Motorcycles Roads: Tennessee State Road 30

At least once a year, we like to ride down to Chattanooga to see our son and our daughter-in-law who live there.  After spending a couple of days there, we like to ride the great roads that the Blue Ridge Mountains, we wanted to ride the Cherohala Skyway. It wasn't going to happen this year because of the weather.

Instead, we headed west, home to Clarksville over an expanded route. After riding to all 95 Tennessee Counties, I thought that I have ridden every motorcycle road that this state had to offer. After Tennessee 30, I realize now that I have so much more left to do. 

This is one of the Top 10 motorcycle roads in the state of Tennessee.  A ride that crosses 2 mountain ridges through a Glacier carved Valley.  With 2 mountain climbs and 2 descents that contain tight switchbacks that will thrill anyone on a motorcycle.   Add in a thunderstorm with hail; it will definitely make you feel alive on this earth.

It's a short blast from Chattanooga up to Dayton, US Highway 27 is four lanes of fast.  With the Cumberland Plateau on our left and the Blue Ridge on our right, we make the left turn on TN 30.  We pass by the Rhea County Courthouse home to the Scopes Monkey Trial.  The famous trial where a teacher was prosecuted for teacher evolution which was against state law at that time.

We begin the long climb up the Plateau with fast and slow switchbacks during the accent.  As we make the climb, we can see a small storm cell to the south, moving across the top of the Plateau.  The radar shows we are supposed to miss it.  Once on top, we ride the 5 miles on top of the Plateau to the drop into the Sequatchie River Valley.

On the way down, we run into some thunder, rain, and hail.  We were lucky it was mostly a long incline with just a few small turns. Once out of the storm, we quickly enter the Squathie River Valley.   We pass through the town of Pikeville. Then we make our way to make the climb to Spencer then back down the other side to McMinnville.

Once through McMinnville, we catch US Highway 70 to finish our trip back home to Clarksville.  TN State Road 30 a great motorcycle road one that is worth the ride.

TN 30 Dayton to McMinnville