The southeast finally has a lift assisted bike park. Located just 25 miles outside of Asheville, NC, 26 West should be another draw to this already huge mountain biking community. Some of my favorite riding is in this area, and now I have one more reason to make the trip. 26 West claims to have trails for beginner, intermediate and expert riders with bike rentals available if needed.
The southeast has been needing an area like this for a long time. Windrock is the closest dedicated downhill course we have from Atlanta, and that equals over a 4 hour drive. Hopefully, this park will be what I have been waiting for. I spend a lot of time riding in the Asheville area, so this would be a great addition to our weekend epics. In the next couple of weeks I have to make a trip to that area, so a ride report from a Hampton Inn in Asheville of 26 West will be in the works.
If 26 West is setup like it sounds on the website, this should also be a great place for beginners to learn how to downhill. From my experience, I have seen dedicated xc riders get better with time if they have the right instruction and an area to practice their skills. What most riders don’t realize is that you end up carry downhill riding skills into your trail/xc riding, and it makes you a faster, more controlled rider overall. Having a place for beginners to fine tune these skills should be a great asset to this park. Windrock is a commit or eat sh!# kind of place…which is a blast, but not beginner friendly.
The closest lift-assisted park is Snowshoe, and that equals a 10 hour drive from our neck of the woods. Not having to shuttle trucks to the top for every run is going to be a huge bonus. I am stoked about getting up to Asheville and trying this park out. It should be a blast.
For pass pricing and operation hours, visit the 26 West website.
I founded Bike198 back in 2008 and started riding bikes seriously in 1994. A lot has changed since that time and one of the greatest releases is still getting out on the bike and shredding trail or tearing up the road.
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