Ride Your Bike To Pearson Falls on U.S. 176 in North Carolina

     If you ride near Asheville, North Carolina or Greenville, South Carolina or Spartanburg, South Carolina and you love riding Carolina motorcycle roads, come to Tryon, North Carolina.  Ride up the Saluda grade on U.S. 176.  This strip of road is a motorcycle road extraordinaire.

U.S. 176 between Tryon and Saluda is twisty

     There is a abandoned railroad track that runs from Landrum, South Carolina through Tryon, North Carolina and up the steepest railroad grade in the eastern United States to Saluda, North Carolina.  Before cars were common, people traveled by train.  The railroad company kept an extra locomotive in Tryon (at the bottom of Saluda grade) to help push the train up the mountain to Saluda.

     Downtown Tryon is quaint.  Downtown Saluda is quaint.  The oldest grocery store in North Carolina is in Saluda.  The Pacolet River follows U.S. 176 between Tryon and Saluda. If you are coming from South Carolina, stop at Bird Mountain Wine And  Spirits at the South Carolina North Carolina state line  on U.S. 176 and put on your helmet.  Tell Ken I said," hi."   North Carolina law requires a helmet.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s30px9xoHKo   Watch this video

      If you want a nice afternoon ride, go to Tryon on U.S. 176 up the mountain towards Saluda.  If you are coming from Asheville, North Carolina that would be down the mountain towards Tryon from Saluda.  It is the same scenery no matter which direction you are heading.  Get on U.S. 176 in Hendersonville, North Carolina.  Take exit 54 from Interstate 26 to U.S. 176 if you are coming from Asheville.  

Pearson Falls between Tryon, N.C. and Saluda, N.C. is cool

     About halfway between Tryon and Saluda on U.S. 176 is Pearson Falls.  These is an enormous waterfall that is worthwhile to stop and take a look.  There is a two dollar fee and you have to walk about a half mile.
Bring a picnic lunch and check it out.  http://www.pearsonsfalls.org/   There are other waterfalls between Saluda and Tryon.

This waterfall is right on U.S. 176 between Saluda and Tryon

 When you leave Saluda, don't go home the same way you got there.  If you are returning to Tryon, go home on Howard Gap road.  It is not as twisty and turney as U.S. 176 but it is a fun road.  Ditto!  If you traveled from Asheville to Tryon on U.S.176 and are headed home, go back up the mountain on Howard Gap Road.  Before you leave Polk county, go over to Columbus on hiway 108 and ride up White Oak Mountain.  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-waterfall-motorcycle-destination.html   Here is a link to an article about that.  White Oak Mountain Road is a very challenging road.  It is COOL.

     Enjoy the western Carolina Roads.  Ride safe.  Stay off the interstate.  

    www.ronclimer.com