THE LITTLE CRUSHER

COHUTTA MOUNTAINS, POLK COUNTY, TENNESSEE

RIDE TYPE 97% Gravel	DISTANCE 33.1 Miles	ASCENT 4170 Feet
COURSE Loop	TERRIAN Mountains	SETTING Forest

The 33 mile Little Crusher gravel route is the lite version of the full Conasauga Crusher. Set 35 miles east of Chattanooga TN in the Cohutta Mountains, the route is as rugged and remote as it is beautiful but with 10 fewer miles and 1300 feet less climbing than the full Crusher version.

The 33 mile Little Crusher gravel route is the low calorie version of the full 43 mile Conasauga Crusher. It allows regular folk with homes and families to experience this rugged and beautiful area without needing to spend all day in the woods. Started early and depending on where you live, you could be home in time to cut the grass or light the grill.

The route is 10 miles shorter and has 1300 ft less climbing than the full Crusher but the Cohutta Mountains are rugged and both climb the gnar on Big Frog Rd. Both the Little Crusher and Conasauga Crusher routes have less than one mile of pavement.

You can read about the full Conasauga Crusher route here. What follows highlights the differences between the two routes.

The Little Crusher avoids the the big rollers along the south shore of Lake Ocoee by turning right onto Baker Creek Rd at the five way intersection. Baker Creek Rd cuts across the forest to the southeast and joins Peavine Sneed Creek Rd near the base of the Big Frog Climb.

Baker Creek Rd is flatter than the rollers along the lake and much of it can be ridden fast if you want to. Along the way you will pass a few homesteads and hunting cabins nestled into the bottomland before climbing a ridge at the end of the road. As you descend toward Peavine Sneed Creek Rd (FS 55), keep an eye out for rare views of the Big Frog Mountain summit through the breaks in the trees.

The rest of the route is identical to the Conasauga Crusher but the map for the Little Crusher shows it started in Willow Springs were there’s space along the road for parking. Starting in Willow Springs allows a fully paved approach to the ride start so that cars won’t get terribly dirty. The start location is popular with equestrians as well as cyclists and it is always a treat to see these beautiful creatures and meet their owners. They don’t even wear padded shorts!

As with the full Crusher route, pay attention to your GPS because it is easy to miss a turn and go way off course.

Terms of Use: Use of this route is at your own risk. This route map and associated route descriptions are believed correct at the time of publication but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. You assume all responsibility for 1) checking weather and road conditions, 2) knowing and obeying land use rules and restrictions, 3) knowing and obeying all rules of the road, 4) carrying and using proper safety and navigation equipment and, 5) knowing the limits of your physical ability. SoutheasCyclingRoutes.com, contributors and Timothy Hollingworth are in no way liable for personal injury, damage to personal property, or any other loss to individuals following this route or using information contained in the route map or description.