MTB Trails Status AFAIK these metro Atlanta trails are open. Please confirm before you go. Updated 4-26-2020.
Blanket’s Creek – Open except for weather related closures
Rope Mill- Open except for weather related closures
Chicopee Woods
Southside Park Trails
Ft. Yargo State Park
Rollercoaster Trail (City of Newnan)
Brown’s Mill Beginner Trail (Coweta County)
North Cooper Lake MTB Park-Trails are open. Facilities closed.
Gwinnett County Parks (Harbins, Tribble Mill, Yellow River) – faculties closed, trails are open
Big Creek MTB Trails-trails are open but facilities & parking lot are closed.
Bull/Jake Mountain – Facilities closed, trails are open
Dirty Sheets is open but do not park at Cochran Mill. You can park at Serenbe for now or maybe one of the churches in the area (call the church for permission).
Dauset MTB Trails-facilities are closed but trails are open
Allatoona Creek Park
Mt. Tabor
Sara Babb
Lost Mountain – CLOSED
Cochran Mill – CLOSED
South Rockdale Community Park – CLOSED
Skyes Park (City of East Point)- CLOSED
Yonah Preserve Trails – CLOSED
Sope Creek-The entire CNRA is CLOSED including the trails.
Clinton – CLOSED
Many of the trails near Blue Ridge are closed by the Forest Service including Aska and Stanley Gap.
Anything in North Georgia For closures in the Chattahoochee/Oconee National Forest click here
Silver Comet rail trail – Opening on 4-258 in both Cobb and Paulding! Bathrooms and facilities will remain closed. This also includes the Bob Callan and Noonday Trails in Cobb.
Big Creek Greenway – Greenway open, facilities closed in Roswell & Alpharetta
Carrollton Greenbelt – paved trail is open but facilities are closed
4-26-2020 When Will Group Rides Resume? Most group rides in the Southeast have been put on indefinitely hold. USAC has pulled all event permits until May 31 and has encouraged its clubs and race teams to cancel all group rides and gatherings until then. I’ve heard some rumblings by bike shops in Atlanta that they are going to evaluate the situation in mid-May after the Georgia Emergency Declaration ends May 13. I don’t think we’ll see huge group rides through the summer given most states seem to still not allowing “gatherings” of over 50 people. I’d encourage everyone to solo ride (let someone know where you are going & carry your phone!), ride with your #quarantinemate or household members, or grab a buddy or two and ride at a proper social distance. When group rides begin again, I’ll post the information!
Sasquatch Scrambler and Woods Mountain Press Release The Sasquatch Scrambler is a MTB race with a short enough course to make it a great first race in Pisgah. Rolling over rugged mining roads, classic Pisgah single track, cursing climbs and giggling descents, this course will test your skills and desire as you explore the intoxicating terrain of the Pisgah National Forest. Good food and brew will be at the finish to comfort you after a great ride! Date: Saturday, June 13, 2020 (Rain or Shine), Fee: $40 Until 5/17/20. $50 5/18/20 to 6/7/20. $60 on Race Day
Woods Mountain is an annual MTB race that puts you in the backcountry of the Pisgah National Forest. Rolling over rugged mining roads, classic Pisgah single track, cursing climbs and giggling descents, this course will test your skills and desire as you explore the intoxicating terrain of the Pisgah National Forest. Date: Sunday, June 14, 2020 (Rain or Shine) Fee: $80 Until 5/17/20. $90 5/18/20 to 6/7/20. $100 on Race Day
Amenities: Chip timing with instant results, categories, awesome rest stops, beer at finish with Feast (Meat or Vegetarian), well-marked route, restrooms, wicked NC singlet rack, t-shirt, and so much more. Both races are limited by the US Forest Service to 200 participants.
4-23-2020 Silver Comet and Allatoona Reopen Saturday The Silver Comet Trail in Cobb and Allatoona Creek Park MTB trails reopen on Saturday! Park users must practice social distancing and wear a mask. The Noonday Creek and Bob Callan trails will also reopen. Mt. Tabor and Sara Babb will reopen as will the Paulding County Silver Comet. Both counties will be keeping bathrooms and facilities closed for now.
