Northwest North Carolina Mountain Bike Alliance
A SORBA Chapter promoting land access, trail preservation and new trail development on the federal, state & local lands of Northwestern North Carolina Sign Me Up!Where to rideThe best mountain bike trails in North Carolina
Northwest North Carolina Mountain Bike Alliance (The Alliance) is building and maintaining some of the best MTB trails in North Carolina, tucked away in the Northwestern part of the state. We build, ride and protect single track mountain bike trails in towns of Boone, Conover, Glen Alpine, Hickory, Lenoir & Wilkesboro and the Grandfather District of The Pisgah National Forest. If you’re just looking for the most recent trail status or a whole new place to ride, we’re here to help connect you to the best mountain bike trails around.
Great trails rely on members
The Alliance is a chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association and relies on membership, volunteer hours and donations from mountain bikers to operate. Members continue the mission of making mountain bike trails accessible and sustainable through our core values: Speak, Build, Respect, Ride!
Ride!
Whether you’re an experienced rider or just starting out, we’ll connect you with the MTB scene.
Trail Status Reports
Trail status is updated by our local trail stewards, but you should always check with each trail’s website or Facebook page if conditions are suspect. Most trails close for a minimum of 24 hours following rain.
= Open |
= Caution |
= Trail Closed
Upcoming Events
The Alliance holds regular work parties, socials, board meetings and other events throughout the calendar year. Be sure to subscribe to our calendar below to keep up with the latest happenings.

Come Cheer on your local NICA teams as they compete at the Dark Mountain Dash! There are many opportunities to volunteer and these student athletes could all use your support.
Volunteers are needed the day before the race and the day-of. The volunteer task listing and sign-up can be found here: North Carolina Race #3 Dark Mountain. More details on all the race venues and specific information on the Dark Mountain Race can be found on the league’s Events & Race Results page.
The SORBA Summit will be in Old Fort, NC, April 12th-16th, 2023. This event will be hosted in partnership with the Alliance and G5 Trail Collective. The Summit schedule, registration link, lodging and camping details, and other info will be posted here as it develops. The weekend will also feature several guided group rides in and around Old Fort’s Gateway Trail System. The rides will be free of charge and open to the public. Stay tuned!
The Bootlegger 100 is one of the most challenging and scenic gravel events of the year! The Alliance provides race support to this event. If you’d like to help volunteer, contact us and we’ll get you the details!

Led by veteran women riders in our area, this ride are being promoted as an opportunity for women of all abilities to meet others, have fun, and ride! Group Rides based on ability in the morning. Snacks and refreshments at the “Saddle”. Lunch in the Parking lot followed by a fun event on the pump track, “Pump Till you can’t”.
Stay tuned to this page or our Facebook page for any other announcements about the ride, or news about any weather-related postponement of the ride. Location: Rocky Knob Bike Park
Please RSVP by filling out this quick form: Registration Link.
News
Photo Gallery: New Zacks Fork Gravity Trails
This past summer, over a year's worth of planning, volunteering, and contracted trail work led to completion of the Gravity Trails expansion at Zacks Fork Trails in Lenoir. The fundraising effort began in 2021, with some grant writing and the establishment of a budget...
Schoolhouse Ridge Trail Restoration Complete
This trail, rated “most difficult,” follows the historic alignment in many places, including several steep, rocky sections.
Old Becomes New On Yancey Ridge
New Reroute of Exit Now Open! The Alliance is pleased to share that the newly constructed exit of Yancey Ridge Trail is now officially OPEN! This 1.2 mile section of new trail reroutes the segment that was on private property onto US Forest Service land. The...