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Tsali: Right and Left Loops (Tsali Right Loop Tsali Trail System Left Loop)
Mountain Biking Trail
Hard
19.1 mi
1,954 ft
Enjoy sinuous, mostly-smooth singletrack along the shores of beautiful Fontana Lake in the longer of the two rides at Tsali.
Tsali is one of the original mountain bike destinations of yore, dating back to time immemorial. The singletrack is smooth and flowy, and the views of Fontana Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are jaw-dropping, making this a perennial favorite!
Since the trails here have changed very little over the years, in some mountain bikers' opinions Tsali has lost the luster it once had. Those riders think it can't compete with modern flow trails and the radness of nearby Pisgah National Forest. But for other riders—perhaps beginners and intermediate riders who don't want technical challenge—Tsali's charms are as sweet as ever.
One of the original and continuing draws to the Tsali Trail System is the easy access to a well-developed campground, right at the trailhead. Mountain bike trails with high-quality camping amenities located smack in the center of the trail network are few and far between, helping Tsali continue to draw riders for weekend getaways year after year.
Overall the singletrack is fast, smooth, and flowy. The trail follows the contour of the topography and the shore of the lake quite closely overall, sweeping in and out of almost every single cove, never traveling in a straight line.
The Right and Left loops are arguably the longer and more difficult of the trails at Tsali. Some of the exposed sections above the lake, particularly on the Left Loop, are quite rocky and challenging. Beginner riders or less confident intermediates can easily walk these short difficult sections and then carry on with the flowy singletrack that Tsali is known for.
The trails at Tsali are shared with horses, but mountain bikers and equestrians swap trails based on the day of the week. While this means you don't have to worry about coming upon a horse on the trail, it does mean that you can't ride the entire network in the same day—which is why the two halves are listed separately. According to the US Forest Service, in Jan./Feb./March/April/June/Sept./Nov./Dec., the Right and Left loops are open to mountain bikers on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. In May/July/August/October, they're open to mountain bikers Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Written by Greg Heil
Tsali is one of the original mountain bike destinations of yore, dating back to time immemorial. The singletrack is smooth and flowy, and the views of Fontana Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are jaw-dropping, making this a perennial favorite!
Since the trails here have changed very little over the years, in some mountain bikers' opinions Tsali has lost the luster it once had. Those riders think it can't compete with modern flow trails and the radness of nearby Pisgah National Forest. But for other riders—perhaps beginners and intermediate riders who don't want technical challenge—Tsali's charms are as sweet as ever.
One of the original and continuing draws to the Tsali Trail System is the easy access to a well-developed campground, right at the trailhead. Mountain bike trails with high-quality camping amenities located smack in the center of the trail network are few and far between, helping Tsali continue to draw riders for weekend getaways year after year.
Overall the singletrack is fast, smooth, and flowy. The trail follows the contour of the topography and the shore of the lake quite closely overall, sweeping in and out of almost every single cove, never traveling in a straight line.
The Right and Left loops are arguably the longer and more difficult of the trails at Tsali. Some of the exposed sections above the lake, particularly on the Left Loop, are quite rocky and challenging. Beginner riders or less confident intermediates can easily walk these short difficult sections and then carry on with the flowy singletrack that Tsali is known for.
The trails at Tsali are shared with horses, but mountain bikers and equestrians swap trails based on the day of the week. While this means you don't have to worry about coming upon a horse on the trail, it does mean that you can't ride the entire network in the same day—which is why the two halves are listed separately. According to the US Forest Service, in Jan./Feb./March/April/June/Sept./Nov./Dec., the Right and Left loops are open to mountain bikers on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. In May/July/August/October, they're open to mountain bikers Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right loop parking lot to 1st alt | 3.52 mi | -207 ft | -0.5% |
| TSALI - Left & Right + Overlooks | 18.78 mi | 308 ft | 0.1% |
| 1st Right Climb | 0.51 mi | 187 ft | 4.7% |
| 1st Climb-Right Loop | 0.50 mi | 131 ft | 5.0% |
| Ham Sammich | 0.39 mi | -151 ft | -7.3% |
| Right Loop Climb 1 - Uphill Only | 0.85 mi | 230 ft | 5.1% |
| Right Loop Climb 1 | 0.95 mi | 276 ft | 5.5% |
| Motorboat | 0.32 mi | -98 ft | -5.9% |
| Windy Point Full CCW | 2.34 mi | -92 ft | -0.0% |
| Windy Bottom to Left Loop | 2.49 mi | -135 ft | -0.2% |
| US Cup SERC Yellow & White wave merg loop by | 10.70 mi | -276 ft | -0.1% |
| Gettin Steeper | 0.15 mi | 43 ft | 5.3% |
| Right Lookout | 0.44 mi | 217 ft | 9.2% |
| Lookout Downhill | 0.48 mi | -171 ft | -5.8% |
| SEC #2 1st Down | 0.40 mi | -154 ft | -7.3% |
| Slow and Low | 0.41 mi | 43 ft | 1.9% |
| SERC #2 Watershed Climb | 0.36 mi | 187 ft | 9.7% |
| Left Lookout | 0.37 mi | 197 ft | 7.5% |
| SERC #2 Second Down | 0.28 mi | -89 ft | -5.9% |
| Last Steep Climb | 0.22 mi | 36 ft | 3.1% |
| SERC #2 Lull | 1.98 mi | 23 ft | 0.1% |
| SERC #2 Last 2 miles | 2.28 mi | 144 ft | 0.8% |
| Left Loop Leaving | 1.93 mi | 121 ft | 1.0% |
| SERC #2 Final Climb/Finish | 0.97 mi | 141 ft | 1.8% |
| Gravel Dodger | 0.20 mi | -46 ft | -2.8% |