State Route 555 - Ohio

AKA: Triple Nickle

Zanesville - Little Hocking

Distance/Driving time: 60 miles/1h, 32m

County(ies): Muskingum, Morgan, Washington

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• Just rode 555 in May, 2013 and thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the 34 deg weather. more...
  Can only imagine how much fun it would be in the summer. I was returning home from the Dragon etc. via Blue Ridge Parkway, so I thought that there wouldn't be any corners that were tougher, but got surprised by two of them. Stopped in one village and an older ex-bikerider gave me a cryptic warning. "There is gravel on the triple nickel." I was tempted to tell him he was wrong, cause I hadn't seen any, but the next 10 miles proved me wrong. At one point, on a straight, so no corner for a vehicle to catch gravel and throw it on the road, there is a pile of stones on the road. Coincidentally it was right where someone would have walked to get their mail from the roadside. Coincidence or someone placing the stones on the road to discourage bikers?? In any case, the gravel on the road soon disappeared again, leaving me to wonder, it the guy's warning was cause he knew of actions of some locals?? Great road, if I ever get back there, will ride it again. The last 5-6 miles into Zanesville are pretty tame, but the rest was great. - Paul, Northern Ontario (5/27/13)
• The state of Ohio has once again ruined a somewhat good road with berm gravel. more...
  When will ODOT learn gravel and motorcycles don't mix. How Dumb can you be! - Anonymous (12/3/12)
• 555 could be a very nice road but it is no way like the 'Dragon'. more...
  Ohio has some of the worst roads to ride because of blind hills and tons of berm gravel. It's a crap shoot riding on the roads in Ohio. They have no reguards to motorcyclist. I would not come to Ohio to ride a motorcycle. Wake up ODOT, too much berm gravel. - Fred Doe (10/2/12)
• If you like Roller Coasters you will love this road. more...
  I rode it on 8-28-12 on my Gold Wing, what a blast. Up down left right this was a great ride. It was well worth the 400 mile round trip to just ride this road. I don't ride a Wing like most Wingers so peg dragging was a fact in a lot of corners. There was NO traffic as I rode it from south to north. The pavement was good except for a short 10 mile stretch, be careful lots of gravel on this section, but it doesn't last long. Then light the candles and let her fly. This road is the most fun ridden at a (shall we say) quick pace! Be on your toes and bring your A game becouse the 555 can bite you. It is a must ride for Sport Bikes (or Wingers who like to RIDE). Have fun. Trust God! Live Young. - 'Papa Smurf' (8/29/12)
• 'm not sure if anything is by chance. more...
  I was looking for a north route from 550 west of Marietta and saw this 555. I wasn't on it for a mile or two when it rang in my head 'Triple Nickel'? I had heard about it before but it didn't register until then that I was on a road of cycle heaven. I have not yet done the 'Dragon' but I cannot imagine it to be so empty as this was last Saturday in July on a beautiful day. I mean in 30 miles - 1 or 2 cars in the opposite direction, 1 bike passed me and I passed 2 bikes pulled aside for a break. I will have to do it again to know if that was the exception or the rule. - Chuck Kennedy, H-D Fatboy (8/27/12)
• It is like riding in the front car of a roller coaster for an hour and a half! more...
  Went on a Tuesday, 08/07/12, and just saw a handfull of other riders. You have to be 'on your game' for this adventure. Some road signs posting 'loose gravel/stones' but as long as you take it easy going around the curves, no problem. Ran down Route 124 along the river after the 555 and enjoyed that too!
  
