9/10/25 GSMNP Cades Cove Adaptive Bike Ride - Volunteer Registration

Volunteer registration to support aMTB riders during the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Adaptive Program Day at Deep Creek Trail.

Volunteers must bring their own mountain bike to ride.  Support Rider Volunteers should be consistent/confident mountain bikers.

New volunteers must complete the online training. Please email kirby@catalystsports.org with any questions about volunteer training. 

Join Us for an Adaptive Bike Interpretive Ride in Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

Discover the rich natural and cultural history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park while enjoying a scenic ride on an adaptive mountain bike. Led by a knowledgeable Ranger, these interpretive rides are designed to be short in distance with multiple stops along the way. At each stop, you will learn fascinating facts about the park's unique features and heritage. 

Please see the details below for information on the ride's distance, elevation, and profile. 

We look forward to having you join us for an educational and enjoyable adventure!

Please note: due to limited resources, only adaptive athletes are able to borrow a bike for this ride. Any friends/family wishing to join in will be required to bring their own mountain bike. 

Trailhead Location:

Cades Cove Campground

Maintenance Shed Parking Area

10050 Campground Dr

Townsend, TN 37882

Yellow Circle = Staging Area

Blue Rectangle = Reserved Accessible Parking

Red Arrow = Volunteer Parking at Camp Sites C23, C24, C25, & any available overflow parking lots

Ride Route Descriptions

Short Loop  (Click Link for Route Details)

Ride Distance:5.3 Miles

Ride Pace:  No Drop Pace

Ride Time:  Approximately 2-2.5 Hrs

Elevation Gain:  375 ft

Trail Surface:  Mostly Paved with 1.25 miles of gravel road.  Mostly rolling hills, with several short/steep hills approximately 0.2 mi each.

Ride Description:  Start at Cades Cove Campground with accessible parking & bathrooms.  Catalyst Sports will be onsite to fit you to an adaptive bike & provide instruction on how to safely operate the adaptive bike.  We will then depart as a group & ride through the campground before getting on the Cades Cove loop.  The group will stop in several spots along the way to learn about the area from a GSMNP Ranger.  

Long Loop (Click Link for Route Details)

Ride Distance: 12.5 mi

Ride Pace:  Approximately 9 mph average

Ride Time:  Approximately 3-3.5 Hrs

Elevation Gain: 900 ft

Trail Surface:  Mostly Paved with short gravel sections (less than 0.3 mi total gravel).  Mostly rolling hills, with several steep hill climbs and descents (approximately 0.2 mi each).  Good bike handling skills and braking skills are needed

Ride Description:  Start at Cades Cove Campground with accessible parking & bathrooms.  Catalyst Sports will be onsite to fit you to an adaptive bike & provide instruction on how to safely operate the adaptive bike.  We will then depart as a group & ride through the campground before getting on the Cades Cove loop.  The group will stop in several spots along the way to learn about the area from a GSMNP Ranger.  

Schedule:

8:00 am: Volunteers Arrive onsite

8:45 am:  Riders borrowing Catalyst bikes for the 9:30 am departure should be ready to be fit to your adaptive bike at 8:45am.  This will allow time for us to fit riders & give basic instructions on operation

Short Loop: 9:30-12:00 noon  Ride:  The ride will depart promptly at 9:30am.  

Long Loop: 9:30-1:00 pm Ride:  The ride will depart promptly at 9:30am.

 Note:  This ride is weather dependent.  If cancellation occurs due to weather, we will delay the ride to Wednesday 9/24/25.

Volunteer Essential Eligibility:

-  Be sure to review Short and Long Loop Ride Options

-  Support Rider Volunteers must provide their own Bike

-  Support Riders should be able to maintain an 8-10 mph average pace

-  E-assist Not mandatory, but recommended

Volunteer Camping & Parking:

-  GSMNP will provide several TENT CAMPING campsites at Cades Cove Campground on Tuesday & Wednesday for volunteers assisting with the adaptive bike programming

-  Campsites will be shared by volunteers.  Please indicate below if you would like to camp.  a Catalyst Representative will reach out with more details as we get closer to the weekend

-  Participants need to plan your own meals for the weekend.  Catalyst will provide water & gatorade throughout the weekend

Parking:  GSMNP will provide free parking passes for all volunteers who are participating in this programming

Please email Kirby@Catalystsports.org with further questions