Last week we introduced you to a brand-new series of blog posts featuring great scenic bike rides in the US. We began the series with a pretty extensive ride around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This week we want to look at the Cumberland River area just northeast of Nashville, Tennessee. We won't go into as much detail with this post because the route is not as complicated. However, it does offer you more than 40 miles of incredible Tennessee countryside.
We recommend you start your journey on the southwest side of Nashville, where River Road meets the Charlotte Pike (Rt. 24). You'll be following River Rd. north along the spectacular Cumberland River. You will find the pavement very smooth and easy to navigate with a couple of exceptions. First, there are a few tight turns about one third of the way up River Road, and then a few more as you head back down Rt. 12. You'll also need to be careful about stones and gravel if there's been any recent rains.
River Road to Ashland City
The most scenic portion of this journey is the first leg from the Charlotte Pike up to Ashland City. You'll be driving north with the Cumberland River on your right hand side. Along the way, you will be crossing the brush Creek, the Sam Creek, and a number of other river tributaries and inlets worthy of stopping and taking pictures. Be sure to use caution when stopping however; in some places the road is very narrow with no shoulder.
When you arrive in the outskirts Ashland City, you will be pleased to know there are a few little restaurants and a number of shops you can visit; there's more if you want to go into the heart of the city. Also, it's definitely worth making a stop at the Riverview Marina for a bit of a break. You'll find the marina very relaxing and scenic. There's even a restaurant there as well. To get to the marina, turn right onto Rt. 49 when River Rd. ends. The entrance to the will be on your right side.
Back to Nashville
Your arrival in Ashland City is the halfway mark of your journey. You'll be taking Rt. 12 back down into Nashville when you're ready to resume. To get to Rt. 12, turn east on Rt. 49 after leaving the marina. You'll just get into the city limits when you come upon Rt. 12; turn right to head south.
After a few blocks of commercial development followed by residential housing, you'll be back out on a rural road that skirts the east side of the Cumberland. Once again, you will be treated to lovely rolling hills, plenty of trees and some of the nicest residential properties in the greater Nashville area. Where Rt. 12 meets Pecan Valley Road is another great place to stop and take pictures. Nevertheless, there's quite a severe left hand turn there, so be sure to pull well off the road. Rt. 12 will eventually take you to the outer loop of Nashville's expressway system. From there, the number of choices is endless.
The entire round-trip should not take more than a couple of hours unless you spend a lot of time in Ashland City or you stop to take a lot of pictures. The route is a nice drive best taken in late spring or early autumn. If you decide to go in the summer, just remember that portion of Tennessee can get some pretty severe thunderstorms during the late afternoon hours.
