[percussive folk music] - Woo, welcome to Mountain Bike, North Carolina, otherwise known as Old Fort, population 800.

Old Fort is quickly becoming North Carolina's premier mountain bike destination, and it is easy to see why, woo!

Just 30 minutes outside of Asheville, and in the foothills of Mount Mitchell, feels like everything in this town is linked together by this love of mountain biking.

You see it in the murals on the sides of buildings.

You see it in the breweries.

They've got trails for beginners.

They've got trails for more experienced riders.

- [Biker] Yeah, don't forget to breathe.

[laughs] - I'm lucky enough to have hiked and biked on trails all over the world, and I'm proud to say that North Carolina has some of the best of the best.

So come with me and let's explore Old Fort on two wheels.

Old Fort is such a perfect mixture of old and new.

In some ways, it still feels like an old mountain town with its tiny population.

[peaceful music] And in some ways it feels like an up-and-coming outdoor destination, with breweries, and pubs, and good restaurants on every single corner.

Everywhere you look, there's trails to explore, there's mountains to climb, there's things to do, and there's people that love everything that has to do with the outdoors.

To start our mountain biking journey, I'm headed to the Old Fort Bike Shop to meet my friend Chad, a local pro who knows these trails like the back of his hand.

- Old Fort, it has a small town charm to it, but it has always been on the radar of mountain bikers.

This is the true first taste of actual mountain terrain from the east.

It's just lush green everywhere you look.

[wind blowing] [birds chirping] - [Mike] Chad is taking me to the Gateway Trail System, just two miles outside of town, 20 miles of varied trails with another 20 on the way.

Mountain biking is one of my favorite outdoor activities, and the best thing is, with trails like these so close to town, anyone can do it.

- Bicycles provide the closest thing to flight, feeling like you're a bird flying down the trails.

Woo!

What do you think, Mike?

- Love it!

- All right.

Being out in the woods and completely unplugged from any type of screen, you remember what it's like to live in your own body and your brain, to just wander.

I think that's something that's lost in today's society.

We don't just stop and look and take it in.

I think that inside there's a child that needs to play, and if we forget to let that kid play, then we lose part of ourselves.

[rider laughing] When we do reconnect with that child and play, we see that child in other people, and that connection is extremely important for all of us.

Bikes bring us together without words.

- Old Fort.

- Old Fort, get out here.

- Awesome.

Thanks, man.

[fast tempo piano music] Before my next stop, I'm headed to the Watershed Brewery to fill up on some good vibes and some good, good barbecue.

And it's also a downhill mountain bike park.

[wheels whirring] Okay, let's try something just a little bit different, a little bit more slowly paced.

This is the Catawba Falls Trail.

This is the crown gem of easy hiking trails in Old Fort.

[relaxed music] How cool is this?

This is Catawba Falls.

So all up this side, you've got these incredibly beautiful waterfalls with this massive structure, 500 steps taking you from the bottom of the falls all the way to the top.

[water crashing] Ah, so cool.

The lower Catawba Falls is beautiful enough, so you don't have to climb the 500 stairs if you don't want to, but I want to see what's at the top.

The difficult part is gonna be going back for my camera.

[relaxed music continues] [water splashing] Once I was at the top, I was blown away by this beautiful oasis and the biggest falls yet.

[gentle music] [water splashing] [gentle music with vocalization] Old Fort is a tiny town that's been transformed by its love of the outdoors.

When you're here, you won't have any difficulty finding an incredible trail, great food, breweries, or just really, really cool people to meet.

And at just 30 minutes outside of Asheville, it is so close to so many people.

This town is a hidden gem and I've had so much fun exploring it.

[water splashing] - [Narrator] Old Fort Bike Shop sells and repairs bikes and can point you toward the many local bike trails.

Find them at 276 Catawba Avenue in Old Fort, or online at oldfortbikeshop.com.

To learn more about Old Fort's Gateway Trail System, visit g5trailcollective.org/gateway- trails.