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Greenway Cottonville 55

        This ride is 55 miles and starts at the Publix parking lot near Hampton Cove. The route includes one mountain and a few hills but is mostly flat to rolling. There's an option to visit the Guntersville Dam (which includes a picnic area) that adds six miles. Thanks to Michael Holderer for designing this route.

Cue Sheet Map

Route details:

The ride starts and ends along the Big Cove Creek and Flint River greenways, a pleasant paved bike path through the Hays Nature Preserve. Watch for sand on the Flint River greenway, and the high lip on the bridge at Hays Preserve.

Most of the roads are lightly traveled with good pavement but there's a 2 mile section of rough pavement on New Hope Highway South. The route includes two short sections on US-431, a high-speed 4-lane highway, but there's usually light traffic; there's a wide shoulder but it's rough.

The mountain climb is Cottonville Road which has a 7% average grade with a couple of steep switchbacks near the base. The descent on Butler Mill Road has a couple of sweeping turns with some rough pavement.

Greenway Cottonville 55 map
        The total elevation gain for this ride is 1,230', starting at 600' with a maximum elevation of 1,200'.

The elevation profile for the climb up Cottonville Road at 28 miles looks intimidating but the grade is exaggerated by the scale, it's actually one of the easier climbs up Grant.

Greenway Cottonville 55 elevation profile
        Directions to start:

This ride starts at the Hampton Cove Publix parking lot. Park at the northwest corner of the parking lot, in front of the Rite Aid

If traveling over Monte Sano on US-431 (east on Governors Drive): go 4.8 miles after passing Monte Sano Boulevard and turn Left at Old 431/Sutton Road. Publix is on the right.

If traveling over Cecil Ashburn Drive: continue straight on Sutton Road for 0.7 miles and continue straight across US-431. Publix is on the right.

Directions to Hampton Cove Publix