Great Rivers South Archives - Adventure Cycling Association

Great Rivers South Digital Route Set

Joe LaRiche — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 21:43:26 +0000

Explore the Mississippi on a route that would make Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn proud. Along the way visit the jumping-off spot of the Mormons’ long trek west, and enjoy some great cycling in the Ozarks, and along the Natchez Trace. More information about this route is available here.

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Great Rivers South Section 1 Digital Route

Joe LaRiche — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 21:43:25 +0000

From Muscatine, Iowa, southward to Hannibal, Missouri, the route closely follows the flood plain of the Mississippi River. The riverside roads in Iowa and Illinois are rural farm-to-market roads, connecting small farming communities along the river and providing access to shipping terminals for local farm products. They are narrow roads with no shoulders and little traffic. The Mississippi bridge crossing into Missouri at Hannibal brings you into Mark Twain territory. You’ll encounter some steep roller coaster hills before reaching the Missouri River. Riding on 4.5 miles of the Katy Trail between Marthasville and Dutzow, travel will be slower due to its crushed limestone surface, though more pleasant than the highly trafficked SR 47/94. South of Washington, you’ll be entering the Ozark Mountain range. Many of the state and county roads are narrow, winding, and steep, with short sight distances. After Cherokee Pass, the route leaves the Ozarks and moves onto the alluvial plains of southeastern Missouri to Cape Girardeau. The map also shows a 56-mile spur route into St. Louis which includes 30.5 mi. of the Katy Trail. After crossing the Missouri River you’ll switch to urban cycling as the route heads into the heart of the city. With care, riders who are accustomed to larger cities will have no problem with this spur to downtown St. Louis and the famous Gateway Arch. Click on enlargement for detail. More information about this route is available here.

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Great Rivers South Section 2 Digital Route

Joe LaRiche — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 21:43:25 +0000

At Cape Girardeau the route crosses the Mississippi River. The state highways in Illinois are wide two-lane roads with moderate traffic and no shoulders. Most of the rest of the route is over narrow two-lane county roads with no shoulder and very little traffic. In western Kentucky the route follows very lightly traveled county roads over short steep hills. “The Trace Road” through the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area is a two-lane road with no shoulders and light to moderate traffic. No commercial vehicles are allowed and a 45 mph speed limit is strictly enforced. In Tennessee, the route travels over exhausting roller coaster hills mostly on well maintained two-lane county and state roads. Near Shady Grove the route joins the Natchez Trace Parkway. The Natchez Trace offers two-lane roads with no shoulders and light traffic. The width of the Trace is 400 to 1000 feet, with wider right-of-way areas of historical, scientific, and recreational value. More information about this route is available here.

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Great Rivers South Section 3 Digital Route

Joe LaRiche — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 21:43:25 +0000

The riding conditions on the Natchez Trace Parkway are excellent with cyclists enjoying an almost traffic-free road. The two-lane road is gently graded and is generally well paved. Although there are no shoulders, the road edges merge evenly onto a grass shoulder. No commercial traffic is permitted on the Parkway and a 50 mph speed limit is strictly enforced. The Parkway ends near Natchez, Mississippi, and from there southward the route passes through rural woodland areas of southern Mississippi and Louisiana, where narrow two-lane roads and timberland dominate the scenery. The route passes through Baton Rouge and intersects the Southern Tier Bicycle Route just north of the city. The route then continues south to end in New Orleans. More information about this route is available here.

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Great Rivers South Section 3

Tim Heuermann — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 19:44:15 +0000

The riding conditions on the Natchez Trace Parkway are excellent with cyclists enjoying an almost traffic-free road. The two-lane road is gently graded and is generally well paved. Although there are no shoulders, the road edges merge evenly onto a grass shoulder. No commercial traffic is permitted on the Parkway and a 50 mph speed limit is strictly enforced. The Parkway ends near Natchez, Mississippi, and from there southward the route passes through rural woodland areas of southern Mississippi and Louisiana, where narrow two-lane roads and timberland dominate the scenery. The route ends in New Orleans. This route intersects the Southern Tier Bicycle Route about 20 miles north of Baton Rouge.

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Great Rivers South Map Set

Tim Heuermann — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 19:43:51 +0000

Explore the Mississippi on a route that would make Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn proud. Along the way visit the jumping-off spot of the Mormons’ long trek west, and enjoy some great cycling in the Ozarks, and along the Natchez Trace. For more information on this route or to print out the most up to date addenda for these maps please click here.

The post Great Rivers South Map Set appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Great Rivers South Section 1

Tim Heuermann — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 19:43:51 +0000

From Muscatine, Iowa, southward to Hannibal, Missouri, the route closely follows the flood plain of the Mississippi River. The riverside roads in Iowa and Illinois are rural narrow farm-to-market roads, connecting small farming communities along the river. The Mississippi bridge crossing into Missouri at Hannibal brings you into Mark Twain territory. You'll encounter some steep roller coaster hills before reaching the Missouri River. Riding on 3.9 miles of the Katy Trail between Marthasville and Dutzow, travel will be slower due to its crushed limestone surface, though more pleasant than the highly trafficked SR 47/94. South of Washington, you’ll be entering the Ozark Mountain range. Roads are narrow, winding, and steep, with short sight distances. After Cherokee Pass, the route leaves the mountains and moves onto the alluvial plains of southeastern Missouri to Cape Girardeau. The map also shows a 56-mile spur route into St. Louis which includes 30.5 mi. of the Katy Trail. After crossing the Missouri River you’ll switch to urban cycling as the route heads into the heart of the city. With care, riders who are accustomed to larger cities will have no problem with this spur to downtown St. Louis and the famous Gateway Arch. Click on enlargement for detail.

The post Great Rivers South Section 1 appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.

Great Rivers South Section 2

Tim Heuermann — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 19:43:51 +0000

At Cape Girardeau the route crosses the Mississippi River. The state highways in Illinois are wide two-lane roads with moderate traffic and no shoulders. Most of the rest of the route is over narrow two-lane county roads with no shoulder and very little traffic. In western Kentucky the route follows very lightly traveled county roads over short steep hills. "The Trace Road" through the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area is a two-lane road with no shoulders and light to moderate traffic. No commercial vehicles are allowed and a 45 mph speed limit is strictly enforced. In Tennessee, the route travels over exhausting roller coaster hills mostly on well maintained two-lane county and state roads. Near Shady Grove the route joins the Natchez Trace Parkway. The Natchez Trace offers two-lane roads with no shoulders and light traffic. The width of the Trace is 400 to 1000 feet, with wider right-of-way areas of historical, scientific, and recreational value.

The post Great Rivers South Section 2 appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.