Category Archives: General

National Trails Weekend at Big South Fork

Every year we celebrate National Trails Day for an entire weekend at Big South Fork! Join AMCB and BSF Bike Club this year from June 5-7 for volunteer trail work, group rides, free food, and a great time with friends! ALL ARE WELCOME!!!

Camp: We have reserved Group Camp E1 at Bandy Creek Campground in Big South Fork from Friday afternoon (2 pm) to Monday (noon). Camping is on a first come, first served basis. There are no hookups, but plenty of sites to choose from, and all are a leisurely stroll to the campfire, pavilion, and bathhouse.

Work: We’ll meet at the Bandy Creek Visitors Center at 9am EST, our good friends with the Big South Fork Bike Club will have our work projects ready, and AMBC will have all the tools you’ll need for the day. Bring a friend, sturdy shoes, safety glasses, and water! At noon we’ll meet back at Bandy Creek for lunch and drinks.

Eat:

  • Saturday lunch: Following our Saturday Work Party, lunch will be provided by the Big South Fork Bike Club.
  • Saturday dinner: We’ll have a potluck Saturday night at the group site pavilion! Tennessee Valley Bicycles will provide the protein/main, and everyone else should bring a side for 10 to share with the group. BYO plate, utensils, etc. for dinner!
  • All other meals will be on your own.
  • If you’re going on the EPIC ride, you’ll want to pack a lunch or bring $20 for refreshments at Charit Creek Lodge.

Ride: We’ll offer several ride opportunities this weekend!

  • Social Ride — Saturday afternoon. Casual co-ed ride; all are welcome!
  • Joy Ride — Sunday at 10 am. Women’s ride for Beginner through Intermediate Riders – sign up here!
  • EPIC Ride — Sunday at 9 am. Long ride, around 30 miles. Led by Shawn McCann (Harper’s Bike Shop) and Scott Smith (TN Valley Bikes).

Thank you to BSF Bike Club, TVB, Harper’s Bike Shop, Randy Conner, and everyone else who is making this weekend a success!!

Email us at [email protected] with any questions. Find the Facebook event here.

Give More, Get More: Our Membership Drive Is Live!

It’s on!! If you’ve ever wanted to start or level up your support for Knoxville’s trails, now is the time. From May 1st through 31st, we’ll be offering special perks, deals, and prize drawings to all of our new and upgrading members — and automatic entry into SORBA’s Membership Drive Giveaway (more chances to win!). Help us get to 600 members by the end of the month! Join or upgrade now!!

All New & Upgrading AMBC Members will get:

*Family Memberships will receive one deal at each location, like Individual Memberships. The primary family member is counted as the “new” or “upgraded” member for giveaway purposes.

*All giveaway items will be sent via email on or before June 15, 2026.

Plus a chance to win even bigger prizes!

New & Upgrading Members will be entered to win prizes based on their membership level (see below). The more you give, the more prizes you’ll be entered to win! All Platinum and higher level memberships (both new and current members) will be entered to win all prizes.

*All prizes will be sent to winners via email on or before June 15, 2026. You must respond within 48 hours to claim your prize.

We couldn’t have this Membership Drive without our local partners. Sending a BIG thank you to Bear Paw Bikes, Charit Creek Lodge, Climbing Roots Bouldering Gym, Cycology Bicycles, River Sports Outfitters, and Sauna House Knoxville.

Ready to become a member or upgrade your membership? Join or upgrade now. Email us at [email protected] with any questions.

See Official Membership Drive giveaway rules here.

Ride with us at Outlandish Adventure Festival!

Are you ready for a weekend of adventure in Knoxville? That’s what Outlandish Adventure Festival is all about! We’ll be there all day Saturday, May 2nd with some special news for current and new members, along with group mountain bike rides, a professional Whip Off, and more! Find the full weekend schedule here.

AMBC Group Rides on Saturday, May 2nd:

  • 9 am — Social Ride (co-ed group ride – all are welcome!)
  • 9 am — Joy Ride (women’s group ride – Beginner and Beginner Plus rides offered)
  • 12:30 pm — Kids & Youth Social Ride (2nd-12th grade group rides led by Trail Blazers, Little Bellas, and AYC volunteers)

Learn more and sign up for the rides here.

It’s about time for a Membership Drive!