  - Jack from Sylvania, Ohio (8/12/12)
• Three small towns for gas and refreshment but this is primarily a riders road, move along, nothing to see here. more...
  Go early to avoid slower traffic. Watch for gravel at apexes and coal dust on steep grades, slippery stuff! - Rider from Columbus, OH (7/29/12)
• Rode 555 from the Ohio River north to Zanesville. more...
  It was a beautiful day for riding but 555 is in rough shape. Between Route 78 and 377 there is much loose gravel due to a recent tar and gravel repave. The middle of the lane is dangerous especially in turns. North of Route 78 there are spots where the road has deteriorated and is separating from land erosion it appears. Take caution. 8 miles north of 669 the road is closed until August 9th. Follow the boring detour or make your own route. It was still an enjoyable ride just not as good as I've heard in the past. Stopped in at Terry's Tavern in Zanesville. Great little place. - Anonymous (7/26/12)
• I rode the 'Triple Nickle' Sat 7/22/2012 on my Suzuki Boulevard with 18 other members of Women in the Wind-Toledo Chapter. more...
  The reason I included that is to assure you I'm not a speed junky on a crotch rocket. On the contrary, we are women riding our own motorcycles finding confidence with each route we conquer. Last year was the Dragons Tail in TN/NC which I feel was less demanding than the 555. Maybe it was the overall condition of the 555 or because it is 60 miles of having to ride heads up that made this route so challenging. I'm not sure why the county tosses loose gravel on the 555 in certain areas where there wansn't any noted uneven pavement or cracks that would require tar and stones - nor was there tar, only stones. I feel they did that to slow down drivers/riders to prevent accidents but this ploy can cause real trouble for bikers not paying close attention! Once we rode out of the loose gravel - that was between Ringold and Chesterhill, the ride was fun! The patching of the road was bumpy in some areas and we found the detour near Route 60 so we missed the section north of Deavertown, but we had our fill! Thanks for the confidence building for these lady bikers. - Cheryl Addis (7/22/12)
• I just drove this road in a new Miata on 7/6/12 and found it to be more than challenging. more...
  There is a section of 555 that has loose stone signs about every mile or so from 377 to 37. This portion of the 555 MUST be VERY carefully traversed if you’re on a motorcycle. It is a beautiful ride, but I’d stick to the portion south of 37 if on a bike. - Terry Moran, Orion, MI (7/9/12)
• On 6-29-12 we came from Indiana just to ride the 'Triple Nickel', and it did not disappoint. more...
  Lots of twisties and sweeping curves and excellent scenery. We hope to ride 555 again. Well worth the trip. Be very careful on the 10 miles north of Chester Hill. There is a lot of stone working loose from the pavement (there are signs warning of this). - Bill Alsman (7/2/12)
• The road is very twisty and scenic, but recently tarred and graveled from junction of 78 and 555 north to junction of 555 and 37. more...
  Travel speed was 35 mph and slower with lots of loose gravel. Nature and vehicles need to clean it off and it will be much better. - Anonymous (6/27/12)
• The road is very twisty with good scenery, but the road conditions were poor. more...
  There was lots of gravel and broken up parts of the road where it was tar’d/repaired. A decent road. Would be good if it was clear of debris, but from what I’m told, it’s always like this. I was on the 555 on May 31, 2012. - Matt, ’97 VFR750 (5/4/12)
• I just took a drive on route 555, you will not be disappointed, it was a beautiful day, great day for a drive. more...
  I just purchased a 1985 corvette with the z-51 handling package. The vehicle drove great in the corners..the good about 555 is the great turns, and curves. Most of the surface is smooth pavement. There are sections where you can open the car up. The not so good/or maybe I should say the real challenge...blind curves. You just don’t know which way the road is going to go. If your on a motorcycle, certain sections have loose gravel...not so perfectly paved sections...some horse poop, and mud from farm vehicles. Definitely pay attention to the speed limits. If it says 25 miles per hour, I would go 25 miles per hour. Over shooting a curve could result in becoming friends with a tree or big rock. Aside from that, it is worth the drive...oh yeah! - Nick C. (3/14/12)
• Just rode the 555 in September and what a ride!!! more...
