Reviewed by: Doug , from Asheville

Summary:
This place would be fairly good if it got ridden more. The trails are mostly well made machine benched paths. If ridden more the pine needles and leaves would clear and expose some rocks, roots and dirt. As is it rolls way too slow for such a nontechnical trail. They are prepared to make more trails if people only used these more. This place has the potential to be very good.What if there were two famous mountain bike areas on that lake.

Recommended Route:
I just started riding from the parking lot at the lake and rode the whole thing in a couple of hours. It seems pretty easy to follow.

Reviewed by: Ace , from Kentucky

Summary:
Ranger told me there were currently 8 miles open and I rode 6 of them. Trails have a lot of potential with more riding. Presently covered with forest litter and hard to tell were track is at times. No views as I hoped for but would be great with leaves down. I spent only an hour there riding (too much time studying map), so I am no expert on these trails but urge anyone who is tired of the crowds at Tsali to give HD a try. Looks like a great campground with better swimmimg/boating than at Tsali. Good place for family. Saw no other riders on a Monday afternoon which is good (after a weekend at Tsali), also saw tons of spiderwebs which is not good. Trails are tougher than Tsali, but still quite tame except for a few steep climbs and a few sections of huge whoops (water bars) and very few rocks. This area is what Tsali was probably like 10 years ago.

Recommended Route:
Found trail system hard to follow as all intersections look about alike. Most marked with post-signs telling who can ride but no directions indicated. You will need a map! Available from campground host or USFS office in Murphy.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Tsali or Pisga

Reviewed by: wonderboy , from collegedale tn

Summary:
The trails at hanging dog are not difficult there are some crazy crazy jumps down some of the trails. you can really fly off them. A good place to really do some interval training or take a group of newbies like I did, one fellow who had never riden before only had to walk up one section of a hill. the others did fine and enjoyed it. I give it a three because I am more looking for the perfect 5 with big tech up and down sections.

Recommended Route:
see the local bike shop in town there real friendly an have free maps of the place.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
atv trails down the road///// CRAZY TRAILS

Reviewed by: cragmasterP , from Floyd, VA

Summary:
Was visiting the John C. Campbell folkschool and lucked into a ride at the Hanging Dog. Very fast and furious single track without all the rocks that I am used to. Lots of up and down; short climbs then short drops. There is major potential for catching air here, and i'm sure that if you're a local and you get the trails wired you could really earn some frequent flyer miles. We managed to all get seperated and all the trails and short link-ups felt the same; it was like "have i been here before?" major deja'vu experience. But the lack of bikers insured that you would always take a major spiderweb in the face if you were on a trail that you hadn't been on before. Fun, Fast, I'd definately come back when in the area. Needs more logs and technical riding--a little monotnous. Check out the technical riding around the shore of the lake when the water level is down.

Recommended Route:
keep taking rights until you're back where you started. then go back and ride all the other trails that you missed.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Natahala is beautiful but overrun with posers.

Reviewed by: tim , from chattanooga, TN

Summary:
lots of jumps, lots and lots of fast jumps. there are still alot of little stumps in the trail which are bad for those tubes but other than that its really fun, a great alternative to the walking track that they at noc call the great trail system of tsali. this trail is new and despite a big gov. grant, its slow getting things going. it needs riders badly. while you're in murphy, check out the little bike shop on tennessee st., Outdoor Xtremes. the owner's never there but u can stop in and hang out with eddie, who's got more than a few stories to tell. he organizes rides every night of the week, so if u do drop by, be ready to ride.

Recommended Route:
from the upper gravel parking lot, take the trail that is opposite the lot exit and then take a sharp right. follow that down to the road, follow the bike crosswalk and continue on up til u reach the gravel fireroad cross it and choose the left of two routes, it loops back around to the right fork and u go back down. head down to the lake from the parking lot and don't forget to feed the ducks.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
theres a pretty sweet 17 or some-odd loop in blue ridge, ga, dunno the name. go to the bike shop down there and talk to sam... he'll take u.