The Heart of Tennessee: State Highway 56

TN Highway 56 is one of the best motorcycle roads in Tennessee for its varied terrain and length. It's one of those roads you can ride repeatedly and always find something different. It will always leave the soul refreshed.

Tennessee 56 cuts through the state from north to south like a knife. It separates the eastern mountains from middle Tennessee. A region I like to call the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau. 56 also crosses the Plateau twice. It's an incredible ride and one of the best fall colors rides in the Nation. Today it's a ride from Clarksville to Chattanooga to meet my new granddaughter Ella Clarie. It's a special trip; it requires a special ride. This is it.

I make my way to Highway 56 from Clarksville, going through Portland, Tennessee, on Highway 52. I catch motorcycle nirvana in Red Boiling Springs. Once on Highway 56, it immediately turns into a curve-riding affair. After ascending the Cumberland Plateau, it's a sharp descent into the Gainsboro Valley. This is a fun ride with long high-speed curves with a mix of short S-turns.

After reaching Gainsboro, there is a short 2 exit hop on Interstate 40. Then it's a fun ride above Center Hill Lake on my way to McMinnville. Then it's a climb to Altamont back up on the Plateau. Finally, I leave Highway 56 on the way to Chattanooga. I drop into the Sequatchie River Valley and the town of Dunlap. It's then another climb over Signal Mountain before reaching our destination of Chattanooga.

It's been a long day of riding. It's time to meet my new granddaughter. I recommend breaking it up into a 2-day ride. We will ride this again in the fall when the leaves start to change. This road makes several lists as one of the best fall color rides in the Nation. It truly ranks as one of the great roads of our Nation.