Parks & Recreation

Cycling Carter County

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Carter County is blessed with every terrain from quiet, hilly country roads perfect for a relaxing weekend ride to world-class mountain climbs that equal any in Europe’s biggest races. The mild climate means that, except at the highest elevations, cycling is a sport to be enjoyed year-round.

Carter County is home to Tennessee’s biggest and best bike race – The Roan Groan, part of the Carter County Omnium, held the first weekend in June. This race, which starts at Elizabethton’s famous covered bridge and winds its way through the beautiful high mountains of Carter County and Unicoi County’s Limestone Cove, climaxes with a lung-busting, leg-wrecking, Category 1 climb up Roan Mountain to Carver’s Gap, 5,512 feet high.

Or take a relaxed ride with friends and family on the Tweetsie Trail, Tennessee’s newest and longest rail-trail (almost 10 miles), through the heart of one of Tennessee’s most historic regions. The trail is perfect for novice and casual riders – wide, hard-packed, and never more than 1-1/2% grade. And it’s road-bike friendly – with care, rideable even on 23mm tires.

And everything in between! Yes, we’re in the mountains, with challenges in every direction, but there are plenty of routes for every skill and fitness level, from 10-mile jaunts around Elizabethton to demanding centuries worthy of the best riders.

And wherever you ride, you’ll be surrounded by the beauty of the valleys and mountains of the Southern Appalachians.

Whether you’re a novice just learning the sport, a seasoned recreational rider looking for a challenge, or a professional in training, Carter County’s roads are for you!

The Carter County Parks & Rec Board works with the Carter County Road Cycling Advisory Committee to make our county a great place to ride your bike!

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