Starting from Asheville or Marion, NC? From the profiles, it looks like Marion is steeper with more total elevation gain. Is that right?
Run or bike?
I haven’t considered running it. I’m talking about cycling from the Blue Ridge Parkway, from the east or west?
Are there any off-road trails to run out there?
Yes there are trails to run up at least a good bit of Mt. Mitchell. I recently did the Black Mountain marathon which starts concurrently with the 40 mile Mt. Mitchell Challenge and we started in the town of Black Mountain.
Having done both more times than I can remember, Marion side is definitely harder/steeper. The climb up to the parkway is the steepest bit and comes pretty near the beginning. You are essentially going up hill for a good part of 30 miles.
From Asheville, it is all parkway grades and not bad at all. Once you get to Graggy mt. It is kind of a plateau to Mitchell even thought there are still a few short mile long climbs thrown in there… I think the parkway is doing maintenance on Asheville side, So I don’t think you can go that way right now. Good luck. It is a beautiful ride either way.
The gates are finally open to go to Craggy from Elk Mountain, but I think the rest of the trip will still be closed until may.
I was up there a few weeks ago and just got off my bike and walked past the construction, They only chopped up about 10-20 yards of road and didn’t mind my friend and I going through their area.
And if you start from Asheville you get a really great view going Old Tow Road behind the Grove Spa to Town Mountain Rd to the Parkway.
So, my plan was to park in Marion, then go 221N to 70W to 80N, then left on the BR Parkway and right on 128 to the summit. Then do an out and back, or possibly extend it by going farther north on the BRP or north on 80.
Are any of these roads under construction such that we won’t be able to get past?
You can always get by construction and gates etc…but what they dont tell the tourists is that if a park ranger catches you in a closed area, you are going to get a ticket. In years past, closure only applied to cars, not so anymore. I know you are safe riding from Marion to Mitchell, but going back down towards Asheville it is probably still closed to Craggy until May.
If memory serves correctly, Ashville is a little longer, but less steep. From Marion its shorter but steeper. But, when you are going only 6 or 7mph, an extra 10 miles is a LONG way.
Wise@$$ response to title: Up of course!
Legit response: I haven’t ridden it, but I decided to drive home via backroads when I lived in Greensboro 5 years ago and the drive up to Mitchell from Asheville on the BRP was long, yes, but not nearly as steep as the road appeared to be on Rt80, with much more switchback activity on Rt80.
SOMEDAY I’ll get back to that area and get to ride there!!
Good luck/have fun!
The Marion route is harder. Last summer, I started at the intersection of 70/80 and took the route you describe to the top of Mitchell. It was a great ride. Not many cars on 80, which made the ride nice. The tunnels on the parkway were a little dicey. You may want a flashing tail-light or something in the tunnels (or just sprint through them, they aren’t long). I used a 53/39 12/27 setup and was fine. At the ranger station (3/4s of the way up 128), you can fill up your waterbottles in the bathroom sink. Make sure you have some grippy tires for the descent on 80-- the hairpins where 80 meets the parkway are fantastic on the way down!