Pinson Mounds Loop

Madison County, TN, US

Route Overview

26 mi.

1,442 ft.

Cycle through an ancient landscape at Pinson Mounds State Archeological Park. The park preserves more than 15 earthen mounds, some towering more than 70 feet high and dating back 2,000 years. This route offers enough climbing to provide a satisfying workout, without leaving you exhausted for a post-ride stroll through the park.

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Route Details

**Potential Route Modifications:** If you’re pressed for time or just want to skip some of the climbing, there are several ways to shorten this route:

Turning right on Harts Bridge Road at Mile 4.3 reduces the route by eight-and-a-half miles and around 600 feet of climbing.

Turning right on East Laurel Road at Mile 6 reduces the route by five miles and roughly 400 feet of climbing.

Continuing straight on Harts Bridge Road instead of turning left onto Pierce Road at Mile 15.3 reduces the route by seven miles and more than 400 feet of climbing.

If you want to make the ride longer, pedal the paved paths that wind through the state park. It’s slow going, and you’ll need to yield to pedestrians, but you can add roughly three miles to your ride by looping through the park.

There’s even more mileage to be had if you leave the bike behind and take the nature trails on foot as bicycles are not allowed on the unpaved hiking trails.

You can also get a serious workout by climbing the steps to the top of the 72-foot tall Sauls Mound.

## Getting Started:

Begin the route at the @poi[Interpretive Center at Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park](75840672) in Pinson, Tenn.

The Interpretive Center has plenty of parking, clean restrooms and an informative museum. In fact, the interpretive center itself is designed to replicate an earthen mound. There are restrooms available at the picnic shelter near the Group Lodge, which you’ll see on your left before arriving at the Interpretive Center.

From the Interpretive Center, head west toward the park’s exit. (The entrance and exit to the park are one-way driveways.) The park exits onto Ozier Road, which may have some fast-moving cars, so be careful as you turn left onto it. A little over a mile later, turn right onto Wilde Road, which starts off with a residential feel but quickly turns agrarian.

After a little under two-and-a-half miles, Wilde ends at Harts Bridge Road, where you’ll turn left. As with Ozier Road, Harts Bridge may have some fast-moving cars on it, so use caution and stay to the right side of the road. Less than a mile later, turn right onto Deep Gap Road, which will feel more relaxed and has a nice mix of rural residences, farmland and wooded sections.

After exactly three miles, turn right off of Deep Gap onto Odell Road. Odell is a fun road that rolls downhill through a nice neighborhood before ending at a stop sign at Mifflin Road. Carefully turn right onto Mifflin and then take your first right onto Rocky Springs Road less than half-a-mile later. Take a deep breath as you turn onto Rocky Springs because the road is about to tilt up. Although the first and hardest part of the climb is less than half-a-mile, the grades reach double-digits and you’ll need to gear down and take your time.

After conquering the first ascent, you’ll get a break before tackling additional little rises as you work your way up the road. These little hills are much shorter than the first climb, and you should be rolling along without too much trouble. Rocky Springs never really flattens out, though, so expect rolling conditions for the entire four-and-a-half miles you’re on Rocky Springs before it takes you back to Harts Bridge Road.

Take a left on Harts Bridge and follow it a mile-and-a-half until you come to stop sign. This is a slightly confusing intersection as five different roads come together here. There’s also a small convenience store to your right in case you need a drink or snack the aptly named @poi[Five Points Country Store](75840673). Go straight at the stop sign and take your second left onto Pierce Road, which is the beginning of a five-mile stretch of pleasant country road riding.

Pierce Road changes names to New Friendship Road at some point along the way, not that you’ll notice. What you will need to pay attention to is the right turn at Mile 17.6. Technically you’re just continuing on New Friendship, but it will feel like an actual turn. After making this bend, you’ll ride past a picturesque ranch that makes for a good photo op. Once past the ranch, you’ll roll through a wooded section before turning right onto Bray Road. Bray also has some enjoyable scenery and takes you due south to a stop sign at Needmore Road.

While Needmore is also scenic, it’s not quite as relaxed as the previous five miles, as there may be some fast-moving vehicles passing by. Other than the occasional car, Needmore is a fun road with some mild rollers and a nice wooded section.

After a little over two-and-a-half miles, Needmore will bring you back to Harts Bridge Road, which changes names to Garland Road at this point. Turn left onto Garland, and then half-a-mile later, turn right onto Young Road, which becomes Woodruff Road somewhere along the way. Young/Woodruff has some rough pavement, so watch for the bumps, but it is otherwise a pleasant road passing by some rural residences before bringing you to Ozier Road in about a mile.

As note earlier, Ozier has the potential for fast-moving traffic, so use caution as you turn left here. Less than a mile later, you’ll see signs for Pinson Mounds park. After turning into the park entrance, follow the driveway the three-quarters of a mile back to the Interpretive Center where you started. From there, you can pack up the bike and tour the park on foot or stay on the bike and pedal the park’s paths for some bonus miles. And when you’re ready to refuel, there are plenty of great lunch spots available in nearby Jackson, Henderson, Toone and Bolivar, all within 10 to 30 minutes of the park.

# More resources

* [Visit Southwest Tennessee](https://www.visitswtenn.com/)
* [Brooks Shaw's Old Country Store](https://www.caseyjones.com/)
* [Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park](https://tnstateparks.com/parks/pinson-mounds)

* @poi[Five Points Country Store](75840673)

# Important Reminders

Bike TN routes often include roads with car and truck traffic. Although the Bikeways are routed on low-traffic and low-speed roads whenever possible, most are designated for cyclists who are comfortable riding in some amount of traffic.

Pinson Mounds Loop

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