Rediscover the Aska Trail System in Blue Ridge, Georgia

Even if you live in Georgia, you may have never even heard of the Aska Trail System. While the trail names in popular destinations like Ellijay are on everyone’s lips, just a few miles up the road, this 17-mile network of singletrack in Blue Ridge flies way under the radar. This old school trail network has been a mainstay of North Georgia mountain biking for years for riders in the know, but these days not as many people seem to travel here.

If you have heard of the riding in the Aska Trail System, it was probably referred to as “Stanley Gap.” Stanley Gap is the steepest and most technical trail in the system with a ripping descent once you turn around to come back down. But this single trail can be combined with other nearby trails, such as Flat Creek, for a longer ride.

The trails across the highway—anchored by the Green Mountain Trail—receive a fraction of the traffic that Stanley Gap receives, in part because you must utilize gravel and paved roads in order to loop the trail. Again, it’s possible to ride Green Mountain as an out-and-back, but since you often start close to the high point of the trail (if parked near Stanley Gap), it’s less attractive to finish with a climb.,

If you’re willing to journey off the beaten path, deep into the Appalachian Mountains near the town of Blue Ridge, these narrow, sinuous, hidden singletrack trails will leave you feeling like you unearthed a long-lost treasure!