Durham, NC – Cycle North Carolina will begin an all-new route for the 2025 “Mountains to Coast” tour of scenic North Carolina. This is the twenty-sixth anniversary of the first Mountains to Coast Ride held back in 1999, running from Murphy to Manteo. This year’s event is scheduled for a Lake Lure to Fort Fisher trek from October 5 to October 11, with October 4 serving as the check-in day. With beautiful tourist stops along scenic back roads, the “Mountains to Coast” ride is the highlight of the year for many cyclists from across the nation.
Cycle North Carolina will begin its full-service, cross-state ride on October 5th from Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure and will arrive at the 1921 Fort Fisher Monument in New Hanover County on October 11th, with roughly 750 cyclists in tow. The cyclists represent 38 states (AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV) plus Canada, Scotland and England. The youngest cyclist to ride for the entire week is 12 years old, while the oldest participant is 88 years old.
Over the course of the week, riders will bike an average of 67 miles per day. Additional overnight stays are planned in Lincolnton, Kannapolis, Asheboro, Fuquay-Varina, Goldsboro and Wallace. The route will also pass through many other towns and communities along the way, including Rutherfordton, Spindale, Ellenboro, Shelby, Catawba, Troutman, Mt Ulla, Gold Hill, Denton, Ramseur, Bear Creek, Moncure, Benson, Four Oaks, Mount Olive, Kenansville, Warsaw, Rose Hill, Burgaw, Rocky Point, Wilmington, Carolina Beach and Kure Beach as they make their way to the finish.
In this year’s tour, bicyclists will experience numerous instances of North Carolina’s unique topography including mountains, ample farmland, several lakes, creeks and winding rivers. Three to four rest stops are scheduled daily to break up the ride and allow riders an opportunity to take a break from pedaling. Some of the featured rest stops which are planned for the ride include Bechtler Mint Historic Park, Ellenboro Train Depot, Triple B Vineyard, Balls Creek Campground, Troutman Depot, Patterson Farm Market, Montgomery General Store, Denton Harrison Park, Lake Reese, The Barn at Woodlake Meadows, The Paisley Barn, Broadslab Distillery, Bentonville Battlefield, Mount Olive Train Depot, Cowan Museum of History and Science, Duplin County Veterans Museum, the World’s Largest Frying Pan, Paul’s Famous Hotdogs, Greenfield Lake and River Road Park…