The Tennessee Overhill is a treasure trove of rivers, waterfalls, forested mountains, quiet backroads, sprawling farmland and rolling hills set against the backdrop of Cherokee National Forest. It’s a region where tradition and family still mean everything, and it’s the family-owned farms and vineyards that share this tour’s focus with the natural beauty.
You'll enjoy not just enjoy some of the finest cycling Tennessee has to offer, but each day you'll visit one the Overhill's four superb vineyards, taste their wines, and, if timing permits, meet the vintners. In late summer and fall, you can even pick your own muscadines to snack on during your ride.
The four vineyards you'll visit are more recent additions to the Overhill, but they follow a tradition that started in Tennessee well before the Civil War. In a state better known for its whiskey, wineries are slowly making quite a name for themselves--and you’ll taste why.
Your home base will be a private mansion just outside the historic town of Athens. End each day in the pool or hot tub or just lounge on the deck and look at the sunset. You'll have the option to be pampered each day with breakfast, dinner and picnic lunches prepared by your own private chef, using local farm products as much as possible. Or we can provide ingredients or prepared meals for you. (The chef will contact you for your food preferences before you arrive.)
Either way, your tour will culminate in a four-course catered dinner with each course paired with wine from a vineyard you visited.
Highlights
Itinerary
Dates & Pricing
Inclusions
Map
Gallery
Highlights
Scenic backroads cycling
Lodging in your own mansion complete with swimming pool, waterfall and hot tub
Dinners, breakfasts and picnic lunches prepared by your private chef (optional)
Farewell multi-course dinner with local produce and local wine pairings
Visits and wine tastings at Silver Spring Winery, Morris Vineyard, Savannah Oaks Winery, and Tsali Notch Vineyard
Views to the Cherokee National Forest
Hiwassee River Valley
Historic towns of Reliance, Tellico Plains and Athens
Delano Community Farm Market, run by the Mennonites
Difficulty
Level 3 of 4 (Active)
The region is called "Overhill" for a reason--and we'll be cycling over countless hills. But few are long and fewer are steep. With the exception of a few brief areas with packed gravel or dirt (very walkable), the surface is entirely asphalt.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Athens After a welcome dinner at Ramble Creek, we have our orientation around the fire pit or maybe in the hot tub with the best view in the region.
Day 2: Silver Springs Winery (36 miles) We start our tour riding along the Eureka Trail, a hard-packed gravel trail that follows the path of a former rail line connecting the communities of Athens and Englewood. In Athens, we’ll explore the historic town and make our way to Silver Springs Winery, one of Tennessee’s newest wineries but one that has already established deep roots. We couple a tour and a tasting with lunch in their Greek Taverna. Return on scenic backroads to Ramble Creek.
The winery's founder has fond memories of growing up in Greece and all aspects of making wines with his grandfather. The vineyard's young grapes should begin to produce this year so that they can offer you estate wines. They also make wines using grapes from several areas of the country including the drier areas of the Pacific Northwest Region.
They currently offer Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Rose, and Riesling as well as red blends. Come each summer, they invite you to sample their Strawberry Wine and our Chocolate Strawberry Wine.
Day 3: Savannah Oaks Winery (42 miles) After breakfast, you enter the Hiwassee River Valley and make your way to Delano Community Farm Market, a Mennonite market where you can load up on fruit and baked goods. But save room a wine- and cheese-tasting and picnic lunch at Savannah Oaks Winery, nestled in the foothills surrounding Starr Mountain, on the picturesque Savannah Farms, whose 11,000 acres include the winery's thriving vineyards. You'll have a winery tour followed by the tasting, which will take place in an 1861 Cantilever Barn that was built by 40 men in one day! You follow back roads home to Ramble Creek.
Day 4: Morris Vineyard (54 miles)
Today's the longest day of riding, but it will pay off as you enter the rolling farmlands of historic Chatata Valley. Family-run Morris Vineyard has a simple motto: "We plant. We grow. We harvest. We make." All wines are produced and bottled on location at their vineyard and winery. The Morris family has dedicated three generations to this craft and offer a variety of 19 different wines to choose from, ranging from sweet to dry. They also make their own jellies and offer local cheeses. also have U-Pick your own fruit, wine tastings, jellies, local cheeses… and the best view in town!
Day 5: Tsali Notch Vineyard (24 miles) You cap off your week with a leisurely ride to Tsali Notch Vineyard, a 202-acre muscadine grape vineyard, for a tour, wine-tasting and picnic lunch, possibly visiting other nearby farmers. Named after an historic Cherokee leader, Tsali Notch vineyard specializes in muscadine grapes, grown on over 6,000 vines on 21 miles of trellises, covering 35 acres of a 202-acre estate. The property has an average elevation of 1,150 feet and is ringed by sweeping mountain views. If you have time, you can head along the Eureka Trail into Athens and take a tour and get ice cream samples at Mayfield Dairy. But don't fill up! Your four-course dinner with wine-pairings, prepared by a gourmet chef, will soon await.
Day 6: Individual departure Final breakfast and individual departure.
Dates & Pricing
Dates
Private tours on request for parties of 4 or more from May through October.
Pricing (Please note we are still finalizing prices for this tour.)
