Rich Mountain Firetower (10 miles)
For those cyclists lookings to get off-road, into the woods and sweat your way to one of the most breath-taking views in all of the Appalachian mountains, look no further than the Rich Mountain Firetower.
This 10 mile out-and-back in Hot Springs is a challenging ride that is well worth the work.
Just 3 miles north of Hot Springs on 2570 turn off the highway near Tanyard Gap and take a right on Lookout Mountain Road. Follow this road for approximately .5 miles until you reach a paved clearing where you can park. Unload your mountain bike and begin this route on the gravel road called Neal Barnett Road. Don't let Strava's elevation graph fool you! There are plenty of flat areas to recover your legs on your way up to the firetower!
Follow the winding gravel road up and around Rich Mountain for 3.5 miles until you eventually cross the Appalachian trail and a fork in the road with Rich Mountain signage. Take the left and you're only about a mile away from the Rich Mountain firetower and a well-earned break!
Have a picnic, relax your legs and enjoy the view. The Rich Mountain Firetower is a lesser-known attraction that will always be worth the effort getting to.
Once you've had your fill of the awesome mountain beauty, descend the mountain using the same path and enjoy the downhill fun.
Live music, wood-fired pizza, over 50 bottled brews and 12 beers on tap. What more do you need?
Don't let Strava's elevation graph fool you! There are plenty of flat sections on the ascend!