Cartecay Bike Shop Road Rides

In addition to all of the great mountain bike trails in the area, Ellijay has some of the very best road-riding around.  You can ride for miles and miles without seeing a car and enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery.  The views are astonishing but keep in mind that this is mountain country!  Here are some of our favorite road rides leaving right from the shop.

Medieval Torture Chamber Road Ride - 96 miles

Below is the cue sheet for the Medieval Torture Chamber road ride from Ellijay over Burnt Mountain to Fort Mountain and back to Ellijay.

Start in Ellijay from the Bike Shop
Go Old 5 or North Main Street north to GA Hwy 515, be careful crossing the 4-lane
Turn left onto 515
First road to your right is Ray Mt
Turn right and this is your first climb
Ray Mt Rd will dead end into Turniptown Rd, turn right
Turniptown Road will dead-end into GA Hwy 52
Turn left onto GA Hwy 52 and climb up to Lower Cartecay Road, you will see a Gray Apple House on your right
As soon as you pass the apple house look, for Lower Cartecay Road that forks off to your right
Turn right
Lower Cartecay Road will bring you back to GA Hwy 52
Turn right onto 52, go less than a half a mile
Turn right onto Burnt Mountain Road. This road is hard. Be prepared for a small Brasstown Bald climb
Burnt Mt. Road will dead-end into GA Hwy 136
Turn right and go down Burnt Mt.
At the bottom of Burnt Mt., you will look for GA Hwy 136
Turn right onto 136 and follow 136 to Talking Rock, GA
When you turn right onto 136 off of Burnt Mt., you go a few miles and 136 will turn left taking you to Talking Rock
After you turn left onto 136, you come to a stop sign and a Church on your right
At the stop sign, go left into Talking Rock
Cross over the railroad tracks in Talking Rock
The road dead-ends; turn right onto GA 136 and follow GA 136 all the way to Old Hwy 411
Turn right onto Old Hwy 411 and this is the same route that takes you past Carters Lake Dam
Follow the arrows back to the Fort Mt. climb

I did this ride by myself, and it took me seven hours. This ride can be as tough as Six Gap. Two store stops, one at GA Hwy 136 in Blaine GA, and the Stallion Gas Station at the bottom of Fort Mt. I would bring a few bucks just in case.

~Mike

Mt. Pleasant Church - Springer Mtn. Long Ride

Starting at Big Creek Fire Station adds 8.4 miles roundtrip.

FS 42 across from the church
Past FS 665 on right
Past FS 188 on left
Past FS 58A on left
Past Springer Mtn. parking lot on left
Straight on FS 42 at FS 42-58-77 junction
Left on FS 69 (unmarked) goes downhill at
Appalachian Trail Crossing
Past Frank Gross on left
Past fish hatchery on left
Cross new large bridge
Left ? mile cross bridge, through gate
Right on FS 333, Cross Creek
1? miles through gate
Keep left on muddy section
Past old buildings and private homes
Left on paved road
Turns to dirt
Past True Grit Acres on left
Past FS 58 on left
Past Fellowship Church on right
Past Newport Rd. on right
Finish at Mt. Pleasant Church

Noontoola Forest Gravel Road Ride - 20.1 miles

Mt. Pleasant Church / Springer Mtn. 20.1
Straight across from the church on FS 42
past FS 665 on right
past FS 188 on left
past FS 58A on left
Left on FS 58 at FS 42-58-77 junction
past FS 251 on right
past Three Forks
past FS 58B right and 58D on left
past FS 58E on right
Left at Doublehead Gap Rd junction
past small white church on right
past Newport rd on right, 1.2 miles to finish
Finish at Mt. Pleasant Church
to start and finish at Big Creek Fire station add
8.4 miles roundtrip

Mountain or cyclocross bicycles will work.

Tour of the Ardennes Secondary Loop - 73 miles

This a road from northeast Gilmer County outside of Ellijay. Bring your camera on this one, folks. Take GA Hwy 52 East outside of Ellijay to Big Creek Road. Turn left onto Big Creek Road and go about fourteen miles; the road will turn into Doublehead Gap Road. At the top, Doublehead Gap is Mt. Pleasant Church. That is the start. Follow the cue sheet below.

Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church 73 miler
L from the church
L on Newport Road
R on Dial Rd at junction
R on Ga Hwy 60 at junction
L on Skeenah Gap Rd
R on Old Hwy 76 at junction
R on Hicks Gap Rd
L on Mulkey Gap Rd at junction (not signed)
R on Owltown Gap Rd
R on Hwy 19-129 at junction
33 miles (food & water at 35 miles)
R Hwy 180, Wolfpen Gap
R Hwy 60 in Suches at junction
48 miles (food & water)
L on Dial Rd
L on Newport Rd (food & water)
R on Doublehead Gap Rd
Finish at the Church

Starting at Big Creek Fire Station adds 8.4 miles roundtrip.

Tour Day France Challenge Loop

(Select the map to see an enlarged version)

The Roundtop/Whitestone Ride - 40 miles

This ride has everything!  Some flat roads (as flat as it gets in Ellijay), a few hills, one or two longish climbs, and a few sprints courtesy of the local dogs.

Leaving the shop, go south on Main Street through town (as it leaves town it becomes Old Highway 5).  Stay on old Hwy 5 for approximately 4 miles until you see the sign for Roundtop Road (on right).  Turn right onto Roundtop Road (gradual uphill climb, so be ready!)  Follow Roundtop Road until it dead-ends into Highway 136.  Turn left and follow 136 into Talking Rock (Highway 136 will turn left into Talking Rock and cross the railroad tracks).  At the fork in the road (church in the middle), Highway 136 bears to the right.  Go LEFT onto Whitestone Road at this fork.  Follow Whitestone Road.  About 1/2 mile after you pass the GA Marble rockcrusher on your right, Whitestone makes an UNMARKED left turn.  If you miss this turn, the road will soon turn to gravel and you will know you have gone too far.  Continue on Whitestone (steep climb up to 515/575).  Cross over 515/575 (VERY DANGEROUS TRAFFIC - BE CAREFUL), and continue on Whitestone until it ends at old Hwy 5.  Turn right onto old Hwy 5 and follow it back into town and the shop.

The "Real" Burnt Mountain Ride - 50 miles

You might want to check your gearing before heading off on this ride.  There is one killer climb and one equally killer descent!

Leaving the bike shop, go north on Main St. until it dead-ends into Hwy 515.  Turn left on Hwy 515 (You will be on this VERY BUSY ROAD for 1/4 mile). Turn right on Ray Mountain Rd.  Follow Ray Mountain Rd. until it dead-ends into Turniptown Rd. Turn right and follow Turniptown Rd. until it ends at Hwy 52. Turn left on Hwy 52 and follow to 101 Lower Cartecay Rd.  Take Lower Cartecay Rd. to Old Clear Creek Rd.  Turn right on Old Clear Creek Rd.  At the next intersection turn left on Parker Rd.  Follow Parker Rd. until it ends at Clear Creek Rd. Turn left.  At the next intersection (SR 52), turn right.  Go 1/4 mile and turn right on Old Burnt Mountain Rd. (VERY STEEP CLIMB!!)  Old Burnt Mountain Rd. ends at SR 136(Burnt Mountain Rd.) Turn right on 136 and follow it down the mountain (KILLER DESCENT!!). Follow 136 through Talking Rock.  After you pass under Hwy 515  look for the Old Hwy 5 intersection. Turn right on Old Hwy 5 and follow it back to town and the shop.  GREAT RIDING!