the left side of the trail. This is where the fun begins! The descent back to your vehicle is pretty sustained, with a few short climbs between plunging descents. There are 3 small creek crossings and lots of loose rock. If you aren't afraid to do a long climb for some awesome singletrack, this trail is a must ride!
| ThankWatch for horses!!!