Choose from a 30, 62, or 75 mile ride starting at the Carbondale Middle School (CMS). Restrooms are available at the school but there are no shower facilites. All routes go through the hills and plains of beautiful southen Illinois, including Giant City State Park and Makanda to the south, the edge of Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge to the east, and Elkville to the north.

Entry fee: $15 per person or $40 for 3 or more riders from the same household before March 25 or
$20 per person or $50 for 3 or more rides from the same household after March 25.

Registration is from 7-9 a.m. SAGs end at 4 p.m. Plan to start in time to finish by 4 p.m.

The Beautiful Southern Ride is a fund raising event
to benefit the philanthropies of the Rotary Club of
Carbondale-Breakfast such as, Carbondale Boys
and Girls Club. The Carbondale Bicycle Club also
supports the Beautiful Southern Ride.

The routes include some challenging hills, south of
Carbondale, passing lakes, wineries, and orchards.
The 30 mile ride goes south from the start into
Giant City Park. Hilly with a long, fast downhill into
Makanda and then uphill to the Visitor Center and
the rest stop. After the rest stop there is a lovely
long stretch of Spillway Road in the Crab Orchard
Wildlife Refuge.

The 62 mile ride is a challenging ride that goes
south and west from the start and follows the Wine
Trail to Pomona and the first rest stop. From
Pomona the ride travels east to join the 30 mile
ride in Makanda for the 2nd rest stop and the ride
back to Carbondale.

The 75 mile ride follows the 30 mile ride to Giant
City Park and then goes north of Carbondale to
Elkville and Desoto through open and relatively flat
countryside.

All three rides finish where they started at
Carbondale Middle School.