Biking in the Smokies

If your family is ready for a new type of outdoor adventure, try something different with a mountain biking excursion. Ditch your car, grab a bike,  and experience the Smokies in a new way. We’re showing two unique offerings to rent a bike and explore trails.

Rentals + Private Trails

Bike the Smokies

Bike the Smokies just opened up in Gatlinburg, TN, and offers scenic bike rentals. Walk-ins are welcome, but since availability in the summer can be limited, we recommend you book well in advance if you plan on riding in the summer.

You can choose from two-hour, three-hour, four-hour, and eight-hour rentals. They all include the bike, rack, and helmets. The Spanish-made Orbea bikes they offer are well-equipped for the modern mountaineer. In addition to standard holders for water bottles, holders for your cell phone are also available, which are particularly handy if you plan to use your phone’s GPS.

Bike the Smokies also offers miles of trails with route maps and custom picnic packages for families and couples looking for romance.

CLIMB Works

Also located in Gatlinburg, TN, just down the street from Bike the Smokies, CLIMB Works offers unique experiences on Trek Mountain Bikes with varying levels of difficulty. Perfect for ages 12 and up, you can try both trails and the unique flagship adventure, “The Curliest.” The wooden structure takes biking through the woods to a whole new level. You’ll feel as though you’re on a sidewalk with the smooth riding experience offered by CLIMB Works.

While reservations are required, and there are no offerings on Sundays. You can take your personal mountain bike to their trails if you would like, rather than renting. Both choices give you three hours of riding time with water provided along the trail.

Public Trails and Rentals Within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Cades Cove

While there aren’t any official mountain biking trails in the park due to the terrain, Cades Cove does offer a suitable area for biking. Check out wildlife and tour historic homes on the 11-mile road. If you come on Wednesday or Saturday morning before 10:00 a.m., you can experience it without the noise of cars. Located within Cades Cove, close to the ranger station, Cades Cove Trading offers Fuji cruisers and hybrid bike rentals for all ages.

Gatlinburg Trail

This 1.9-mile trail (one way) is on the outskirts of Gatlinburg, TN, and crosses a few streams. It’s a less strenuous trail with minimal elevation change. It is partly paved, with the rest being gravel. This is a good trail to catch a view of a waterfall, but it can be more heavily trafficked with pedestrians and dog owners since it is one of the few trails that is open to dogs (with a leash). Pick up the trail from the Sugarlands Visitors Center or the $5 lot at the edge of Gatlinburg (approximate location: 1151 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738). This trail is perfect for bikers of all skill levels.

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