more stats
9.0 miles
Distance
990 ft
Climb
-1,026 ft
Descent
01:22:03
Avg time
-39 ft
Altitude change
1,710 ft
Altitude min
2,009 ft
Altitude max
1,854 ft
Altitude start
1,814 ft
Altitude end
-0.1%
Grade
-25.9%
Grade max
31.9%
Grade min
3 miles
Distance climb
4 miles
Distance down
2 miles
Distance flat
01:22:03
Avg time

Left Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Tsali Recreation Area
    Bryson City, North Carolina
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    65 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 95 in Trail Running
    • 45 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #69773 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #34593 in Trail Running
    • #124863 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Land Owner
    Nantahala NF, Cheoah Ranger District

Longest Tsali trail. Starts with a roller coaster ride along the lakeshore that you can control Trail dips into a cove, crosses a creek, then emerges to zoom along the lakeshore time and again. Toward the overlook, the trail moves into the interior hills of the peninsula. Here, there are rolling sections, and 2 relatively long climbs, followed by 2 steep downhills; the second downhill has several great jumps. Further on, a very muddy creekside climb is followed by a fast, rolling cruise that connects to Overlook Loop (see description below). Loop is completed with a ride along County Line Road (doubletrack/gravel) which is shared with Right Loop.

Trail Supporters

  • USFS
    Land Manager
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 36 miles average
6 Months
  • 43 rides
  • 21 miles avg distance
All
  • 383 rides
  • Last: Sep 20, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Status:
on May 9, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.15 (15 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (1,777)
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      Directions to left-loop trailhead (35.427690, -83.585750)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      25 more »
      mtb
      309 |
      Sep 20, 2023 @ 4:27am
      Sep 20, 2023
      mtb
      261 |
      Sep 10, 2023 @ 12:19pm
      Sep 10, 2023
      mtb
      201 |
      Sep 10, 2023 @ 12:18pm
      Sep 10, 2023
      mtb
      229 |
      Aug 26, 2023 @ 9:04am
      Aug 26, 2023

      Videos

      2 more »
      ebike
      0:00 | 284 | Oct 15, 2020 , Bryson City
      ebike
      0:40 | 166 | Oct 15, 2020 , Bryson City

      Routes with this trail

      48
      Tsali Loops - Left & Right
      ★ 5.0 • 19 miles • 1,761 ft • 7 • Loop •
      The Left and Right Loops in Tsali Recreation Area are fast, flowy singletrack through beautiful North...
      48
      Tsali (IMBA Epic)
      ★ 5.0 • 24 miles • 2,429 ft • 24 • Loop •
      4.2 ★★★★★
      15 Ratings
      5 ★ 47%
      4 ★ 40%
      3 ★ 7%
      2 ★
      1 ★ 7%

      1 Review & Comments

      sharknado33 sharknado33
      Lots of trail work done on Right and Left loop. Felt like. New trail in some sections! No more trenches, loose rock sections have been mostly smoothed over, lots of new drains, no more mud pits. The mildly technical creek crossings on left loop are much easier, some with rock work that makes the entry/exit into a ramp.

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      Nearby Trails

      Tsali Recreation Area

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Left Loop located?
      Left Loop is located in Tsali Recreation Area, Bryson City, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Tsali Recreation Area trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.42769, -83.58575.
      ▼ How hard is Left Loop?
      Left Loop is rated as Blue difficulty. The average grade is 0.1%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Left Loop?
      Left Loop has 990 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,026 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,710 ft to 2,009 ft.
      ▼ Is Left Loop a point to point trail?
      Left Loop is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Left Loop?
      Left Loop is 9.0 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Left Loop?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Left Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Left Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Left Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Left Loop?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 1 hour 29 minutes to ride Left Loop. The trail is 9.0 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Left Loop?
      Left Loop is a moderately popular trail. There have been 1,530 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,777 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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