Road · Spartanburg, South Carolina · since 1975
The Assault on Mt. Mitchell
On hold. The organizer's site says the ride is 'still on hold from Hurricane Helene 2025 and 2026' because the route above Marion is still damaged. The 2025 edition was cancelled in September 2024, first over a water-main project on the Mt. Mitchell summit road, then the hurricane hit. No 2027 date has been announced. The last edition ran Monday, May 20, 2024.
On hold. Check the organizer before planning around this one.
What is the The Assault on Mt. Mitchell?
The Assault on Mt. Mitchell is a 102.7-mile self-paced road ride from downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, up the Blue Ridge Parkway to the summit of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak in the eastern United States, with about 11,100 feet of climbing. The Freewheelers cycling club has run it since 1975 and it normally draws nearly 800 riders on the third Monday in May. It is on hold for 2025 and 2026 because Hurricane Helene damaged the route above Marion; no 2027 date is set.
Registration normally opens November 1 on BikeReg and the field of nearly 800 fills. There is no qualifying time. Registration is closed while the ride is on hold; watch theassaults.com and the Freewheelers' Facebook page for a return date.
- Next edition
- Third Monday in May, when it runs
- Usually
- Third Monday in May, when it runs
- Start
- Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, 385 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC
Spartanburg, South Carolina - Distances
- Assault on Mt. Mitchell — Spartanburg to the summit of Mt. Mitchell, NC, 11,100 ft of climbing
- Assault on Marion — Same start, finishes at Tom Johnson Rally Park in Marion, NC, about 5,000 ft of climbing
- Terrain
- Piedmont rollers for 74 miles, then a sustained climb up the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Mt. Mitchell park road to the summit.
- Climbing
- 11,100 ft on the longest route
- Riders
- nearly 800 riders in a normal year
- Founded
- 1975 by John Bryan, a Spartanburg native and early member of the Freewheelers cycling club
- Organizer
- Freewheelers of Spartanburg, Inc.
How the The Assault on Mt. Mitchell started
John Bryan, a Spartanburg native and an early member of the Freewheelers club (founded 1973), organized the first ride in 1975: 103 miles from his hometown to the top of Mt. Mitchell. He recruited other club members to ride it with him. The club's history page dates the first ride to 1975; some outside references say 1974.
As numbers grew, the club added the Assault on Marion in 1993, a 74-mile version that shares the start and stops in Marion, North Carolina, before the big climb. For a stretch beginning in 1992, finishing Marion was a prerequisite for entering Mitchell, meant to raise finish rates. That rule was later dropped.
The ride was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 for COVID. In September 2024 the Freewheelers cancelled 2025, first because Mt. Mitchell State Park could not confirm a summit water-main project would be done, and then Hurricane Helene tore up the route above Marion. As of September 2026 the club says the ride is on hold for 2025 and 2026.
What to expect on the day
The ride starts at 6:30 AM at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium on North Church Street, a Monday. Packet pickup is Sunday afternoon or early Monday. The first 74 miles roll through the Carolina Piedmont to Marion, North Carolina, where the Assault on Marion finishes at Tom Johnson Rally Park.
From Marion the road tips up. You climb to the Blue Ridge Parkway, ride it, then turn onto the Mt. Mitchell park road to the summit. There are nine rest stops with food, drink, first aid and toilets, four of them before Marion. Bring a light: the Parkway has unlit tunnels. Personal support vehicles are not allowed on the route.
Cutoffs in 2024 were 2:15 PM at the Blue Ridge Parkway, 4:00 PM at the park entrance (rest stop 9), and 5:30 PM at the summit. Getting down is on you: a free pickup from Tom Johnson Campground in Marion, a $40 bus back via Marion, or a $95 direct bus to Spartanburg. Spectators could buy $25 bus tickets to the summit.
Weather in Spartanburg for the The Assault on Mt. Mitchell
Around May 18 Spartanburg averages a high near 80°F and a low near 58°F, with roughly a one-in-three chance of rain on a given day. The summit of Mt. Mitchell is the highest point in the eastern United States and is much colder and windier than the start, so carry a layer for the top and the ride down.
Loading the forecast for Spartanburg…
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Times are local to Spartanburg.
The town
Sleep, eat, fix the bike.
Spartanburg is a city of about 38,700 in the South Carolina Upstate, on I-85 and I-26 between Greenville and Charlotte. It is a college town with a rebuilt downtown around Morgan Square, and the start of the Assault on Mt. Mitchell, which leaves from the Memorial Auditorium on Church Street. Riders also use the Mary Black Rail Trail south of downtown and the mountain bike trails at Croft State Park a few miles out.
Greenville-Spartanburg International (GSP) is about 19 miles west of downtown, under half an hour by car. Charlotte (CLT) is about 69 miles northeast, roughly an hour and 20 minutes, and has more flights. Spartanburg sits where I-85 and I-26 cross, so it is an easy drive from Charlotte, Asheville, Greenville and Atlanta. You will want a car; downtown itself is walkable.
Group rides around Spartanburg
Free, recurring, open to anyone. Ride with locals the day before, or the week after.
The Assault on Mt. Mitchell FAQ
Is the ride happening in 2027?
Not announced. The organizer says the ride is on hold for 2025 and 2026 because the route above Marion is still damaged from Hurricane Helene. Check theassaults.com for updates.
Is it a race?
No. It is a self-paced ride with timing and cutoffs. Riders do treat the climb seriously.
How hard is the climb?
The full ride is 102.7 miles with about 11,100 feet of gain, most of it after mile 74. The last section on the Mt. Mitchell park road is sustained.
How do I get back down from the summit?
The organizer has run buses: a free pickup from Marion, a regular bus back via Marion for about $40, or a direct bus to Spartanburg for about $95 (2024 prices). Personal support cars cannot follow you on the route.
Is there a shorter option?
Yes. The Assault on Marion is 74.2 miles with about 5,000 feet of climbing, same start, finishing in Marion, North Carolina.
Do I need a qualifying time?
No. Registration is open to anyone, but the organizer is blunt that you need to train for it.
Sources · 7 pages we read
- theassaults.com https://theassaults.com/
- theassaults.com https://theassaults.com/our-history/
- theassaults.com https://theassaults.com/assault-on-mt-mitchell/
- theassaults.com https://theassaults.com/faqs/
- granfondodailynews.com https://granfondodailynews.com/2024/09/26/mount-mitchell-assault-2025-canceled-what-you-need-to-know/
- en.wikipedia.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_on_Mount_Mitchell
- weatherspark.com https://weatherspark.com/m/17889/5/Average-Weather-in-May-in-Spartanburg-South-Carolina-United-States
Facts checked September 15, 2026. Dates and prices come from the organizer and change. Confirm on the official site before you book anything.
