Tennessee is making it easier to experience some of the state's best scenery and historic sites by bike.
A partnership between the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and the Ride with GPS cycling app has resulted in a new program called Bike Tennessee. It's a collection of 52 new biking routes designed to show off Tennessee's quiet back roads, natural wonders, small towns, and noteworthy historical landmarks.
Each route is free to access via BikeTN.com or the Ride with GPS app, which offers maps, detailed navigation, and route information "about the terrain, waypoints and hidden gems along the way, as well as modifications to tailor each ride to the individual," according to a press release.
Put together with "safety and scenery in mind," the "mostly rural, low-traffic" cycling itineraries, created in collaboration with veteran local guide Shannon Burke of Velo View Bike Tours, cover a total of 1,739 miles across 53 Tennessee counties and 14 state parks. In most cases, cyclists will need to navigate roads rather than dedicated bike paths, but organizers have made an effort to stick to country lanes without a lot of cars.
(Biking in Tennessee | Credit: Bike Tennessee)
Available routes should satisfy a wide range of interests, with intriguing stops such as the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, the Mississippi River in Memphis, the Civil War battlefield in Shiloh, the state's tallest waterfall at Fall Creek Falls State Park (pictured at the top of this page), the state's oldest town (Jonesborough), and the birthplace of frontiersman Davy Crockett in Greene County.
Not to mention plenty of peaceful stretches of farmland, forest, waterways, and mountain backdrops along the way. To make sure the mountains stay in the background during the ride, do your thighs a favor and take note of the app's terrain info and possible modifications to suit your fitness level.
For more information or to find a cycling route, go to the Bike Tennessee website or download the Ride with GPS app.
