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Road to Nowhere

        The Road to Nowhere explores some rarely ridden out-and-back roads around New Hope. The ride is 77 miles on mostly flat to rolling terrain but the route lends itself to shortcutting easily with the five dead-end roads.

The route also includes an optional climb up Merrill Mountain - 1.1 miles with an 8.8% average grade. There are some nice views of the Tennessee river and Guntersville dam off Merrill Mountain if you continue straight for a couple of miles after the summit, this option would add seven miles to the total.

A similar ride that climbs up to Grant is the 67-mile Dam Grant Options ride, it includes three optional up-and-back climbs.

Cue sheet

Route map

Road To Nowhere map
        The total elevation gain is 2,130', starting at 590' with a maximum elevation of 790'. Road to Nowhere elevation profile
        Directions to start:

The Cove Park ballfields near Hampton Cove:

If traveling over Monte Sano on Highway 431 (east on Governors Drive): go 4.8 miles after passing Monte Sano Boulevard and turn Left at Old 431/Sutton Road. Travel 1.6 miles and turn right onto Old 431. The ballfields are on the right.

If traveling over Cecil Ashburn Drive: continue straight on Sutton Road for 0.7 miles and go straight across Highway 431. From the intersection go 1.6 miles and turn right onto Old 431. The ballfields are on the right.

Google Maps driving directions to Cove Park.

Directions to CovePark