Big Fork - All 5 Ride | IMBA Epic

The All 5 Ride IMBA Epic is made up of five trails the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (NRRA) in Tennessee: Collier Ridge, West Bandy, Duncan Hollow, Grand Gap and a section of the John Muir Trail. Deep forests, rocky faces and views into river gorges compliment the fun, moderate trails on this ride. The park is a prime example of the strong alliance that has been forged between the National Park Service and IMBA.

There are 5 trails near the Bandy Creek Visitor Center---the All 5 Ride includes each of these trails: Collier Ridge, West Bandy, Duncan Hollow, Grand Gap, and a section of the John Muir Trail attached to Grand Gap. Riding all of the trails and connecting each with some gravel road totals approximately 35 miles. (30 miles of singletrack and about 5 miles of gravel to connect everything). The singletrack is flowy and smooth with minimal climbing. Grand Gap and John Muir trails present massive rock shelters and several scenic views of the Big South Fork River from the rim of the gorge 500 feet above the river and its huge boulders. While all 5 of the trails are open to hikers, only Grand Gap and John Muir trails have an appreciable number of hikers. There is a large number of horse trails inside the park, but horses are not allowed on the mountain bike trails listed here. However, you may see them on the gravel roads that connect the bike trails. The National Park Service is in agreement with IMBA's Rules of the Trails.The trails are mostly beginner to intermediate level offering a few technical sections and creek crossings as riders meander through pines, oaks, hemlocks, maples, and other richly diverse trees and native plants along with abundant wildlife featuring black bears, turkey, deer, and other small game. A moderate climate easily allows mountain biking year round.n addition to the 5 trails near Bandy Creek, there is an additional hiking/biking trail named Chestnut Ridge. It is a 13 mile loop beginning at the Rock Creek Trailhead. It also offers some flowing singletrack as well as an overlook of the park. It is located near Divide Road and a portion of the trail stretches north into the Kentucky section before looping back southward into Tennessee.

Season: 
The park is open and the trails are (usually) accessible year-round. Summers are generally hot and humid, with high temperatures sometimes eclipsing 90 degrees. The low temperatures in winter often dip below freezing. Spring sees the most amount of precipitation, but rainfall can occur in various amounts throughout the year.

Highlights: 
In addition to the mountain biking experience, Big South Fork also offers several outdoor recreation activities: swimming, hiking, backpacking, boating in whitewater that is not controlled flow, horseback riding, fishing and hunting. There is an additional hiking/biking trail called Chestnut Ridge that offers a 13-mile loop beginning at the Rock Creek Trailhead. It offers some flowing singletrack and an overlook of the park.

Local Partners: 
Big South Fork Bicycle Club of Oneida
Appalachian Mountain Bike Club (AMBC-SORBA) of Knoxville
The Bike Zoo
Harper's Bike Shop
Tennessee Valley Bikes