4-16-2020 Trail Grants From Georgia Trails Alliance From a Facebook post RTP grants awarded to: 5 trails in public parks, 2 water trail projects for canoeing and kayaking, 3 greenway paths through communities, 1 rails-to-trails project, and 6 off-road motorized trail systems. Congrats all and thanks Georgia Department of Natural Resources – Georgia DNR! (Trish’s Note: I’m pretty sure t his doesn’t include the off-road motorized trails.)
City of Albany – Flint River Trails, D/T Connector – $200,000
City of Cairo – Southern Terrace Park Trail – $200,000
City of Covington – Central Park Red Trail – $200,000
City of Cumming – City Center Trail – $200,000
City of Guyton – Main Street Rail Trail – $66,126
City of Young Harris – Cupid Falls Trails – $155,440
Bartow County – Etowah River Water Trail – $82,518
Rockdale County – South River Water Trail Launch – $200,000
Troup County – Thread Trail, Ph. 7 at Panther Park – $200,000
Fort Yargo State Park – Lake Loop Trail Bridge- $200,000
GCSU – Campus Connector Trail, Phase II – $200,000
4-15-2020 USAC Zwift Racing League Tired of not being able to race your bike? Ready to get some use out of the USAC license you paid for? USAC now has a race league on Zwift! It’s 10 weeks on Wednesdays. You’ll need a USAC license to race. A-D categories based on watts/kg with male and female categories. Get your race on! Some races will be broadcast. Keep an eye on Zwift Community Live for details.
4-14-2020 Georgia Cyclocross 2020 Schedule
Georgia Cross Announces 2020 Schedule
Atlanta, GA – April 13, 2020 – The Georgia Cyclocross Series has announced the 2019 race schedule. The 10 race series will have racers competing for thousands of dollars in overall cash and prizes.
The 2020 series will be comprised of 10 races throughout the state. The 2020 Georgia Cyclocross Series kicks off September 27 at Boundary Waters, which is always fast and fun. Elks Aidmore in Conyers is the oldest venue in the series and gives racers a challenging course. The venue at Hawks Creek Farm returns with long climbs and descents. Grant Park CX will surely be one of the biggest races of the year as CX comes to the heart of the city of Atlanta in the historic park. The State Championships will take place at Old Grey Barn in Rocky Face, GA. Expect the infamous flyover and some more surprises. Oglethorpe Speedway Park is back for a 2 day race weekend! This is the flattest and fastest course of the series. EPTC CX returns to Nash Farm on November 17 with some fun course changes. Athens hosts the finale at Across the Beeriers at Southern Brewing and Terrapin Brewing, two favorite venues.
In addition to prizes at each event, racers will compete for overall awards at the end of the series. The overall series winners for the Men 1/2 and Women 1/2/3 will receive a cash prize while other divisions will vie for prizes.
The Georgia Cyclocross Series was started in the late 1990s and has grown into one of the largest cyclocross series in the Southeast. Categories are offered from Cat. 5 Beginner to Pro Cat. 1 and everywhere in between for all racers. More information on the Georgia Cross Series can be found online at http://www.georgiacx.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaCyclocrossSeries/
9-27-2020 Boundary Waters, Douglasville, GA
10-4-2020 Elks Aidmore, Conyers, GA
10-11-2020 Hawkes Creek CX, Colbert, GA
10-18-2020 Grant Park, Atlanta, GA
10-25-2020 Old Grey Barn, Rocky Face, GA
10-31-11-1-2020 Olgethorpe Speedway, Pooler, GA
11-8-2020 Macon CX, Macon, GA
11-15-2020 Nash Farm CX, Hampton, GA
12-5-6-2020 Across the Beeriers, Athens, GA
4-12-2020 New Women’s Gravel Podcast Trish’s Note: I am so excited as I am one of the contributors to Girls Gone Gravel! If you are a womxn and want to talk gravel, check out the Women Gravel Cyclist Facebook page. Girls Gone Gravel – A community of women who are empowered to chase their big adventures.