4-7 participants: $2,387 per person
8-12 participants: $1,889 per person
Note: Private parties of more than 8 will have to share rooms and/or bathrooms.
Optional ride-along escort, add:
4-7 participants: $300 per person
8-12 participants: $150 per person
Optional support vehicle add:
4-7 participants: $400 per person
8-12 participants: $250 per person
Rental bikes
Hybrid touring bike: $225
Electric-assist bike (e-bike): $325
Inclusions
5 nights lodging
4 vineyard visits with wine tastings
Gourmet 4-course primarily farm-to-table dinner with wine pairings
Optional food packages of ingredients or prepared meals
1 bottle of wine from each of the four vineyards (per person)
Lodging in your own mansion complete with swimming pool, waterfall and hot tub
Dinners, breakfasts and picnic lunches prepared by your private chef (optional)
Farewell multi-course dinner with local produce and local wine pairings
Visits and wine tastings at Silver Spring Winery, Morris Vineyard, Savannah Oaks Winery, and Tsali Notch Vineyard
Views to the Cherokee National Forest
Hiwassee River Valley
Historic towns of Reliance, Tellico Plains and Athens
Delano Community Farm Market, run by the Mennonites
Level 3 of 4 (Active)
The region is called "Overhill" for a reason--and we'll be cycling over countless hills. But few are long and fewer are steep. With the exception of a few brief areas with packed gravel or dirt (very walkable), the surface is entirely asphalt.
Day 1: Arrival in Athens After a welcome dinner at Ramble Creek, we have our orientation around the fire pit or maybe in the hot tub with the best view in the region.
Day 2: Silver Springs Winery (36 miles) We start our tour riding along the Eureka Trail, a hard-packed gravel trail that follows the path of a former rail line connecting the communities of Athens and Englewood. In Athens, we’ll explore the historic town and make our way to Silver Springs Winery, one of Tennessee’s newest wineries but one that has already established deep roots. We couple a tour and a tasting with lunch in their Greek Taverna. Return on scenic backroads to Ramble Creek.
The winery's founder has fond memories of growing up in Greece and all aspects of making wines with his grandfather. The vineyard's young grapes should begin to produce this year so that they can offer you estate wines. They also make wines using grapes from several areas of the country including the drier areas of the Pacific Northwest Region.
They currently offer Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Rose, and Riesling as well as red blends. Come each summer, they invite you to sample their Strawberry Wine and our Chocolate Strawberry Wine.
Day 3: Savannah Oaks Winery (42 miles) After breakfast, you enter the Hiwassee River Valley and make your way to Delano Community Farm Market, a Mennonite market where you can load up on fruit and baked goods. But save room a wine- and cheese-tasting and picnic lunch at Savannah Oaks Winery, nestled in the foothills surrounding Starr Mountain, on the picturesque Savannah Farms, whose 11,000 acres include the winery's thriving vineyards. You'll have a winery tour followed by the tasting, which will take place in an 1861 Cantilever Barn that was built by 40 men in one day! You follow back roads home to Ramble Creek.
Day 4: Morris Vineyard (54 miles)
Today's the longest day of riding, but it will pay off as you enter the rolling farmlands of historic Chatata Valley. Family-run Morris Vineyard has a simple motto: "We plant. We grow. We harvest. We make." All wines are produced and bottled on location at their vineyard and winery. The Morris family has dedicated three generations to this craft and offer a variety of 19 different wines to choose from, ranging from sweet to dry. They also make their own jellies and offer local cheeses. also have U-Pick your own fruit, wine tastings, jellies, local cheeses… and the best view in town!
Day 5: Tsali Notch Vineyard (24 miles) You cap off your week with a leisurely ride to Tsali Notch Vineyard, a 202-acre muscadine grape vineyard, for a tour, wine-tasting and picnic lunch, possibly visiting other nearby farmers. Named after an historic Cherokee leader, Tsali Notch vineyard specializes in muscadine grapes, grown on over 6,000 vines on 21 miles of trellises, covering 35 acres of a 202-acre estate. The property has an average elevation of 1,150 feet and is ringed by sweeping mountain views. If you have time, you can head along the Eureka Trail into Athens and take a tour and get ice cream samples at Mayfield Dairy. But don't fill up! Your four-course dinner with wine-pairings, prepared by a gourmet chef, will soon await.
Day 6: Individual departure Final breakfast and individual departure.
Dates
Private tours on request for parties of 4 or more from May through October.
Pricing (Please note we are still finalizing prices for this tour.)
4-7 participants: $2,387 per person
8-12 participants: $1,889 per person
Note: Private parties of more than 8 will have to share rooms and/or bathrooms.
Optional ride-along escort, add:
4-7 participants: $300 per person
8-12 participants: $150 per person
Optional support vehicle add:
4-7 participants: $400 per person
8-12 participants: $250 per person
Rental bikes
Hybrid touring bike: $225
Electric-assist bike (e-bike): $325
5 nights lodging
4 vineyard visits with wine tastings
Gourmet 4-course primarily farm-to-table dinner with wine pairings
Optional food packages of ingredients or prepared meals
1 bottle of wine from each of the four vineyards (per person)
Maps are for reference only and may not be the actual routes used.
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