Ride Kanuga Now Open in Hendersonville, NC

Western North Carolina is a well-known destination for mountain biking. However, since most of the trail systems are shared use and in National or State Forests, there are limited riding options for E-mountain bikes. Ride Kanuga now gives E-Bike riders dedicated mountain bike specific trails to enjoy.

Located in Hendersonville, about 30 minutes outside Asheville, the park was developed in a joint effort with Camp Kanuga, Dave Lamond, and Neko Mullaly (Intense Factory Racing). Work started on the rider built trails in March of this year and continued right up until opening day on July 25th. The park is private, and E-Bikes aren’t just allowed, they’re encouraged! Trail builder, Callie Horwath, says they’re “trying to show all the positives of E-Bikes at the park.” They’ve succeeded. 

The uphill trail (High Rocks Climb) is a smooth 520 foot ascent with a mellow grade and occasional rollers that an E-Bike can really take advantage of. The STEPS E8000 system provides a smooth power delivery and makes short work of the climb in each of the modes (ECO, TRAIL, BOOST) allowing for more fun on the way up and resulting in saved energy for the ride down. There are 12 downhill options of varying difficulty; each of them well marked with a description of what riders can expect. 

The park has a good mix of natural terrain, berms, drops, table tops, and gaps. Each trail is numbered in order of difficulty, and suggestions are made at the trail maps for what trails newer riders should ride next. Each trail builds on the previous one allowing riders to naturally progress and develop their skills. The descents all finish near the foot of the High Rocks Climb, so you can keep riding. 

A STEPS E-Mountain Bike feels at home here. Aside from riding more laps, the traditional mountain bike q-factor and compact DU keeps the weight low and lets the bike feel more playful on the jump trails and handle better while maintaining traction on the more technical trails.

Ride Kanuga also has an onsite Adventure Center open on the weekends for daily essentials, quick repairs, and rentals. Daily passes for the park can be purchased online 7 days a week and Friday-Sunday in the Adventure Center. 

For more information on Ride Kanuga, click here: https://ridekanuga.com/