Berm Park is on Chestnut Mountain in Canton, NC. Machine-built by Elevated Trail Design — the park exists because YouTuber Seth's Bike Hacks pushed to make it happen and somehow pulled it off. Easy access: I-40W from Asheville, roughly 15 minutes. One thing to know before you go: the park closes when conditions are bad. Check before you drive.
Rode with my barber. We met out at Bent Creek, then kept running into each other in West Asheville after Helene. Good to get back out! Brought the Shuttle Buddy with me - the 40l version of our full size 70l Kitloader locked 'er up in the passenger seat with all my gear.
How It Rides
The trails are machine-built and it shows — everything is intentional. Fast, flowy, mostly predictable. That said, every feature has its own character. Lips and drops vary. Some turns show up faster than expected if you're riding off the brakes. Worth a lap or two to read the terrain before you start pushing pace.
Our Route
From the parking lot > Paper Town Express > Session Area. Few steep areas but the only way to get to the session area. From the session area we continuesd up towards the top of the mountain to hit Union and Ladybird back down to bear country. This then takes you back down to the parking lot
Trail info below.
Session Area
Green Trail: High Roller
Start here. The green trail in the session area doesn't require brakes — pump through the features and carry enough speed to loop back up to the landing zone. Good for warming up legs and dialing in body position. We put in a bunch of laps before moving up.
Blue Trail: On The Fly
The blue can be ridden fast and off the brakes. The step-up is the feature to know: steep takeoff, good-sized jump, infinite lander. Always looks bigger from the top than it actually is. Did a handful of laps here before heading up to Union.
Black Trail: Clickbait → Roll The Dice (Double Black)
Clickbait always has a little first-lap energy — wall rides and the cannon are consistent and fun every time. Some of the jumps could use some maintenance work; easier to roll past them than force it on a trail day. Bear Country is the route back to the lot — a bit traversey, built from what the terrain gave them. They made it work. Flow and fun, nothing technical, good way to finish the day.
Back Country Trails
Green Trail: Paper Town Express
Climb trail to access the rest of the back country trails. Easier to ride than the trail to ther session area but a bit longer.
Blue Trail: Union → Ladybird
Worth the pedal to get there. Union is my favorite trail in the park — a good mix of turns, rollable features that can be doubled at trail speed, a rock drop (also rollable if you want it to be), and sections where letting off the brakes is rewarded with actual pace. A few blind corners sneak up on you, so know the trail before you start opening it up.
Conditions
Light rain the day before tamped the dust down. Trails were fast and grippy — probably some of the best conditions you'll find out there.
If it has rained recently - just make sure the park is open on their social media.
Looking for a hike?
The 2.6 mile in-and-out is the easy go-to in the area.