City Escape: Chattanooga, Tennessee
This route squeezes in some of the best roads that Chattanooga has to offer. It covers a variety of incredible scenery: countless overlooks, the sharpest hairpins turns, remote riverfront roads, and even open valley farmland.
Length
Approximately 157 miles round-trip
Meet-up Spot
Dunkin’, 627 Signal Mountain Rd, Chattanooga, TN
Lunch Stop
River Drifters is not officially a biker bar, but the owner loves to ride, so bikes are welcome. 1925 Suck Creek Rd, Chattanooga, TN.
Scenery (5 out of 5)
From April to November, leaves will be on the trees; in the fall, Chattanooga is a great spot to see colorful foliage. Scenic opportunities abound along the route.
Difficulty (5 out of 5)
This route takes you up and over the mountains four times in one day for a total elevation change of 20,492 feet. Also, the famed “W” road has hairpins so sharp that oncoming traffic has to stop for vehicles to complete their turns.
Road Conditions (3 out of 5)
Most of the roads are smooth, but there are several sections with potholes and signs of deterioration, especially the remote, 15-mile section along the river. There is also a 6-mile gravel section on the way to Snoopers Rock.
Points of Interest
Signal Mountain Fire Tower
If you’re so inclined, you can climb this tower (at your own risk), and you also will pass a second fire tower along the way to Snoopers Rock. 5098 US 127, Signal Mountain, TN.
Snoopers Rock
A 6-mile one-way well maintained gravel road takes you to this iconic overlook in Prentice Cooper State Forest.
Racoon Mountain Visitor Center
Racoon Mountain is a hydroelectric facility owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority, a large power company that built a 528-acre water reservoir on top of the mountain, all held by a 230-foot-tall dam. The visitor center is full of photos of the construction process and detailed information about the whole project. You can even ride your motorcycle across the dam.
Rock City
This place is very touristy, but it’s absolutely beautiful. There are multiple tours you can take and gardens you can walk through (fees apply), but the highlight is a massive rock overlook complete with a rock bridge spanning over a waterfall.