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Cotaco Backroads Metric

        This ride is 63 miles, starting and ending at Cotaco Florette Road and AL-36, south of the Tennessee River. The route is rolling with long grades. It travels on mostly good pavement thru beautiful quiet farmland, with rest stops at 17, 27 and 37 miles.

There are three climbs on the route:

  • Mile 24: 6 Mile Creek (topo) gains 405' in 0.9 miles for an average grade of 8.5%. This is a pleasant tree-covered climb on good quiet roads. There are a few hills after the "top."
  • Mile 36: Gandys Cove (topo) gains only 265' in 0.8 miles for an average grade of 6.3%; it's also shaded.
  • Mile 53: Morrow Mountain (topo) gains 410' in 0.9 miles for an average grade of 8.6%. The grade varies so there are some steep sections and the pavement is rough, but it's lightly traveled and shaded as well.
Cotaco Backroads map
        The final climb, Morrow Mountain, is the most difficult and comes late in the ride. But it's easy to skip, shortening the ride by 2.2 miles...
  • Stay on Pines Road another 3.5 miles
  • Right on Fowler Road for one mile
  • Left on Fowler Cove Road to continue the route
Country road in fall
        The total elevation gain is 2,610', starting at 620' with a maximum elevation of 1,210'. There is a 40 mile version of this ride with no climbs, shown here in blue. The first 22 miles are the same as this ride.

This route lends itself to shortcutting. Omitting the loop on the southwest end, between the second and third rest stops (the same store), shortens the ride by 10 miles.

Cotaco elevation profile with 40
       
Cue sheet Route map Google Earth file:
KmzCotaco.kmz		 GPS Info
        Directions to start:

This ride begins and ends at the Cotaco Florette Road intersection with AL-36, south of the Tennessee River. Travel South from Huntsville on US-231 (Memorial Parkway) across the Tennessee River. Three miles after the bridge turn Right on AL-36 at the flashing yellow light. Travel 8.3 miles to the intersection with Cotaco Florette Road.

Google Maps driving directions to Cotaco.

You'll pass the Cotaco fire station on the left before reaching the intersection. There's a convenience store with parking on both sides of the road, and the Cotaco School is located just to the west.

Directions to Cotaco