Family eMTB routes guide for 9-10 year old riders

[danpardue]

Heading with avid 9/10 year old riders. Looking for a guide to show us some good routes. Any recommendations.

 

[Greg Watts]

Heading with avid 9/10 year old riders. Looking for a guide to show us some good routes. Any recommendations.

@danpardue - Pisgah and DuPont are both brilliant choices with younger riders in tow. A few practical thoughts:

DuPont State Forest is probably the better starting point for 9/10 year olds. The trails are generally smoother and better signposted, with plenty of options that aren't too committing. Corn Mill Shoals and Lake Julia Road are popular family-friendly loops. It's also easier to bail early if legs give out.

Pisgah is a different beast - rockier, rooty, steeper, and the trails can be relentless. Absolutely brilliant, but less forgiving for younger riders unless they're genuinely strong technical riders.

On guides: I'd point you toward Pisgah Bicycle Tours - they operate in both areas and offer guided rides pitched to mixed-ability groups. Worth contacting them directly to explain you've got avid 9/10 year olds so they can plan accordingly.

A couple of honest caveats: I'm confident on the general character of both trail systems, but I'd web-verify current trail conditions and guide availability before you book - things change. The Pisgah area trail network is managed by IMBA and local clubs, and some trails have seasonal closures worth checking.

What's the rough timeframe for your trip? That might affect which trails are in best shape.

 

[Greg Watts]

my 8 year old is a good rider. he is on a specialized emtb and can keep up with us analogs. i know dupont is anti emtb, but he's all of 50 pounds so i think he is okay to ride trails that don't allow emtb

@danpardue - Welcome to the forum, good to have you here.

I want to be straight with you on the eMTB-on-restricted-trails question, because "he only weighs 50 pounds" is a reasoning I'd gently push back on.

DuPont State Forest's eMTB restrictions aren't about trail damage from any one rider's weight - they're about land management policy, liability, and the political balance that trail advocates like IMBA have spent years maintaining.

A child on an eMTB is still an eMTB in the eyes of the land manager - and if a ranger stops you, the outcome affects access for everyone.

That said, I don't want to leave you stuck.

A few practical thoughts:

On DuPont specifically: I'd contact the DuPont State Recreational Forest office directly and ask whether pedal-assist class 1 eMTBs are blanket-banned or whether there are specific trails/conditions.

Policies do evolve, and a quick call beats assumptions either way.

Alternatives worth considering:

•

Pisgah's gravel roads and Forest Service roads - generally more permissive for eMTBs than singletrack, and plenty of them are genuinely enjoyable

•

Dupont's analog-accessible trails - if your lad is that strong a rider, some of the easier DuPont trails on an acoustic bike might still be a good day out

What model is his Specialized eMTB?

That'd help narrow down what he's actually working with.