Check out the Cycle NC Guide to Rutherford County to see what the area has to offer. Rutherford County is home to Forest City and many of the Mountain Ride routes. It is the perfect place to extend your stay for a long vacation!
About The Ride
The Cycle North Carolina Mountain Ride is a perfect weekend getaway for any outdoor enthusiast and their families. Enjoy a 3-day cycling festival featuring a variety of route options each day that focus on showcasing the beautiful landscapes that Western North Carolina has to offer. The campsite is located at Summey Park in Forest City, just over a mile from downtown, which features some of the best restaurants, shops and entertainment a quaint mountain town can offer. RV's are welcome at the campsite and there are multiple hotel options in town as well.
For more information about the campsite, CLICK HERE.
What Does My Registration Fee Include?
- Official Mountain Ride participant shirt
- Indoor and outdoor camping facilities with indoor bathrooms
- Electronic cue sheets & route maps
- Access to Ride with GPS premium membership features including voice commands and GPS downloads
- Rest Stops with a variety of snacks & beverages including bottled water, Powerade, apples, bananas, Clif Bars, Kind Bars, pickle cups, fig bars, sodas, Sweet 'N Salty trail mix and Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches
- Clearly marked routes
- SAG (Support and Gear) Support
- Catered meal at the Mountain Ride Social
- Beverage gardens and local entertainment & activities
- Portable restrooms at rest stops and at camp
- Shower facilities at camp
- Mechanical support at rest stops and camp
- Access to the Cycle NC mobile app
CLICK HERE for more FAQs!
Routes & Format
The Mountain Ride is a loop ride event, with routes beginning and ending at the Summey Park campsite in Forest City. The event begins on Friday afternoon with a 17 mile warm up ride led by the Cycle North Carolina Route developers. Once your legs are warmed up, you'll be all set to spend Saturday and Sunday meandering along the rivers and streams through the Blue Ridge Mountains on one of our various route options ranging from 13 miles to 63 miles. The routes feature and highlight the newly completed Thermal Belt Rail Trail that connects three of Forest City's fantastic mountain towns. The best part is that the routes begin and end from the same location, so there's no hassle of moving camp each day!
For more information on the routes, CLICK HERE.
For the route maps, CLICK HERE.
About Forest City & Rutherford County
Forest City is a beautiful mountain town that provides picturesque cycling routes and outstanding hospitality from the locals. Situated in Rutherford County, the town is best known for its annual Christmas lights that bring to life a "Hallmark" Christmas movie. Forest City has a beautifully landscaped median along historic Main Street that features many shops and restaurants all within a short walk or bike ride from Summey Park. Forest City is also home to the Forest City Owls, a wooden bat collegiate team, that calls McNair Stadium home. Rutherford County's biggest towns are Forest City, Spindale, Rutherfordton and Lake Lure. The "Cherry Bounce Trail," named after famous moonshiner Amos Owens and his cherry bounce moonshine is marked throughout Rutherford County.
For more about the area, CLICK HERE.
For the Cycle NC Guide to Doing Rutherford County Right, CLICK HERE.