Recommendations to ride across AL?

[1moreroad]

I'm looking to ride from north Mississippi over to the north Georgia/west South Carolina hills.  I've done 72.  It's efficient and boring.  Are there any fun routes to get across northern or central Alabama?  I see highway 278 from Hamilton to Cullman and then 69 northeast.

I'm really looking for a mix of 45 - 55 mph roads and scenery.  Twisties would be an added bonus, but I don't expect to find much west of I-59.  I would be happy to be mistaken.

I'll make a second post about GA/SC routes.

TIA

[REAPER]

Hey 1moreroad, I went looking in Northern AL, last year and couldn't find any rodes like we like running east/West. There were some good looking roads that ran North/South, but the traffic was so bad I couldn't enjoy them (logging trucks every 100 yards both ways).
I took 74 from Hamilton to Cullman, tried branching out North and South from that. No luck!
If you find some good 'uns, share with us.

[Tyrroneous]

There's some all right stuff around the Jasper/Tuscaloosa area, but that is prolly farther south than you wanna  travel.  

Hwy 33 between Moulton and Double Springs is nice (with some good sweepers at the north end) but it runs north/south.  

[Yankee Dog]

OK here you go.  Not exactly straight line, but then you complained about efficient.  PM me with an email address and I can do up a GPS file if you like.  

Hey you asked for fun, didnt say nothin about simple.  

Yankee Dog



Enter AL via 72.  A couple of miles past Cherokee turn right on CR 49.  

Pick up CR 65 at the Frankfort-Waterloo rd.  Continue to Russelville.  

WARNING Boring section.  On the other side of Russelville, take 24 E toward Molton.  In Molton take 157 S.  

After Speake, take CR 55 E.  Stay on 55 to town of Eva.  In Eva turn left at THE intersection onto Eva Rd.  

At the bottom of the hill turn right on Hwy 67.  1/4 mile down turn left on Pines rd.  

At the stop sign turn Right on Apple Grove.  

Take the 2nd left onto Ruth Mtn Rd.  Stay straight on this road until you reach Hwy 69.  It changes names a couple of times just dont make any turns.  

Stay on 69 E to Guntersville.  

In Guntersville pick up Hwy 227. After you pass through the state park go straight through the intersection onto S. Sauty Rd.  227 turns here, dont go that way.  

Stay on S. Sauty until you reach Langston where it turns into Langston Rd.  

When you come out at the boat ramp turn left onto 35.  Then almost immediately stay right onto 40.  Stay on 40 to Hammondville when 40 turns into 117.  Stay on 117 until you get to GA.  

Happy times.  

[Yankee Dog]

lordy, I almost forgot about Little River Canyon.  The first part is  the same.  

Enter AL via 72.  A couple of miles past Cherokee turn right on CR 49.  

Pick up CR 65 at the Frankfort-Waterloo rd.  Continue to Russelville.  

WARNING Boring section.  On the other side of Russelville, take 24 E toward Molton.  In Molton take 157 S.  

After Speake, take CR 55 E.  Stay on 55 to town of Eva.  In Eva turn left at THE intersection onto Eva Rd.  

At the bottom of the hill turn right on Hwy 67.  1/4 mile down turn left on Pines rd.  

At the stop sign turn Right on Apple Grove.  

Take the 2nd left onto Ruth Mtn Rd.  Stay straight on this road until you reach Hwy 69.  It changes names a couple of times just dont make any turns.  

Stay on 69 E to Guntersville.

In Guntersville pick up Hwy 227.

Stay on 227 until you get to Crossville.

Pick up 68 in Crossville.

Not far past Collinsville turn left on 176 N.  176 turns right in Dog Town, stay on it. By the way, if you are hungry eat at the Big Time Cafe.  Best hamburgers evah.  After Dog Town you will soon enter the Little River Canyon.  

Turn left onto 35 when 176 Ts into it.  

