Itinerary

Day 0: Arrival in Knoxville

Guests either fly into McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), located just south of Knoxville, or drive to the meeting hotel near the airport. The meeting hotel will be the Hampton Inn Knoxville Airport. Where there will be a late afternoon “Meet & Greet” session to meet your fellow riders for the week. Get your rental bikes fitted and where guides will discuss the highlights of the week ahead.
NOTE: Guests are on-their-own for accommodations this evening either at the Hampton Inn, or at other nearby hotels. The Hampton Inn offers an airport shuttle from McGhee Tyson Airport. Guests are also on-their-own for dinner this evening.

Day 1: Cherohala Skyway

We meet early in the parking lot of our Knoxville meeting hotel. We set-up rental bikes and then load bikes and gear into the support van to shuttle. About an hour south to begin our journey from the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center in the small town of Tellico Plains. Those riders looking for less mileage and climbing can opt to bump up to a starting point further along in the route.
We start the week with a fantastic ride along the Cherahala Skyway which winds up and over 5,400 foot mountains. From Tennessee and into North Carolina through deeply forested back country with stunning vistas all along the way. This will be a ride to remember!
After departing from the skyway, we navigate around Santeetlah Lake to end the day at the Historic Tapoco Lodge to enjoy outstanding accommodations and dining for the evening.
Distance: Standard: 57 miles with up to 6,625 feet of climbing.
Shorter Distance/Less Climbing Option: 41 miles with up to 4,170 feet of climbing

Day 2: Tail of the Dragon & Foothills Parkway.

Today is going to be fun and challenging! Riding from the Tapoco Lodge, we will ride past the Cheoah Dam, a filming location for the 1993 movie The Fugitive with Harrison Ford. And soon take on an iconic beast of a road called “The Dragon”(aka: Deals Gap) so named since it’s 318 curves in 11 miles looks like a dragon’s tail.
After slaying The Dragon, we join up with the Foothhills Parkway to ride 17 miles above the treetops and foothills. Offering incredible mountain vistas across the entire face of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We then enter the small town of Townsend and check into our accommodations.
Distance: 50 miles with up to 6,155 feet of climbing.

Day 3: Cades Cove to Clingmans Dome

Riding from Townsend, we make our way into Cades Cove. This is an isolated and secluded valley located in the Tennessee section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Which was home to numerous settlers way before the formation of the national park. This 11 mile loop road is within one of the most beautiful areas of the park and it is CLOSED to all vehicular traffic on Wednesdays. Cyclists have the whole loop to themselves – what a wonderful treat! There are two options for a return back to Townsend. The Standard Route back-tracks along the same route as coming in, or there is a back woods Gravel Return route that includes 6.8 miles of smooth gravel through the beautiful, dense forest.
Then, after returning back to Townsend from Cades Cove for lunch, we then pedal into the scenic Little River Gorge through dense forests with amazing river views along Little River Gorge Road. The scenery along this road is simply outstanding! After passing over Fighting Creek Gap, the route ends at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Followed by a to the summit of Clingmans Dome to enjoy the magnificent hundred mile view across some of the most iconic “purple mountain majesty” terrain in the country. After Clingmans Dome we head down to Bryson City, North Carolina to tonight’s lodging.
Distance: Cades Cove (Standard Route): 34 miles with up to 2,330 feet of climbing
Cades Cove (Gravel Return): 40 miles with up to 3,340 feet of climbing
Little River Gorge: 21 miles with up to 1,510 feet of climbing

Day 4: Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville

After a short morning shuttle from Bryson City, we start from the Browning Knob Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway. A fast 8.5 mile descent is followed by a 12 mile climb gaining nearly 2,900 feet until we reach the Richland Balsam Overlook, the highest point on the Blue Ridge parkway at an altitude of 6,053 feet. From here the Parkway undulates along the ridge line offering breathtaking views in all directions.
Following lunch near Mount Pisgah, the riding is mostly downhill for the next 15 miles as we lose 3,200 feet and only gain 300 feet. Make sure to stop every now and then to take in the sights! We end the ride at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center and then take a short shuttle to downtown and to our lodging for the next two nights. With a dozen or more breweries within walking distance, it will be a tough choice as to where to enjoy the post ride libations! Dinner is on-your-own tonight as there are dozens of restaurants within walking distance from the hotel.
Distance: 68 miles with up to 6,060 feet of climbing

Day 5: Layover in Asheville.

