ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS
Adventure Cycling chose to map a route along the UGRR corridor guided by the song, "Follow the Drinking Gourd." This song refers to an escape route from Alabama and Mississippi – using the water-ways and the North star as the guide. Upon reaching the Kentucky borderland, Adventure Cycling steered the route to rich historic destination points while maintaining our high standards of great cycling roads and paths.
The Underground Railroad Bicycle Route begins on Mobile Bay in Alabama and journeys north. The route is broken down into 5 sections. You can access some of the historic highlights along the route by scrolling down the page or clicking specific links provided below:
- Section 1: Mobile Bay, AL to Fulton, MS
- Section 2: Fulton, MS to Owensboro, KY
- Section 3: Owensboro, KY to Milford, OH
- Section 4: Milford, OH to Erie, PA
- Section 5: Erie, PA to Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
- Pittsburgh Spur: Pittsburgh, PA to Erie, PA
Section 2: Fulton, MS to Owensboro, KY
- Civil War Interpretive Center in Corinth, MS is a multi-million dollar museum and part of the Shiloh National Military Park. Our photographer Dennis Coello called this museum "a real gem". Visit the Black History Museum housing displays that tell the story of Corinth's Black community while you're in town.
- Shiloh Naitonal Military Park and Visitor Center was one of the first Civil War battles in which nearly 24,000 lives were lost in the spring of 1862. Pedaling in Shiloh is excellent and cyclists can ride a trail to a group of Indian mounds along the Tennessee River. There's also a route that follows the battles and defense works throughout Corinth.
- Tennessee River Museum in Savannah, TN is the place to learn about the Tennessee River's role in the Civil War and visit the Cherry Mansion which served as headquarters for General U.S. Grant in the Spring of 1862. This town also is home to the Haley Burial Site, Alex and Queen Haley, author Alex Haley's grandparents, are buried here.
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield was the site of the Union's first major Civil War victory under the command of "unconditional and immediate surrender" Ulysses S. Grant. This Fort was used by runaway slaves as a refuge from 1862-1865. Fugitive slaves worked for the Union Army and found assistance from Union soldiers and religious and charitable organizations. In 1863, it became a recruiting station for black troops.
- Natchez Trace Parkway Cyclists follow a small portion of this historic roadway.
- Section 1: Mobile Bay, AL to Fulton, MS
- Section 2: Fulton, MS to Owensboro, KY
- Section 3: Owensboro, KY to Milford, OH
- Section 4: Milford, OH to Erie, PA
- Section 5: Erie, PA to Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
- Pittsburgh Spur: Pittsburgh, PA to Erie, PA
Thanks to REI for their generous support of the
Underground Railroad Bicycle Route project.
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