5 Best Mountain-Biking Towns (With Roads, Too)

Oakridge, Oregon

This knobby-tire utopia features more than 350 miles of professionally built singletrack.

Hit the road Aufderheide Memorial Drive winds through narrow box canyons and alpine woodland over 65 miles from Oakridge into the heart of Willamette National Forest. Secluded swimming holes abound along the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. (How are you getting there? Read Have Bike, Will Travel for the best way to bring your bike along.)

More: 10 Must-Ride Mountain Bike Trails

Graeagle, California

This former logging outpost is renowned for some of the finest singletrack in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

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Hit the road Tackle 4,500-plus feet of high-elevation climbing on the 47-mile Gold Lake Loop. From Graeagle, ascend 10 miles toward the craggy Sierra Buttes. After a ripping descent into Sierra Valley, roll past Gold Lake heading back toward town. Check out our list of 50 Rides of a Lifetime to find more California routes.

More: 9 Reasons (Besides Moab) to Mountain Bike in Utah

Fruita, Colorado

Tucked into Colorado's arid west, Fruita's broad mesas and desert washes offer more trails than even Moab.

Hit the road Climb Rim Rock Drive into Colorado National Monument. The pavement rises 2,750 feet, slicing through red-rock canyons with sweeping valley views. Check your brakes before screaming downhill along smooth, twisting, and often car-free asphalt. If you're afraid to go downhill, these 6 Tips to Mastering Descents will keep your ride safe.

More: I-70 Ride Guide

Brevard, North Carolina

Trails in Pisgah National Forest and Dupont State Park offer everything from smooth slickrock to challenging singletrack.

Hit the road The 54-mile Cold Mountain Loop smacks you with 4,054 vertical feet in the first 20 miles en route to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is blissfully closed to commercial traffic. A few more miles up the sawtooth ridgeline, you'll reap your reward—13 miles of warp-speed descent.

More: 12 Tips for Transitioning From Pavement to Dirt

East Burke, Vermont

The Northeast Kingdom offers everything from root-riddled singletrack to lift-accessed downhill trails.

Hit the road Head northwest from town, passing Crystal Lake before returning along the shore of Lake Willoughby. The 30-mile route is breathtaking in September and October during peak foliage season, but traffic is lighter in other months.

More: New England's Rustic Terrain Offers Challenging Trails

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