We’re hosting our first Membership Drive throughout the entire month of May — which means new member benefits, special perks for new and upgrading members, and a chance to win some awesome prizes!

Why should you become a member?

Here at AMBC, we work to develop, build, and maintain nearly 100 miles of multi-use trails while offering programming to improve access to outdoor recreation around Knoxville. We have four dedicated Trail Crew members that work on our local trails daily, along with two office staff who focus on programming, fundraising, events, partnerships, and new projects to keep us rolling. And we can’t forget to mention our committed volunteers!

AMBC photos from volunteer work days, kids riding bikes, and bikers on the trails

AMBC memberships support all the work we do, keeping the trails in top shape, breaking ground for new ones, and running programs to get more people outside on bikes. It doesn’t stop there — every membership also advocates for trails across the Southeast through our parent organization, SORBA. Our members can take pride in their local and regional trails, knowing they play an active role in keeping them open and thriving.

Take a look at our 2025 accomplishments to learn more about what we did last year by the numbers.

What is special about the Membership Drive?

Everyone who joins AMBC or upgrades their AMBC membership from May 1st-31st will receive special deals from local partners and — depending on which membership they choose or upgrade to — will be entered to win local prizes of $300-700 value! Learn more about membership and membership tiers at AMBCKnox.org/Join.

All members will also get access to new member benefits in the SORBA app, coming soon!

Special deals for New & Upgrading members:

AMBC prize packages include:

  • Private 2-hour Sauna Session for up to 10 people at Sauna House Knoxville
    • $300 value
    • Automatically entered: New & Upgrading Steel and Aluminum memberships and higher
  • Professional MTB Bike Fit & Service Package from Cycology Bicycles
    • $503 value
    • Automatically entered: New & Upgrading Carbon memberships and higher
  • Stand-Up Paddle Board & 3-Month Climbing Center Membership from River Sports Outfitters
    • $720 value
    • Automatically entered: New & Upgrading Titanium memberships and higher)
  • Head to Toe Bike Apparel Package from Bear Paw Bikes
    • $550 value
    • Automatically entered: All Current, New, & Upgrading Platinum memberships and higher

How do you become a member?

 

SORBA app screenshotThe best way to join is by downloading the SORBA app, making an account, and selecting our chapter. Once you select your membership tier and finalize your payment, you’re officially a member! You can also become a member at AMBCKnox.org/Join through the online portal (but you’ll need the app to access your benefits!).

If you are able, please consider annual recurring subscriptions, which help keep us on track with membership fees we can rely on each year.

Thank you to our local Membership Drive Partners:

Knoxville is an IMBA Trail Town!

We’re proud to announce Knoxville as one of the first IMBA Trail Towns in the country! “Trail Town” is a new national designation from the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) honoring communities with an exceptional commitment to building, maintaining, and celebrating trail systems.

The Knoxville community earned this title by demonstrating strong trail infrastructure, a commitment to trail funding, an active local trail organization, a culture of community engagement, and a sustainable trail stewardship plan. Knoxville wouldn’t be where we are without years of dedicated work from individuals and organizations in our community — and AMBC couldn’t do what we do without all of our members, volunteers, and supporters.

“Earning the IMBA Trail Town designation is a reflection of decades of work by our community. With more than 250 miles of mountain bike trails within 30 miles of Knoxville, we’re proud to be a place where trails are part of everyday life and a driver of connection, health, and economic impact,” said Matthew Kellogg, Executive Director of the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club (AMBC).

Trail systems are increasingly recognized as important drivers of outdoor recreation economies. Communities that invest in trails often see benefits, including increased tourism, support for local businesses, improved public health, and stronger community connections to the outdoors. Tennessee’s outdoor recreation economy continues to grow: in 2024, it reached $15.6 billion in economic impact while employing 114,070 people (Outdoor Recreation Roundtable). “Outdoor recreation is an important amenity for residents and visitors to Knoxville. We are proud of our investments in parks and open spaces and are lucky to have great partnerships that have fostered a healthy, engaged trail community,” said Mayor Indya Kincannon, City of Knoxville.

As part of the Trail Town designation, Knoxville joins 28 communities leading a growing national network of trail-forward places committed to trail stewardship, collaboration, and expanding access to outdoor recreation. We want to thank our community for helping Knoxville become a Trail Town and supporting the work we do each day!

Pages: 1 2 3 … 7