Cave Mountain Lake

This ride's general location is 5 miles south of Natural Bridge. Scenery includes densely wooded forestland en route to excellent views of neighboring peaks. This loop ascends and descends Wildcat Mountain via gravel forest roads, single-track, and a short stretch of hard-surface road. Climbers will enjoy the 6.3-mile ascent, which in not unduly steep but seems to go on forever. Many more riders will enjoy the four-mile descent from the crest of the climb, and everyone will savor a swim at Cave Mountain Lake after the ride. A nice feature of the ride is the terrific views of neighboring peaks as you gain altitude. This ride offers no technical challenges aside from the single-track descent on the Wildcat Mountain Trail, but riders should be fit enough to handle the 6.3 mile climb on Forest Service roads starting just outside Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area. Plan to visit the caverns at Natural Bridge.