  I grew up in Ohio and learned to ride on the part just south of Zanesville. Rode it from Belpre to Zanesville. Had a friend along who has ridden the 'Dragon' and he was truly impressed. - Frank Habib (1/4/12)
• Awesome ride! more...
  Personally, been riding 41 years, I feel it took more skill than the 'Dragon' to ride! Has to be the best road in Ohio for motorcycles, took almost 3 hours to go the 68 miles. - Anonymous (10/4/11)
• Just returned from riding the 'Triple Nickle'. more...
  The temperature was 44 degrees and raining. Picked up the road in South Zanesville, and wasn't impressed; at first, but within a few miles the road had my full attention! I thoroughly enjoyed my trip even though the pavement was wet. It is a road that commands your attention at all times. Don't try to ride 555 over your skill level. - Anonymous (10/2/11)
• Just returned from a ride on Route 555 with two friends. more...
  Each of us were riding large bikes, 2011 Road King, 2011 Ultra Classic, 2008 Honda 1800. Great ride even on a big bike. We started in Zanesville and took 555 South. The beginning of the ride is tame for the first 3-4 miles. Rolling hills sweeping curves and good road conditions. From there it tends to become a lot more challenging. Steep grades that are totally blind until you get to the top. Once at the top of the hill you might find a steep decline, a banked curve or a stopped vehicle. The curves will get your blood racing and and your heart pounding. The road was in good condition with very little gravel or pot holes. There is quite a bit of asphalt patch which can be loose around the edges. The blind hills are the biggest challenge. One incident got our attention real fast and changed how fast we took the hills. We came around a curve with an approach towards a very steep incline. There was an 18 wheeler going up the incline covering both lanes of traffic. He was attempting to make it up the hill but could not make the grade and was trying to back the rig down the hill. Fortunately for us we came up on him traveling in the same direction he was heading. However if we had been heading north we would have crested the hill we wound have found ourselves face to face with an oncoming semi in our lane. Moral of the story is to be cautious on the hills because you will not be able to see the other side. The guys I rode with rode the 'Tail of the Dragon' last fall and said Route 555 was just as challenging mostly because of the hills, the speed of the road and the tight banked curves.
  Respect the road and stay alert and you will love the ride. - Anonymous (8/30/11)
• Just rode this from Little Hocking to Crooksville...fun ride...like a roll a coaster in areas...ride carefully...blind corners...hills. more...
  The road was not in bad shape and found very little gravel...would be awesome in the fall. Rode on Monday...only saw 2 motorcycles not much other traffic...which did go into my lane. I suggest not pushing your limits unless you have a clear view ahead. Route 78 was awesome also! - Mary Frisch (8/23/11)
• Beautiful sunny 85 degree day in Ohio. more...
  I rode all of 555 yesterday and found it to be lacking as far as calling it a 'great' motorcycle road. Way too much patchwork pavement and gravel in many of the turns. I expect to see gravel at the entrance to driveways, but to find it in the middle of turns with nothing but pasture and farmland on either side, is not acceptable. Traffic was minimal to say the least. Only ran up on one truck, 2 cars, and 3 farm tractors the entire distance. Nobody ever caught up to me from behind. Many blind summits increase the danger of this road due to farm vehicles and Amish buggies. Oncoming traffic 'cheats' on the corners and is halfway in your lane in the middle of a switchback or sharp sweeper. Unsettling to say the least. I did enjoy the ride, but had to limit my speed to what roadway I could actually see ahead of me. That means I was traveling less that the posted speed, 50-55, most of the ride. Finally, I did not see one other motorcycle the entire distance. - 'Bigfoot', 2011 Victory Vision Tour (7/28/11)
• About 4 miles south of Zanesville, there is a bridge out with a posted detour. more...
  Toots and Alan from S&S Carryout provide more information and suggest an alternate detour route. FMI visit my Blog. - Webmaster, MotorcycleRoads.US (7/23/10)
• My buddy and I rode this route on 05/23/10. more...
