Raleigh, North Carolina, and the surrounding areas are home to beautiful natural scenery and rich historical sites. If you’re planning an early summer visit to the Raleigh area, you’ll want to take time to explore these attractions on your motorcycle.
Riding around Raleigh in early summer can allow you to feel the humid air on your back without suffocating in North Carolina’s late-summer high temperatures. The beautiful oak trees that line the city center will be in full bloom, and the city won’t be quite as packed with tourists as it is during July and August.
Read on to learn the best early summer motorcycle rides in Raleigh, NC.
Blue-Gray Scenic Byway
The Blue-Gray Scenic Byway is a beautiful route that travels directly through important sites of North Carolina’s Civil War history. This byway spans 82 miles from Four Oaks to Trenton, and you should designate at least two hours one way to experience this route fully.
Along this scenic byway, you’ll have the opportunity to stop at and explore several historic sites and museums, such as:
- Bentonville Battleground: The location of the last major offensive under William Sherman in the Civil War
- CSS Neuse Historic Site: Showcases the wreckage of the CSS Neuse, a steam-powered ironclad ship that was part of the Confederate States Navy
- Tobacco Farm Life Museum: Illustrates the lives of early tobacco farmers, including the processes they used and the culture surrounding their trade
This route can also take you to one of North Carolina’s numerous Civil War reenactments, which illustrate Civil War history more fully.
Quiet Country Ride
The Quiet Country Ride outside Raleigh travels through serene country roads and peaceful towns, making for the perfect early summer ride. This loop spans 77 miles and should take you two to three hours from start to finish. Along the way, you’ll pass through the following cities:
- Somerset
- Timberlake
- Rougemont
- Braggtown
- Hillsborough
- Efland
- Cedar Grove
- McDade
- Hurdle Mills
Several of these towns are so small they only have a few stoplights on their main roads. This route is entirely country roads, and the serene towns within it allow for a peaceful motorcycle ride to explore North Carolina’s scenery.
If desired, you can branch off throughout the loop to various natural attractions, such as the Horton Grove Nature Preserve, Little River Regional Park and Natural Area, or Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. However, simply staying on your bike throughout the loop can allow you to experience the best of small-town North Carolina.
Devil’s Stompin’ Ground Road
Devil’s Stompin Ground Road (also known as Devil’s Tramping Ground Road) is a byway that runs through central North Carolina. This byway got its name from the North Carolina legend that Lucifer crafts his schemes in this area. However, despite this reputation, Devil’s Stompin Ground Road runs through some of the state’s most peaceful natural regions.
This byway starts in Pittsboro and runs 33 miles southwest through Bear Creek. It should take about an hour to travel on your bike, but it may take longer if you stop at the attractions throughout.
Devil’s Stompin’ Ground Road passes through several points of interest, including:
- Jordan Lake State Recreation Area: A beautiful outdoor area with recreational activities like swimming, boating, fishing, and camping
- The House in the Horseshoe: A 1770s plantation house from the Revolutionary War era
- North Carolina Zoological Park: An impressive zoo with over 1,800 animals from more than 250 species
However, if you’d rather stay on your bike throughout the route, you’ll still be able to enjoy scenic views of sprawling North Carolina landscapes.
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