Live Feisty Media is pleased to announce the release of the first-ever women’s gravel podcast, Girls Gone Gravel. The podcast, released today, will interview female gravel cyclists with the aim of highlighting their stories and motivating other women to join the gravel world. The new podcast is hosted by Kristi Mohn and Kathryn Taylor. Mohn has been closely involved with the Dirty Kanza gravel race for many years and also spearheaded the “200 women 200 miles” campaign aimed at raising women’s participation in the race to at least 20%. As a veteran of the gravel scene, Mohn said: “My aim is to get more women on bikes and I hope the podcast serves as an additional resource for all of us to answer questions, find company, and grow community. “Co-host Kathryn Taylor created the Girls Gone Gravel Instagram account in 2018, which quickly turned into an active online community: “As I started building a blog and social media presence, I would find women reaching out to me asking me to consider a podcast. They really wanted to hear things from a woman’s perspective. It all came together when we were able to solidify the partnership with Live Feisty Media and Kristi Mohn decided to join me as the cohost.”
The first episode centers on an interview with cyclist Alison Tetrick, known as the “Queen of Gravel” and winner of the 2017 Dirty Kanza race. The podcast will feature an all-star list from the gravel world, including founder of the Rooted Vermont race, Laura King. Episodes will air weekly beginning April 7, 2020 and will be available on the Live Feisty website as well as on iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast channels.
4-11-2020 Pezcycling Interview with Ian Garrison Pez Cycling has a recent interview with Ian Garrison. It’s some light reading for your weekend.
4-10-2020 USAC Extends Permit Suspensions Press Release from USA Cycling With the continuing national emergency, USA Cycling will extend its suspension of all issued permits for sanctioned events – including USA Cycling races, rides, camps, and clinics – through May 31, 2020. USA Cycling is currently working with our stakeholders, event organizers, and medical experts to develop guidelines and best practices to assist in keeping participants, event staff, volunteers, and the communities where we hold our events as safe as possible once riding and racing resumes.
We continue to call on all event directors, clubs, coaches, athletes, and members to follow the guidelines and regulations issued by national, state, and local authorities on social distancing and prohibited activities. This includes forgoing gatherings such as group rides and any other group or team activities where people assemble.
4-8-2020 Up the Creek Cancelled From the promoter: We are very sorry to announce that out of an abundance of caution and the uncertainty surrounding COVID 19, UTC is canceled. We have been evaluating options but do not have specific answers at this time regarding a future date of UTC. If you have already registered you may get a refund by contacting Julie at julieblantonsmith at gmail com or you may donate your registration to TRED if you desire. TRED is a 501c3 organization. Thanks for your understanding.
4-7-2020 Looking Glass Tour From the promoter: On June 20th, 2020, we’re offering up the goods on some of Transylvania County’s finest roads in The Looking Glass Tour! This road ride is the ultimate cycling sampler showcasing the diversity in the terrain found in Western North Carolina. We’ll have chip-timed results and plenty of rider support with awesome rest stops and SAG Wagons! This is going to be THE road ride of the spring and you won’t want to miss this 7th annual event. Sign up now to ensure your spot in the 50, 85 or 105 mile ride. This road bike ride is open to the public and a food truck will be on-site for riders & spectators. Date: Saturday, June 20, 2020 (Rain or Shine), Time: Mandatory ride meeting at start line at 8:50 am. Ride starts at 9:00am., Amenities: Time clock, awesome rest stops with medical assistance available (if needed), SAG wagon, police assistance at 70% of the intersections for your safety, a well marked route, restrooms and so much more. Rest Stops: There are 2 rest stops on the 50 mile course, 3 rest stops on the 85 mile course, and 4 rest stops on the 105 mile course. Finish Party: A food truck will be on hand for riders and the general public. Each rider will receive a ticket for beverages. The Tasty Weasel (Oskar Blues Brewery) will be open to riders/spectators.
T Shirts: Tshirts are optional to all participants preregistered by midnight May 31st, 2020. Directions: Ride start/finish is in front of the Tasty Weasel tasting room at Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard, NC.. It’s located at 342 Mountain Industrial Drive, Brevard, NC 28712
4-6-2020 Cheaha Challenge Cancelled From the Cheaha Challenge: BAD NEWS: Please understand, we put off making the call for as long as we could. Canceling is the right decision for us to make at this time. What does that mean for your 2020 registration? I like options, so I think you will, too. There are no extra fees associated with any of these options, and you have two weeks to choose an option (Deadline to choose: April 17, 2020.). (Trish’s note: Go here for options including a refund and a deferral t0 2021.)
