Bicycle Randolph County
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Bicycling Bicycle Laws The Routes Randolph County In North Carolina, the bicycle has the legal status of a BICYCLING vehicle. This means that bicyclists have full rights and responsibilities on the roadway and are subject to the The following route descriptions provide and the Birkhead Mountain Wilderness in the Uwharrie ROUTE 6: 31 MILES From its ancient mountains to its swift rivers, Randolph regulations governing the operation of a motor vehicle. the information you need to help you National Forest. Other points of interest include the This route is a portion of the 200-mile cross-state County melds its interesting history and current vitality Under North Carolina law, bicyclists are required to: Randolph plan your rides. Whether you’re cycling • Ride on the right in the same direction as other traffic old Pisgah Covered Bridge, the NC Aviation Museum Piedmont Spur Route, from Morganton to Snow to offer diverse attractions from a historic covered bridge for an hour, a day, or longer, each of and the town of Seagrove, headquarters for the area’s to the North Carolina Zoological Park. • Obey all traffic signs and signals COUNTY Camp. Peaceful and rural, this section of the route • Use hand signals to communicate intended movements these routes gives you a variety of places pottery industry. curves through the eastern edge of Randolph County Located in the Piedmont region, Randolph County • Equip bicycle for night riding with a front lamp visible to ride and sights to see. On the road, For most of its distance, this route follows lightly traveled with its rolling hills of verdant farmland interspersed offers an abundance of peaceful roads that are great for from 300 feet and a rear reflector that is visible from look for signs like the one shown here a distance of 200 feet. country roads. However, extra caution is advised at the with forests. It connects Seagrove and Staley and bicycling. Glide through the quiet countryside of that mark the routes. northern end where traffic volumes are higher. You can provides access to the NC Zoological Park’s African undulating farmland, rest in shaded parks, and stop In addition, cyclists under the age of 16 are required by North Carolina law to wear an approved bicycle helmet. Pavilion via the intersection with Bike Route 1. for refreshments at one of many country stores. Explore ROUTE 1: 31 MILES avoid some of this traffic by using the greenway the friendly towns and busy Asheboro, with its many Safety Tips This north-south route bisects the county, connecting from Creekside Park to ROUTE 7: 33 MILES restaurant choices. The county’s many lakes and parks Level Cross, Randleman, Asheboro and Seagrove. Lightly • Ride defensively and in a predictable manner nearby neighborhood This east-west route, which could be called the route provide a tranquil respite from pedaling. For more traveled country roads take you through rolling farmlands, • Wear a bicycle helmet every time you ride your bike streets as an alternative of lakes and parks, covers the mid-section of Randolph physical challenges, try the routes in • Avoid riding at night, if possible. forests and lightly settled areas. Traveling south, the hills get to US 311 (see Archdale County, passing through Asheboro, Franklinville, and the southwestern section where the • When riding in a group, ride single file steeper as you skirt the once-lofty Uwharrie Mountains. inset). As you head Ramseur before ending in Staley. Curvy and undulating, slopes of the ancient Uwharrie • Wear bright-colored clothes to increase your visibility Extra caution is recommended in the Asheboro area and • Be courteous to other drivers south, these busier the route passes widely spaced houses and forests inter- Mountains can still intimidate, even around the zoo, where roads are sometimes busy. Some • Keep traffic flowing by helping motorists pass safely roads soon give way to spersed with pastoral settings along fairly smooth roads. if their altitude is less than it once portions of the route are remote, with no services for ten quiet lanes through was. These remote areas mean less Resources miles or more, so be sure to carry water and snacks. Recreational opportunities abound along this route. verdant farmland, ending traffic but also fewer services, so plan Lake Reese, Lake Lucas and the Pell Recreation Facility Asheboro-Randolph Chamber North Carolina Zoological Park There are a great variety of things to do along this route. in the lush woodlands to carry snacks and water with you. of Commerce 4401 Zoo Parkway (Ramseur Lake) all make great places to stop for a 317 27203 Stop in Randleman for a refreshing break at the Deep of the Uwharrie E. Dixie Drive Asheboro, NC picnic or to just relax by the water. Riverside Park in This map shows a 255-mile system Asheboro, NC 27203 Phone: 800.488.0444 