Planning a family trip to Tennessee for summer 2021. We will visit some family near signal mountain, so I want to hit Raccoon mountain to mtb. After that we will head toward Cade’s cove, Townsend and Maryville. I’m hoping to only take my gravel bike, so I have 2 questions for the TR community.
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Does anyone know of any good MTB rentals around Chattanooga? I only found a couple online and none of them show an XL full squish for rent. Hoping for some firsthand knowledge.
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Anyone have any good gravel / back road routes around the Cade’s cove, Townsend area?
We’ve contacted our fam down there, but since they aren’t cyclists I haven’t gotten much help on that end.
Thanks in advance!
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There only gravel in Townsend is Rich mountain road and Parsons branch road, both of which connect to cades cove, and the upper half of Tremont road ( its a dead end). Rich and Parsons are one way leaving out of the cove, but we always ride them both directions…technically not allowed during tourist season, but whatever, just keep an eye out for cars. A few rides are
- Start in Townsend, ride rich mtn road into the cove, rive parsons branch out to 129 and turn around and do an out and back.
2 the Heinous Loop - from walland, ride the foothills parkway to 129, from 129 ride Parsons into the cove then take rich mountain out and then drop into Townsend. This has a good amount of asphalt, but is a rad loop. The fkt is a little over 4 hrs i think
3 start in townsend, take rich mtn into the cove, do half of the cove loop and leave via the car road to the cove (can’t remember the name, but its the main road to the cove), do Tremont out and back, then ride back to the start via paved roads through townsend.
The cove gets REALLY busy in tourist season, so if you are riding on the cove loop, i suggest trying to do it on one of the days that they close to cove to cars (its fantastic), or go really early to avoid being in a traffic nightmare.
I can probably find some gps routes for you if you would like.
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That’s awesome! Thanks so much. I knew the collective wisdom of the TR community would help me out!
Heres the loop that includes Tremont