4-3-2020 Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests temporarily shuts down additional recreation areas in Lumpkin, Fannin, Union and Towns counties The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests is temporarily shutting down all dispersed camping corridors, day-use areas, trailhead facilities and other recreation sites on the Blue Ridge Ranger District to protect public health and safety. The decision aligns with state and local measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Effective immediately, the following recreation sites are temporarily shutdown:
Fannin County, Georgia – www.fannincountyga.com
Aska Trail System, Shady Falls Trailhead, Long Branch Loop Trail, Green Mtn. Connector Trail, Deep Gap Trailhead, Green Mtn. Trail, Stanley Gap Trailhead, Stanley Gap Trail, Fruitkoff Trail Access, Deep Hole Day Use Area, Sandy Bottoms Day Use Area, Old Dial Rd. and Padena Dispersed Camping, Rock Creek Rd. Dispersed Camping, Noontootla Dispersed Camping (FS 58), Sea Creek Falls Trail
Union County, Georgia Government – www.unioncountyga.gov
Helton Creek Falls Trail
Lumpkin County Government – www.lumpkincounty.gov
Dicks Creek Dispersed Camping Corridor, Forest Service Road 42 Dispersed Camping Corridor (runs through Gilmer, Fannin, Lumpkin), Nimblewill Dispersed Camping Corridor, Jake and Bull Dispersed Campsites (trail use allowed)
Towns County – www.townscountyga.org
High Shoals Falls Trail
Previously announced shutdowns include:
– Appalachian Trail trailheads including Dicks Creek Gap, Hogpen Gap, Neels Gap, Springer Mountain, Tesnatee Gap, Unicoi Gap and Woody Gap.- Trails and associated trailheads including Andrews Cove Trail, segments of the Benton MacKaye Trail (from Fall Branch Falls to Springer Mountain), Byron Herbert Reece Memorial Trail, Dukes Creek Falls Trails, Duncan Ridge Trail, Dockery Lake Trail, Freeman Trail, Jacks Knob Trail, Jarrard Gap Trail, Logan Turnpike Trail, Long Creek Falls Trail, Panther Creek Falls Trail, Slaughter Creek Trail, Springer Mountain Trail, Raven Cliffs Falls Trail and Yonah Mountain Trail.- All national forest developed campgrounds, group recreation sites, picnic pavilions and all restrooms.
4-2-2020 Ian Garrison Update Good reading-an update from QuickStep rider Ian Garrison.
3-29-2020 Rescheduled Events A lot of events and rides are being rescheduled. I’m not maintaining a list any longer. Instead I am updating the calendars as I find out the rescheduled dates.
Olde Blind Dog COVID-19 Medical Town Hall From OBBCC Who’s interesting in attending? OBDCC member, Dr. Mike Lipscomb M.D. runs the Emergency Department of a local hospital, has volunteered to do a virtual “Town Hall” meeting with our members on Monday night, March 30th at 7:00 PM. Dr. Lipscomb plans to give us an overview of the Coronavirus pandemic from his perspective at our local level and will give us his suggestions, plus he will take our questions.In addition to our club members, others are welcome to join. Edit: He is going to do the town hall meeting through FB live. Keep an eye on the OBDCC Facebook page for details.
3-27-2020 Atlanta Cycling Festival Rescheduled The Atlanta Cycling Festival has been exploring Atlanta by bike, now 7 years in a row. This free, week-long bicycle Festival scheduled for May 9th-15th will now take place in Fall 2020 (TBD), due to needed precautionary measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. The safety of our attendees remains our top priority. There will be over 25 bicycle events throughout the week of the festival, that aims to connect bicyclists of all ages and experience levels and to support local bike-friendly businesses and organizations. We encourage our attendees to deepen their exploration of the great city of Atlanta by bike!
SouthSide Century Ride For the second year, we are thrilled to announce our partner charity is Soles for Cole. S4C is a charity created by Cole Croteau and Christian Cullen to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis and support families of victims of this terrible disease.