Turn right at the little gas station onto 89 (Desoto Pkwy)  Turn left into the State Park and keep onto Mentone.  Or turn left at the T intersection (past the park) then right at the stop sign and continue into Mentone.  

Turn right onto 117 in Mentone and continue into GA.  

[VIVID1]

The roads around Talladega Mountains east of Birmingham area are great with tons of curves just not sure if that is out of the way for you  





 

281



431

[1moreroad]

YD ~ thanks.  I'll take a look at that route this weekend.

Vivid ~ Talladega is on my list, and I'll probably ride over there early next year.

[1moreroad]

lordy, I almost forgot about Little River Canyon.  The first part is  the same.  
Stay on 227 until you get to Crossville.

Pick up 68 in Crossville.

Not far past Collinsville turn left on 176 N.  176 turns right in Dog Town, stay on it. By the way, if you are hungry eat at the Big Time Cafe.  Best hamburgers evah.  After Dog Town you will soon enter the Little River Canyon.  

Turn left onto 35 when 176 Ts into it.  

Turn right at the little gas station onto 89 (Desoto Pkwy)  Turn left into the State Park and keep onto Mentone.  Or turn left at the T intersection (past the park) then right at the stop sign and continue into Mentone.  

Turn right onto 117 in Mentone and continue into GA.  

Thanks, YD.

I compared your list with my old route which partially overlaps.  I'm crossing into AL on 78 instead of the Trace.

I updated my route to include BigTime Cafe in DogTown for dinner and the Little River Canyon Parkway.  From 35, I'll take 15 and cross into Georgia at Menlo a little south of Mentone unless you strongly recommend 89 up to Mentone.

[Yankee Dog]

beware:  78 and 278 are both high traffic roads really no better than 72.  78 is a four lane. It is the main route from Memphis to B-ham.  278 is two lane but I find 278 to be frustrating.  It has some nice curves but the traffic is heavy enough that you can never really enjoy them.  

As for 15 vs. 89.  I do like 89.  It has some very nice curvy and scenic sections.  And Menton is a very quaint little town with a couple of decent resturants in case the Big Time is not open for dinner. Some of those little places are breakfast and lunch only and I am not sure about the Big Time. I have only eaten lunch there.  Hwy 15 is a road that will get you there.  I guess it depends on the time you have available.  

If I had to choose I would make time on 78 so I could spend time on 89.  

Yankee dog

[1moreroad]

As for 15 vs. 89.  I do like 89.  It has some very nice curvy and scenic sections.  And Menton is a very quaint little town with a couple of decent resturants in case the Big Time is not open for dinner. Some of those little places are breakfast and lunch only and I am not sure about the Big Time. I have only eaten lunch there.  Hwy 15 is a road that will get you there.  I guess it depends on the time you have available.  

If I had to choose I would make time on 78 so I could spend time on 89.  

Yankee dog

15 swapped for 89.  Done.  Thanks.

[1moreroad]

Thanks for all the suggestions, YD.

278 is a decent alternative to 72.  It's slower and more scenic.  Little to no sport but at least the road does make a turn every once in a while.

176 (Little River Canyon Rim Road) and 89 (Little Mountain Parkway) were EXCELLENT.  Lots of fun and little traffic on a late Saturday afternoon.

Sadly I rode right through Dogtown without even realizing it.  I ended up eating dinner at the Wildflower Cafe in Mentone.  Nice spot.  Good place to take a spouse on a 2-up touring trip.  Too many shops and restaurants were closed in Mentone (in fact, that's something I noticed on this whole trip, sadly -- many local restaurants closed for the day or permanently).

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I made it to the Pocket Campground in the Chattahoochee Forest in Georgia less than an hour from Mentone with almost no problems.  There are at least a few good roads out of Summerville, GA.

[Yankee Dog]

Happy to be of service and glad you had a good time.  There are some really decent roads in N. Alabama, you just have to look a little harder for them.  

Yankee Dog