FULL HEARTBREAK RIDGE IS OPEN!!!
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FULL HEARTBREAK RIDGE IS OPEN!!! 〰️
Old Fort, NC’s Premier MTB Shuttle Service
Offering van shuttle service for you and your bike from downtown Old Fort
Shuttles
Kitsuma/Bernard Mtn/Black Mtn
Blue Ridge Parkway/Heartbreak
Do you want a different shuttle drop? Need a specific date or time? Private shuttle? Email us!
All rides begin and end in downtown Old Fort. Pisgah National Forest boasts amazing vistas, beautiful single track, winding gravel and LOTS of vert. Ride classics like Kitsuma and Heartbreak or new trails like Bernard Mountain. Link trails for an EPIC!
See our suggested routes!
FAQs
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Saturday and Sunday only (Special requests considered)
8:30am to 4pm via Online Shuttle Booking. Call or email us if you have any questions.
WINTER HOURS (Jan-Mar): 11am to 1pm
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Kitsuma-Bernard-Black Mountain Shuttle drops near the Kitsuma parking area in Ridge Crest (elev 2600)
Blue Ridge Parkway - Mt. Mitchell at the Ridge Junction Overlook which is at the base of Mt. Mitchell State Park.
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Any public parking in Old Fort, NC. Just ride over to the shuttle pickup at Seeker Coffee 39 Catawba Avenue. (Additional restrooms are available after 9am at the Blue Ridge Travelers’ Center - 91 Catawba Ave)
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Please be at the shuttle van 25 minutes prior to your shuttle departure. We need time to load bikes and get everyone onboard so we can stay on schedule. (Call us if you’re running late and we’ll do what we can to accommodate.)
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Your best bet is to check out the trails you want to ride on Trailforks or MTB Project apps. Trails in Pisgah National Forest are mostly intermediate to advanced (with the exception of the Gateway Trails). Both Kitsuma and Heartbreak are advanced (black diamond) trails simply due to the exposure of steep downhill side of the trails and slick roots/rocks. These trails are narrow, steep and have consequences should you run off the trail.
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I’ve seen people ride these trails with fully rigid mountain bikes and som…times gravel bikes…that said, they got one heck of a ride. We recommend at least front suspension.
I personally believe a full suspension MTB with 100 - 135mm rear travel is ideal for Old Fort. This allows for the ability to ride the long distances of linking trails together and easily takes on the rough roots and rocks that define trails in the area.
Of course, some people love their enduro sleds and shuttles definitely make these bikes more fun around here.
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You are riding self-supported in difficult to access terrain. Make sure you have sufficient water, snacks, helmet, (lights if near dark), spare tube/ability to fix a flat, multi-tool for bike adjustments, phone or GPS comms device.
Whatever you normally carry for rides out in remote areas should be good.
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Your route will end in downtown Old Fort. That means that you need to know where your trail will come out onto paved roads and then ride some amount of pavement back to town.
We have included some awesome routes for each drop area. Feel free to experiment.
***You are responsible for making your way back to Old Fort. There is NO pickup service.***
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Unfortunately, e-bikes are still not allowed to ride on National Forest lands. Our permits won’t allow us to transport e-bikes to Pisgah National Forest trailheads.
We’ll keep an eye on changing laws and update our policies as changes occur.
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You’ll need to have your parent or legal guardian sign your participant waiver. If you’re 16 or under, you’ll need an adult riding with you.
Parents: make sure you know what your kid is getting into. These are remote trails and many areas do not have cell phone service. We recommend riding in groups and being prepared for weather and mechanical issues.
Why run shuttles in Old Fort, North Carolina?
The mountain town of Old Fort is North Carolina’s next Trail Town! LINK That’s right. We have over 40 miles of mountain bike and multi-use trails already, 9 miles newly built in 2022/2023, another 30 miles to built in 2024 and 2025. $3.5 Million has been raised to complete these trails and it’s happening FAST! If you’ve ridden Pisgah National Forest in the Old Fort/Mt. Mitchell area, you know these mountains are steep!
Not only that, but the forest makes a bowl around Old Fort allowing all rides to funnel back to downtown.
While many riders can grunt their way up and over these mountains, not everyone has 4-8 hours to ride on a Saturday or Sunday. Further, many riders do not have the fitness levels required for terrain like this. A climb up to the top of Kitsuma from downtown can take over 90 minutes. A climb to Heartbreak from town takes 2.5-3hrs. With a shuttle you can skip the gravel grind and focus on which trails you want to link.
We looked at the map, rode the trails and realized that ‘you gotta get up to get down’. With a shuttle, Kitsuma becomes an 8 mile ride with 850 feet of climbing vs 15 miles with over 2100 feet. And the Kitsuma/Bernard SUPER g becomes 16 miles with 2200 feet of climbing instead of 24 miles with 3500 feet… the difference between a medium hard ride and a TOUGH ride. For Heartbreak, the difference is even more dramatic!
So, enjoy our shuttle service and spend some time in downtown afterwards. We have 2 breweries, a coffee shop, cafes, rivers with great swimming holes, a historic museum, restaurants and tons of places to stay.
CAUTION! -Map below includes PLANNED trails (highlighted). Do NOT use this map for route planning. Trails are added to Trailforks and MTB Project when completed
We accept ALL of US
Everyone deserves to have access to the outdoors. We believe that nature is not only a human right, but a complex community of animal, plant, mineral and spirit that should exist for its own sake.
We all have the right to enjoy the beauty and complexity of the natural world. We also have the responsibility to preserve nature.
We welcome riders of every smell, size, eye color and fingernail length. Yes you. No judgement here. We just want to provide access to one of the most beautiful, rugged, steep and scenic areas of our planet.
Our only ask is that you be a steward of our sacred natural places. That you leave no trace of your passing. That you lend a hand to other visitors in need. That you be as kind as you can to one another. And that you try to visit our other community businesses in the town of Old Fort so that our community can thrive.
You’re invited.