Spin through the quiet country roads of beautiful Coweta, Spalding and Meriwether Counties. The event starts and finishes in historic Senoia. Ride is fully supported with a central well-stocked rest stop/party zone including nutrition, hydration, ice, bike mechanics and entertainment. SAG vehicles will be on the course. The cloverleaf route pattern allows cyclists riding different distances to stay together longer. Decisions on your ride distance, 35, 59, 75, or 100 miles, can be made as you go. Plenty of parking at the start! Triathletes welcome. Route Description: All routes begin with a short “stem” ride out to the spacious covered pavilion in Haralson. This is the location of the fully-supported rest stop “party zone” at the center of the “cloverleaf” route design. There are four unique loops of 17 – 25 miles with no overlaps. Each loop returns to the central rest stop. High energy Soles for Cole volunteers are promising some surprises at the rest stop throughout the day! All cyclists finish in Senoia for a delicious post-ride meal in the air-conditioned hall. Registration, additional ride details and route maps
3-25-2020 Local Bike Shops Open! Local bike shops are open and ready to help you with your cycling needs! Please contact them for their current hours and policies. Please suppose those shops that support Southeastern Cycling!
Outback Bikes – Go on their Facebook page to sign up for an appointment time!
Smyrna Bicycles – Currently open regular hours and ready to help! Please practice social distancing and do not crowd other customers.
Cycology – Open regular hours and ready to help! All group rides are temporarily suspended.
Road and Para-cycling National Championships Cancelled Form USA Cycling USA Cycling announced on Tuesday that the 2020 USA Cycling Collegiate and Para-cycling Road Championships scheduled for May 6-10 in Augusta, Georgia will be cancelled due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. “Given the uncertainty with regard to extended school closures, travel restrictions, and the cancellations impacting the collegiate road season, we made the difficult decision to cancel the event for this year,” said Chuck Hodge, USA Cycling Chief of Racing and Events. After communicating with the collegiate community, the 2021 USA Cycling Collegiate Road championships will be scheduled for May 7-9 in Augusta, Georgia. “After considering alternatives, including a postponement, it was decided that a cancellation would be necessary,” stated Liz Kollar, Director of Youth and Collegiate Development. USA Cycling will work with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee on 2021 dates for the Para-cycling Championships. In addition, opportunities for those graduating seniors who were planning on participating in the 2020 Collegiate Road Nationals are being explored for the 2021 race.
3-24-2020 Assault on Mt. Mitchell Cancelled From the Spartanburg Freewheelers Due to the CDC and government recommendations and the recommendation from USA Cycling, we have carefully decided to CANCEL the 2020 Assaults. We understand and are truly sorry for the disappointment of this news, but we want to assure you the health and safety of everyone involved is our top priority. This is a large event with international and national travel and many individuals involved, so we want to be sure we are taking every precaution we can for the safety of you and everyone involved.
3-21-2020 Smyrna Bicycles Offering Bicycle Tune Up Service with Pickup and Delivery-Unique Service for Smyrna-Vinings Area Smyrna Bicycles has begun offering a complete Bicycle Tune Up service with pickup and delivery on the customer’s schedule. They will work with customers to pick up the bicycle and drop it off when completed. The service is offered in Smyrna zip codes 30080 and 30082 as well as select areas of Vinings. Tune Ups start at $69. Smyrna Bicycles offers other mobile mechanic services including flat repair starting at $30.00. That’s right! They will come to you!
Locally owned Smyrna Bicycles has been serving Smyrna, Vinings, Mableton, and Cobb County since 2007. They carry all types of bikes from road bikes to mountain bikes, hybrids, cruisers, and everything in between from Giant, Litespeed, and Electra. They also carry Liv, which offers a full line of women’s bicycles. Full mechanic services for all varieties of bikes will keep riders on the road or trail. Rental bikes are available on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis. Hybrid rentals are great for riding on the Silver Comet Trail, which is an easy quarter mile ride from the shop’s front door. Road bike rentals are available for riding on the Trail, in a triathlon, or for a century or charity ride. Call the shop at 770-436-3252 with questions about the Tune Up pickup and delivery service. Information can also be found on their website http://www.smyrnabicycles.com/
Sope Creek Closed From Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: For visitor and employee safety, all park units and parking areas are closed beginning March 21, 2020. Park closures will be reassessed in two weeks. Visitors are encouraged to follow the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Georgia Department of Public Health guidelines for public spaces related to COVID-19. Updates will be posted to the park website and social media channels. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support during this time.
Big Creek Closed From Roswell Parks: Please be advised that as of Saturday, March 21, all playgrounds, fields, and parking lots in all Roswell Parks will be closed until further notice.
