Queen of Pisgah
A triumph of spirit on North Carolina's trails
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PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST
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Kaysee Armstrong has been around the world on two wheels. As an accomplished pro mountain biker, she’s racked up adventures from the Himalayas to the Andes. Still, there really is no place like home for her. A daughter of the Appalachian Mountains, she recognized early on that they gave her an invaluable sense of freedom and safety. Of course, safety won’t be the first thing that comes to mind as you watch Queen of Pisgah—a mud-, sweat- and tears-drenched chronicle of her quest for redemption after a battering in her first pro race in the Pisgah National Forest. Along the course’s series of dramatic climbs and descents, “it feels like you are constantly either falling, or fighting the fall,” she says. Then again, that same forest can feel “so loving,” to borrow her words—and as it enfolds her in its epic embrace over the course of the short film, you'll get pulled right on in there with her. Whether you’ve spent any time in the seat of a mountain bike—or ever intend to—you can’t help but feel the lure of these gorgeous trails, and the tenacious characters who ride them.
What to do
along the way
Toast to your time on the trails with whatever’s on tap at the Pisgah Tavern (part of the Hub, where rental bikes, outdoor gear and repair services are on offer as well).
As for where to lay your head for your well-earned rest, options range from Kanuga’s Historic Cottages to the full-service Switzerland Inn, home to a spa, three restaurants and a wide range of accommodations.
In a state that's known for its amazing cycling routes, Western North Carolina is an especially epic mountain biking hub, and if Armstrong’s own real-life working vacation here inspired you, you’ll want to hit those trails ASAP. But first, as the saying goes: Coffee. Fuel up at the beloved Pisgah Coffee Roasters, then, if you want to start out with figurative training wheels, sign up for intro lessons or skills clinics at Ride Kanuga Bike Park. Another way to ease into the scene? Book a privately guided, tailored-to-your-skill-level trip with Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventures. When and if you feel ready to take on Armstrong’s trails, consider the final stretch that made her the Queen of Pisgah this year: Industry Nine’s the Land of Waterfalls Route, a 27-mile stretch with 2,301 feet in elevation gain and incalculable natural beauty.
The first tract of land acquired under the Weeks Act—the 1911 legislation that gave rise to the national forest system in the eastern US—the Pisgah National Forest made for a dazzling debut. Try to picture 500,000+ acres of mile-high peaks, forested slopes, thundering waterfalls and whitewater rivers to start to get an idea. Or better yet, go and see for yourself. You need venture no farther than 10 minutes from downtown Asheville to find the nearest access point. Once inside, you’ll also find the first forestry school in the nation (now the Cradle of Forestry historic site) and two of the first designated wilderness areas in the east.
Ready for more?
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Of course, North Carolina’s outdoor adventure scene is so varied and accessible, hardcore cyclists represent only a small subset of the people who take to the state’s trails, rivers and lakes. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert—and whether you’re in the mood for hiking, biking, horseback riding, paddling and/or camping—options not only abound here; they also leave you awestruck.
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Pisgah
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Watch some North Carolina stories, then
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Pisgah National Forest
Brevard
Asheville
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This story is part of North Carolina’s Firsts That Last
film series. See more stories here.
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