Top 3 Mountain Bike Rides in Dupont State Forest

Dupont State Forest is a massive 10,400-acre forest just outside of Brevard, North Carolina that has become one of the most popular and highly-acclaimed trail systems in the United States. Dupont is probably best-known for two things: its gorgeous waterfalls and the iconic slickrock balds with views of the entire region. The slickrock balds are reminiscent of riding the renowned Slickrock Trail in Moab, but with an East Coast flavor… and on a mountainside slant!

Dupont is located right next door to the famous Pisgah National Forest, but it's important to note that Dupont is distinct from Pisgah. For riders coming to the Brevard area, it's useful to think of Dupont as "Pisgah Lite." While most of the trails here aren't easy, some of them are very beginner friendly and flowy, and the more difficult trails will entertain advanced-level mountain bikers—all without being as gnarly or as intimidating as the Pisgah National Forest.

With a seemingly endless array of trails and dirt roads in this area, the options here are endless and can be downright overwhelming. So in this guidebook, you’ll find the top three recommended rides in Dupont State Forest.

Up first, the Dupont IMBA Epic Loop is the best way to tour the entire forest! At 36 miles in length, the Epic Loop is a big day out, so for a shorter ride, consider this route that maximizes the iconic slickrock riding. Finally, while Ridgeline is a superb beginner flow trail, any mountain biker is guaranteed to have a fun time on this descent!