  It was a beautiful day for riding and once we were south of Zanesville the traffic just vanished. We saw less than 20 other riders all the way down to the Ohio River on this route, and on a day like the 23rd we were surprised. The road conditions were decent. There are many sections that were recently repaired along the edges so if you stay toward the center of the lane, your generally going to be OK. We only ran into two sections of gravel that had they been in a turn, we may have ended up in the ditch; however other than that, the road is a great ride. - Alan Wolford and Scott Guinn (5/24/10)
• My husband & I took our bikes on SR-555 on 9/5/09. more...
  This was our first time to ride all the way through the route. It was a good ride through God's country to see His creation. The road was in good shape. There were some areas on gravel in some curves. It was not heavily traveled. We took Route 60 back to Zanesville to make the loop. - Rita, Cambridge, OH (9/6/09)
• I have ridden 555 about 7 times, most recently, two weeks ago. more...
  Ran the entire length from South Zanesville to Route 7 on the WV state line. The best section by far is from Bartlett down to Route 7. It has the best pavement and best grip, in my opinion. The 'middle section' (around Ringold to Portersville) has some patching and dust/gravel, which takes away from the grip and fun. Can't be very aggressive in this section. The northern portion from Portersville up to Zanesville is in good shape as well. 555 is not quite as good as Route 255 from a road surface/route point of view, which is about 25 miles east of Zanesville, but it's a really great road. - Jeff J. (8/10/09)
• This is Ohio's 'Tail of the Dragon'. Great road. more...
  Good eats are: Toms Ice Cream Bowl in Zanesville. - Rider from Batavia, OH (7/29/09)
• I live on SR-555 about 14 miles south of Zanesville. more...
  Me and my wife, Toots, run a little store called S and S Carryout. We love to ride and usually ride the triple nickel to Belpre and back several times a year. We have Triple Nickel t-shirts made up and for sale in our store and welcome all riders. SR-555, the triple nickel, is one of the best rides in Ohio, and on a weekend, we can see hundreds of bikes traveling north and south on this route. We have had riders from several states stop in our store. We even had the triple nickel and our store on the internet radio show, SIDE STAND UP.com. If you love beautiful scenery and twisty rosds, you have to take this ride. - Sean Alan Stoneburner (7/4/09)
• Just got home from a great ride on Ohio State Route 555. more...
  Followed it's length from south of Zanesville to Belpre. One of the best rides I have ever been on. Twisties, switchbacks, blind curves, awesome! Watch out for the signs recommending what speed to take the curves, they mean what they say. You can push it a little if you are an experienced rider, but not by much. I'm an old fart on a Harley and hope to get a lot older, so if you are like me, watch out for the kids on the crotch rockets, they tend to fly. - Jeff Geisse (6/14/09)
• I was on this road yesterday (July 9, 2008). more...
  This whole road has just been freshly repaved. It's surface is perfectly smooth and tire grip is great. Even on the painted lines! It's a good idea to travel it a few times to familiarize yourself with it. It's true about the blind curves. This is an exciting bit of road! - Anonymous (7/10/08)
• By far the best road in Ohio! more...
  Decreasing radius turns, switchbacks, blind turns, very dangerous if you are not paying attention at all times. Newly paved in some areas. I have been riding for 21 years and can honestly say you will be hard pressed to find a more challenging road in Ohio. - Kevin, Ohio Rider (6/30/08)
• The comment 'a real workout on the arms' is an understatement. more...
  The arms will be sore if ridden as aggressive as the skill level allows from end to end. It will almost take 90 minutes to ride the entire length. - C. Birch, Warren, OH (7/8/07)
• Was just on it last weekend, 5-11-07, and the road is still twisty. more...
  The right hand turns have gravel thrown from the cars taking the tight turns too close, use caution but the road has many miles of newly paved asphalt. Lots of blind rises over hills and decreasing radius turns. The only caution is there is only one gas station once you're on the road and NO lights. Don't get caught on it at night. It is the middle of nowhere. Hotels at both ends but not anywhere along the route. If you have time take Route 26 out of Marietta, Ohio through the Wayne National Forest, its not far from Belpre. - Tim Finan (4/13/07)
• From Rt 7 side, nice smooth road, major twisties and switchbacks...very demanding road. more...
  No time for relaxation, great for the the curve lovers. - Justin Winter

Other Resources:

• North American Sportbike Road Registry - Ohio Sport Bike Roads