The Heart of the South Ride: 3 States and Lookout Mountain

I have been wanting to complete this ride for a long time.   Huntsville Alabama to Chattanooga TN over Lookout Mountain.  An incredible trip one that you must do yourself.  These are some unknown roads with some of the best scenery in the South.  Throw in a stop at the National Cornbread Festival you really have something to remember, something uniquely southern.  This is what this ride is all about; riding the heart of the South.

After a long ride to Huntsville Alabama we rest up and head out the next day.  We take US Highway 72.  This a marvelous cruising road that follows the Tennessee River Valley.  You are surrounded by the remnants of the Cumberland Plateau and Lookout Mountain as it cuts its way into Alabama from Tennessee and Georgia.  The river valley narrows as we cross back into Tennessee at South Pittsburg.

We stop for the National Cornbread Festival, what a great festival to see, a great southern town and a chance to eat some cornbread.  We don't stay long but we do take in the Quilt Exhibit.  We grab some lunch and some Italian Ices to cool off.  Then it's back on the road. This is the Heart of the South; Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.  All brought together by the geological feature of Lookout Mountain.

We cross the Tennessee River on State Road 156.  The Tennessee River is breathtaking, after a few miles we take a right on State Road 377 which changes in Alabama to State Road 73 as we cross the state line. We climb the ridge that overlooks Tennessee River valley.  Once on top of the ridge, we take a left on Alabama County road 90.  We cross into Georgia then start traveling down the backside of the ridge.  The twisting turns will challenge any motorcyclist skills.

We travel through the valley arriving in Trenton Georgia for the climb up Lookout Mountain again more twist and turns until we make the turn onto Lookout Mountain Parkway. We stop at a Hang Glide launch site for some pictures.  As we ride the parkway the views are spectacular.  On Lookout Mountain, during a clear day, it is possible to see 6 states.  From Georgia, we cross back into Tennessee on the Mountain Parkway.   The town of Lookout Mountain sits above Chattanooga.

We make our final descent into our destination of Chattanooga.  We complete our ride in North Chattanooga where we will rest up for the final push back to Clarksville the next day.