River Park or visit the Richard Petty Museum, featuring National Forest. The area’s topography means lots of Phone: 336.626.2626 Website: www.nczoo.org Franklinville offers picnic tables on the banks of the of routes that can be combined for 336.626.7077 cars and memorabilia of this icon of NASCAR racing. hills and curves but the vistas make it well worthwhile. Fax: Deep River. innumerable touring options. The Email:[email protected] Uwharrie National Forest Asheboro, with its numerous restaurants and parks, This part of the county is remote with few services so Website:http://chamber.asheboro.com Uwharrie Ranger District Randolph County system includes five signed routes 789 NC Hwy. 24/27 East makes an ideal lunch stop at the halfway point. The NC plan to take water and snacks with you. 27171-9332 UNSIGNED CONNECTOR ROUTES (Routes 1, 3, 5, 6, and 7) covering 167 miles, through Randolph County Tourism Troy, NC Zoological Park, accessed through the African Pavilion Development Authority Phone: 910.576.6391 These unsigned routes provide links between the signed most parts of the county. Route 6 across the southern P.O. Box 4774 Website:www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/ entrance along the route, will transport you to exotic ROUTE 5: 32 MILES 27204 routes within Randolph County as well as connections to part of the county is a segment of the cross-state Piedmont Asheboro, NC recreation/uwharrie animal habitats from around the globe. In Seagrove, the This route across northern Randolph County connects Phone: 336.626.0364 or existing routes in Moore, Alamance, Chatham, and Spur Bicycling Highways Route. The northern routes 800.626.2672 Division of Bicycle and numerous potteries and the exhibits at the NC Pottery the towns of Archdale, Level Cross, Liberty, and Staley. Fax: 336.626.0977 Pedestrian Transportation 1552 Guilford counties. The unsigned routes can serve as include 33 miles of the High Point Area Bicycle Routes Email:[email protected] Mail Service Center Center provide an overview of the pottery industry, first White-fenced farms and one-lane bridges lend charm 27699-1552 shortcuts between signed routes or can link routes for 4, 6, and 8 that dip into Randolph County. Unsigned Website:www.VisitRandolph.org Raleigh, NC established in the area during the 1700s. to the up-and-down of the rolling countryside, which is Phone: 919.733.2804 additional mileage. connector routes, totaling 55 miles, link signed routes Asheboro Parks & Recreation Fax: 919.715.4422 graced by a myriad of wildflowers during spring and within the county and also connect to bike routes in Department Email:bikeped_transportation ROUTE 3: 40 MILES summer. Most of the route follows quiet country roads, 123-B Davis Street @dot.state.nc.us Moore, Chatham, Guilford and Alamance counties. P.O. Box 1106 Visit the Division’s website www.ncdot.org/ Oriented from north to south, this route traverses the but watch for heavier traffic in the first few miles, as you Asheboro, NC 27204-1106 transit/bicycle for maps of cross-state, regional, and western portion of the county from Archdale to Seagrove leave Creekside Park in Archdale. This route shows The friendly people, beautiful vistas and miles of smooth Phone: 336.626.1240 local bicycle routes, additional information on laws roads make bicycling in Randolph County well worth Email:[email protected] and safety tips, a calendar of bicycle events, and list- and provides access to an abundance of parks and natural connections to the cross-state Mountains to Sea (Route Website: www.ci.asheboro.nc.us ings of North Carolina bicycle shops and clubs. the effort. areas. Stop to picnic, hike or just take a break at Creekside 2) and Piedmont Spur (Route 6) and to the Alamance w This map was produced in conjunction with the Asheboro-Randolph County Park in Archdale, Lake Reese mid-way along the route County bicycle route system. Chamber of Commerce. Funding for this enhancement project was provided through the NC DOT Transportation Improvement Program. 10,000 copies North Carolina Department of Transportation of the map were printed on recycled paper at $.45 a copy and are distributed free of charge. Published January, 2003. Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Welcome to Randolph County Points of Interest NORTH CAROLINA POTTERY CENTER DEEP RIVER NATURE TRAIL evidence — once exceeded 10,000 feet in elevation, North Carolina’s pottery tradition dates to prehistoric Located off Main Street in Randleman, this hard- making them one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. A few remaining peaks — all under 1,000 feet — Randolph County straddles the Uwharrie and Deep Asheboro, the county seat, was built in 1796 on land NORTH CAROLINA ZOOLOGICAL PARK times when Native Americans used the region’s abundant packed trail (one-third of a mile) starts in a park area remind us of their former grandeur.