Skill Level:

Advanced – This is a long ride with only three possibilities for stores en route, at 24, 50 and 65 miles. Allow four to six hours to complete this ride. 

Variations:

Madison County High School is the start location for the Spring City Cycling Club fall century. The road marking, if still visible, can be followed from the school for 23, 50, 64 and 108 mile routes. For more information, contact the SCCC through the Web site, www.springcity.org.

The route can be extended to a full century with a long climb by bypassing Hwy. 65 and continuing up AL 146 and climbing to Skyline Mountain. For a full climbing century:

• Continue straight on Jackson County 146 instead of turning right onto AL 65 at 44.5 miles.
• 3.1-mile climb up Skyline to Hwy. 79. (Store)
• Cross Hwy. 79.
• First right onto CR 107.
• Follow CR 107 4.5 miles and follow the split left onto CR 143. (If you arrive in Skyline, you went too far. Turn around.
• CR 107 curves hard right and intersects Hwy. 79.
• Left onto Hwy. 79.
• Right in ¾ mile onto CR 17.
• Right in 3.8 miles onto CR 8.
• Follow CR 8 13.2 mi. all the way to Woodville. (Steep, curvy decent 3 miles from Woodville. Use caution!)
• Follow CR 8 left across tracks and across SR 35 in Woodville. (Store)
• First right onto CR 63/College Street (at bank and high school).
• Cross Hwy. 72.
• First right onto Jim Tom Hodges Road
• Immediate left onto Mill Road.
• Mill Road ends at Butler Mill Road.
• Left on Butler Mill. (Store)
• Cross Paint Rock River
• Right onto CR 5/New Hope Road
• Next Left onto Cherry Tree Road (about ½ mile past church)
• Follow Cherry Tree 5.2 mi. Right onto McMullen Road.
• Follow McMullen 5.2 miles until it ends on Little Cove Road.
• Right on little Cove.
• Cross US 72 (store) onto Section Line Road.
• Left onto Gurley pike. Rejoin route.
• Full length – 103.5 miles.

 

Features:

The route features rolling hills with no extended climbs. Low traffic roads with good pavement pass through the Paint Rock River watershed, giving miles of shaded road during the middle part of the ride. The remoteness of the valley will give the observant rider frequent glimpses of wild turkey and deer. The 31-mile segment starting on TN 97 all the way to US 72 is a designated Alabama Scenic Byway for good reason. This is arguably the most scenic ride in Alabama. 

Route Legs:

• Start at Madison County High School. Brock Rd. & US 72.
• Left out of parking lot onto Brock Road.
• Mary’s Pit BBQ on Left after turn. Best ribs’n’chicken in N. AL!
• Immediate right onto Hurricane Rd.
• Just as Hurricane Creek Rd curves to the left, hard right onto Mountain Fork.
• Look for white fence on right.
• Long, straight road.
• Old Winchester turns into Old Hwy 121.
• Pure Station/Grocery Store and BP Station in Elora.
• From Store, cross SR 121 to Elora Rd. (South).
• Elora Rd. T’s into Old Huntland.
• Follow Old Huntland Rd. to right at Old Gin after about 800 ft. (Note: Old Huntland Road turns into Elora Rd. after 1.7 mi.).
• Owens Ln. ends at SR 97. Begin Scenic Byway!
• TN SR 97 becomes AL 65 at state line.
• Store, Gas Station and Café. Very good hamburgers!
• Continue on 65 (SSW).
• Right onto Walker HWY 72 just past Gurley City Limit sign.
• Steep little hill, but a nice payoff on top!
• Last turn! You can see the school.
• Finish of the most scenic ride in N. AL!

Afterward:

Mary’s Pit Barbecue is just 2.3 miles from the start point on the route Hurricane Creek Road. Finish the epic ride with a feast of ribs, melt-from-the-bone hickory-smoked chicken or pulled-pork barbecue under the shade trees. Limited indoor seating. Cash only. 

Notes:

With only three stores on the route (24, 50 and 65 miles), riders should be able to sustain themselves for at least 25 miles without stopping for water or food. Cellular phone service is spotty at best on most of the route.

For more info:

None

Contact any of the following for additional information:

Ardmore Welcome Center

Street Address:
28232 Upper Elkton Road
Elkmont, AL 35620
Phone#:256-423-3891

Bicycle Works Inc

Street Address:
5000 Whitesburg Drive S #140
Huntsville, AL 35802
Phone#:256-650-6282

Bicycles Etc.

Street Address:
8100 Memorial Parkway SW #A
Huntsville, AL 35802
Phone#:256-881-6947

Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Street Address:
500 Church Street, Suite One
Huntsville, AL 35801
www.huntsville.org

Madison Cycles

Street Address:
8760 Madison Boulevard, Suite J
Madison, AL 35758
Phone#:256 461-9963