Mountain bike trails don’t build themselves. Most destination trail systems have a backbone organization that organizes pedal people: riders, volunteers, trail builders, and donors. In Knoxville, Tennessee, AMBC (Appalachian Mountain Bike Club) has been Knox County’s trail stewards since 2007. They build and maintain over 80 miles of trail, with plenty more ready to drop. Bonus: When trail building, their crew tackles nature and invasive species, removing the honeysuckle problem that threatens to take over local plants and tree species.
AMBC (Appalachian Mountain Bike Club)
Also, important work: They organize and plan plenty of local events and group rides that aim to get you outside, in nature, and on two wheels. I have a soft spot for their Joy Ride programs for women of all skill levels. Yes, to more women on bikes. Mark your calendars for a festive annual event this November 1-3 at Baker Creek Preserve. Fun fact: there are 50 miles of trails in the Urban Wilderness, all within two miles of downtown Knoxville.
There’s something about Knoxville; it keeps pulling me back into its purple-smoky mountain bike majesty. As a Michigander and Midwesterner, it’s a manageable 9-hour road trip. We love the vibe, the people, the pump track, bunches of trails for XC or techy riders, a world-class downhill trail (Devil’s Racetrack), a local brewery (Crafty Bastard), and a bike shop, Bear Paw Bikes. Their stickers caption: Bears do shift in the woods! Tacos at SoKno Taco is a quick shift up the road, or you can belly up at 71 South if you are too tired to move far. Baker Creek Preserve is the hub of all this bike goodness, but there’s plenty around town to ride and explore.
Concord Park, New Trails
Tip: when you plan your visit, pick a month other than July or August. It’s hot in the southeast, and they have this thing called humidity. Thankfully, the woods were the best place to be because biking creates self-generated A/C. We rode a woods and water paradise in west Knoxville at the expansive Concord Park along the Tennessee River. Here, the greenway connects pods of trails laid out like spaghetti flung onto the earth, so it’s kind of like riding dirt pasta.
We caught up with Matthew Kellogg, AMBC’s Executive Director, for a quick chat and a rip-around of some new trails near the ballfields on the Northshore of Concord, built by local trail builders and local legend Sean Leader. Do you like baseball? You are in luck; the new trail names will make you want to shred the bases. Ride the Upper Deck Loop and connect to Batter Up, a bevy of fun and quick session-able downhill romps and woodsy cross-country.
Windrock Bike Park
We celebrated independence and bike survival on the fourth of July at Windrock Bike Park, about a 45-minute drive north and west of Knoxville. It’s impressive, shuttle-served and steep, designed and built by pros for pros. Look up Neko Mullally, Sean Leader, and Aaron Gwinn to get a feel for the roots and radness of this place. I pulled on all the pads I had and summoned up my best dose of courage before following Josh down Talladega. On subsequent shuttle rides to the top, I noticed an expert trail sign labeled, The Middle Finger. I peeked over the edge; it looked more like a rock climber scramble than a path for two wheels.
I stuck to my lane, rode the brakes, and learned much about what I am willing to try on a bike. Word on the trails at Windrock: There are plans in the works to build options for mere mortals like me. Stay tuned for new trails coming soon for all skill levels. Windrock also has coaches and lessons available for those who want to become better riders, tackle more tech, or learn to hit the jumpy shit.
We headed back to Knoxville and our rental to rinse and refuel. We landed at Yee Haw Brewing for live tunes, brews, and fireworks. Yee Haw had an impressive outdoor stage, plus some tasty hazy IPAs. Downtown Knox is chocked full of breweries and southern comfort food, like a spicy hot chicken sandwich, and plenty of staples like BBQ and burgers. Check out the Knoxville Ale Trail for 20+ area brewery options.
The Urban Wilderness & Devil’s Racetrack
The next day, we returned to Baker Creek Preserve and explored more connected trails at Marie Meyers Park and William Hastie. We pedaled around Party in Woods and Murphy’s Law until some t-storms interrupted our venture through the bamboo tunnel to Hastie trails. A delightful plan B included a stop at Trailhead Beer Market in South Knox and South Coast Pizza for dinner.
We also quickly stopped at Sharp’s Ridge to test our climbing legs and more butt-puckering steeps. Fittingly, to close out our visit, we returned to Baker Creek for some pump track laps, then several romps down Cruze Valley, which had me grinning and ready for my encounter with the devil. Josh was trying to tackle Barn Burner’s doubles and tabletops before meeting me to climb to the top of the Devil’s Racetrack. It’s just over a half mile of pure adrenaline, with 8-14% grades. It’s equal parts approachable and gnarly, with ride-around options on the lippy jumps.
Right out of the gate, the impressive wall ride sends you into a series of signature giant berms (or a rock garden if you prefer) to jumps and an impressive wooden ramp feature. It will tempt you to go faster and higher, but I implore you to listen to your angel and ride to your ability. The mantra: PRE ~ RE ~ FREE is an excellent idea for first-timers. Pre-ride and roll it slowly the first time. Re-ride again, noting any difficult areas and features not at your skill level. Free ride when you understand the trail and know how to approach the terrain and jumps.
Thanks, Knoxville and AMBC, for building and maintaining an amazing trail system. We’ll see you soon at the 15th annual fall festival.
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