With a layover day in Asheville, guests are on-their-own for all activities today (including meals). You may opt for a day off the bike to explore this curious mountain town by strolling through the many stores, going on a brewery crawl, taking a guided tour of the Biltmore Estate. For those that want to keep pedaling, take an assault on Mount Mitchell the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet.
While today’s ride is also on-your-own, we will offer an early morning shuttle to a starting point along the Blue Ridge Parkway which will cut out nearly 4,000 feet of climbing.
After this drop-off, riders cycle to the top of Mount Mitchell and then back to Asheville. While the elevation gain is nearly 3,770 feet, the ride back from Mount Mitchell loses over 6,000 feet – it will be a blast of a ride!
Optional ride: 48 miles with up to 3,955 feet of climbing

Day 6: Doggett Gap to Hot Springs

The ride starts early from our hotel in downtown Asheville meandering along the French Broad River until turning westerly into undulating terrain. The ride today dishes out one final challenging 3-mile climb up the eastern slope of Doggett Knob to Doggett Gap at around the 26 mile point. However, the remaining miles after Doggett Gap descend through the lush farmland and valleys of Pisgah National Forest to Hot Springs, where the riding ends and where we will have lunch. After lunch we shuttle back to Knoxville, Tennessee to end our tour. What a great week!
Distance: 49 miles with up to 3,760 feet of climbing

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Lodging

Great Smokey Mountains

Night 1: Historic Tapoco Lodge, Robbinsville, North Carolina
Night 2: Dancing Bear Lodge, Townsend, Tennessee
Night 3: The Everett Hotel, Bryson City, North Carolina
Nights 4 & 5: Haywood Park Hotel, Asheville, North Carolina

Included:

• 6 days of guide service,
• 5-nights of lodging,
• All meals, energy food, liquid refreshments,
• Forest service fees,
• Shuttles and mechanical support.

Not included:

• Night before and after the tour not included.
• Airfare to and from the start/ finish tour
• Bike rental
• Alcoholic beverages,
• Gratuity guides

Pricing / Tour dates

Tour price 2024: $ 3570.- pp single fee $ 575.-
You can avoid a single supplement by sharing a room with another rider.
Bike rental:
The Scott Addict 10. $250.-
Scott E-bike road bikes with straight bars $ 395.-
Tour dates 2025:
28 Apr – 03 May
05 May – 10 May
12 May – 17 May
15 Sep – 20 Sep
22 Sep – 27 Sep

Note: All tours start on Monday and end on Saturday in order to avoid heavier weekend traffic through the Great Smoky Mountains region.

Note:The Great Smoky Mountains region offers some serious and challenging climbing, so this tour is recommended for strong advanced to expert level riders.

Conditions

Deposit $950.- pp
The deposit payment for a tour must be paid within two weeks after the booking is confirmed.
The remaining payment is due 90 days before the start of the tour.
For tours that are booked within 90 days before the start of the tour you will pay 100% of the tour price

Information

Meals:
We provides most meals on all tours (unless otherwise noted) including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guides will prepare a daily lunch en route for nearly every tour, both road and off-road, as well as provide nutritious snacks at periodic aid stations during the day.
Most of our road tours utilize local restaurants for all meals and occasionally guides may prepare a dinner or two during a tour. Due to the nature of being “off the grid”, most of our off-road tours feature guide prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. FUN NOTE: When guides prepare a meal in camp and the guests sit around and watch, this is called “Guide TV”.

Lunches: Our guides prepares healthy lunches to keep you going. We will serve you fresh organic fruits and veggies, salads, hummus, sandwich fixings, nuts, gourmet cheeses and, of course, plenty of salty/sweet snacks such as chips and cookies.

Dinners: On our road tours, we sources our favorite restaurants in each town that we visit. Our guides focus on establishments that offer fresh and local ingredients and guests choose whatever they desire to eat off the menu including: appetizer, salad, entrée, and of course, dessert… yum! Also, while on tour if a guest wants to dine early before the group and go to bed, this is fine. We understand that on some days sleep is the most important post-ride element.