We use essential cookies to make our website work. We also set additional cookies that help us improve your experience, help keep you safe, perform analytics, and serve relevant ads. These additional cookies will be set only if you click ‘Accept’ below. For more information about the cookies we use, or to change your preferences, please visit our Cookies Policy.
route-highlight
route-highlight
route-highlight
route-highlight

Neverending Road

Mountain Biking Trail

Moderate
24.92 mi
2,102 ft
A gated, dead-end road perfect as a gravel grind or overnight bikepacking trip.

Locals refer to this as "Neverending Road," though its official number designation is FS-5097. It's a great option for a long, quiet out-and-back gravel grind or as an overnight bikepacking trip. The route passes countless streams and gets quieter the further you go. Compared to most Pisgah rides, this route is *relatively* flat, climbing only 2,200' over ~25 miles total. The gravel road hugs the contours of the mountains and steers clear of any steep climbs. As mapped, this route begins on Wash Creek Road at the bottom of Bear Branch Trail. This is widely recognized as the start of Neverending Road, but not every map references it that way. There is a gate on Wash Creek Road that typically closes during the winter during freeze and thaw cycles, but there are no exact dates listed. Parking is available for less than a dozen cars. Alternatively, you could park anywhere along Wash Creek Road or North Mills River Road to begin your ride. Neverending Road intersects several trails, including Trace Ridge, Spencer Gap, Fletcher Creek, and Middle Fork. The first of those three are extremely popular as downhill mountain bike trails, so it's likely you may cross paths with a few of them starting or ending their ride. Should the singletrack be too muddy to ride, this route makes a great alternative to still bag some miles without damaging the trails. Though Pisgah has earned a reputation as an all-seasons destination, many trails are still susceptible to erosion and damage if ridden during or immediately after rain. Written by Brendon Voelker
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

1 mi
2,600 ft2,800 ft3,000 ft3,200 ft3,400 ft0.0 mi2.0 mi4.0 mi6.0 mi8.0 mi10.0 mi12.0 mi14.0 mi16.0 mi18.0 mi20.0 mi22.0 mi24.0 mi

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
MR Lower to Upper Lot Climb0.50 mi128 ft4.8%
Fletcher Creek Rd.>Spencer Branch4.51 mi256 ft0.8%
Road to Nowhere to Fletcher Creek5.14 mi289 ft1.0%
Gate to Spencer TH CC4.53 mi269 ft0.9%
the hot road between0.92 mi95 ft1.3%
Blue Ridge Parkway Climb0.27 mi266 ft18.0%
Top of nowhere to middle fork3.95 mi-679 ft-3.3%
Neverending Road Top to Bottom11.78 mi-958 ft-1.5%
5097 Never ending, between middle Fork & Spencer3.24 mi-167 ft-0.4%
Fletcher creek TH to parkinglot2.79 mi-112 ft-0.2%
Fletcher creek TH to gait2.66 mi-112 ft-0.2%
RTNW TT2.81 mi-253 ft-1.6%