Silver Comet / Chief Ladiga Forum

I going to be riding the trail from Piedmont to Smyrna On July 17 with a small group and returning the next day. I’m wondering where’s a safe location to park overnight In Piedmont

Have you visited this page.
https://www.piedmontcity.org/chief-ladiga-trail/
There's a phone number and two different emails listed ...one at the very top of the page and another at the bottom.

After talking with the Piedmont Welcome Center, I'm comfortable leaving my car there overnight. You need to get a parking permit from them first just as a record

Have a great ride!

There's a new sign at the Paulding Chamber exit off the Silver Comet that points to "Dallas Battlefield Trail." What's that? Do you have to ride on regular highways and roads to get there?

Good summary of what is / was being built

https://www.ajc.com/news/local/dallas-building-battlefield-trail-bridge/It5tGUmHFnpFtaJh3CaeXP/

Where is a car pick up spot on or around The Alabama State Line

The "Easom Hill Trailhead" is a parking lot about a mile east of the AL/GA state line. I recently rode the Chief Ladiga Trail from there to Anniston. I had my video camera running so you can relive the ride on your smart (or otherwise) trainer or just watch on Kinomap.com:

https://vsuq.adj.st/userName=tmilligan?adjust_t=e3qslbp&adjustdeeplink=com.kinomap.training%3A%2F%2F%3FuserName%3D?tmilligan&adjust_redirect=https://www.kinomap.com/en/u/tmilligan/videos

I was unable to find any kind of shuttle service that would take me from/to any trailhead on the CL/SC trail, so my spouse ran the sag wagon and dropped me off at Easom Hill and picked me up in Anniston, GA.

4-6 of us are planning a thru ride along the SC/CL Rail Trails. I've noticed there seems to be more questions than answers in the forum. Is anyone aware of a shuttle service? We're planning to park at Highland Station and bike westward. Do you need to register your vehicle for overnight stays/multiday stays at the shopping center? We'd actually like to shuttle from Smyrna to Anniston and bike back camping 2 nights.

This is a great website. I just wish there were more answers to trail user questions. I'll contact Southern Express Sag but they seem to be more of a sag wagon option. Thanks

For most people, if not for everyone, top-3 unanswered questions are:

i) can I/we park somewhere for 1-4 night(s)?
ii) can I/we camp somewhere along the trail?
iii) can I/we get a shuttle from either side?

And the reason these are unanswered, because nobody knows the answers.

Park at your own risk (and let us know the experience) or park in a paid parking facility and ask them to drop you on the trail. Or maybe just bike down the roads!

There are camping sites along the trail (think there was one near the state boundary, but I didn't explore that option as I was not interested). I doubt many bikers would carry heavy camping gears; hotels work better for some, particularly with hot waters, comfy beds, no set-ups required and low prices. Believe it or not, the ride is rigorous and you won't want more load or more work for that matter. Still, maybe you can carry your gear, try couple of campsites and post which one is the best for the benefit of others.

There is currently no known shuttle services. If there was one, it would be advertising all over the internet. Even Amtrak at Anniston won't allow your bike currently. Uber with bike rack was a failure and discontinued after the pilot run.

Best would be to have a friend or family member on either side of the trail. We still live in a society :)

Wish,
I appreciate your reply although it seemed to be rather snooty. I've used (and contributed) to the Allegheny Passage/ C&O forums for years. We enjoy traveling self contained and camping out. Miles and hills don't scare us. On longer rides we'll generally stay in a motel every 4-5 days for showers, ect. I know there are 2 campgrounds plus a 3rd campsite that has no water from what I've read. Since I'm coming appx. 8-9 hours from Va. I don't have family to ferry me. In regards to shuttle info, I thought someone on the site might have some "little known" info. This is my 1st ride on the SC/CL Trail so I was asking questions of other trail users to go along with what I've gathered.

Hey Rick, suggestions were not specific to your situation. I addressed it to 'most people', hoping it would end the confusion and egg people to contribute more. Enjoy your ride.

Wish summarizes the standing questions well.
Regarding camping I have found The Rock Campground, a few miles east of Rockmart to be a fine place. Have been there once each year the last 3 years. Here is the website:
https://therockrvpark.com/

Welcome Center will be closed today.

Can anyone give me an idea of trail conditions due to all the rain

Congratulations to Jacksonville, AL trail maintenance department, all ungulations have been leveled, much safer ride now. Would be great if Jacksonville could teach Piedmont and Cleburne county how to mill down the raised asphalt.

Welcome Center and Restrooms closed in Piedmont, AL, plan accordingly. Restrooms open at Train Station in Jacksonville, AL and at the end of the CLT in Anniston, AL

Welcome Center in Piedmont opened yesterday with bathroom and drinks. Outside restrooms not open. Coffee Shop open for coffee and sandwiches, also has a restroom. Mask required for access to Welcome Center.

We would like to ride the full 95 miles both ways in mid May. Are both trails open for riding? Are we allowed to leave our car at the shopping center in Smyrna or a trailhead for 2 nights? And, do you know if the campgrounds are open? I will call, but just curious. Thank you for any info you can provide!! We are looking forward to it!

I had been mentally preparing for biking Silver Comet + Chief Ladiga trails end to end for a while. So this Black Friday after Thanksgiving I did it. Though I had done the portion between Mavell Road (trailhead in Smyrna) and Hiram few times before, I didn't know what else to expect. Online fora did provide some info, but internet could be so different than the reality! So I approached this like other challenges in life with the guiding philosophy of "prepare mentally, power through and don't ever cheat". I also reminded myself of my school days when I used to ride bikes every day for everything. With that thought, I got my bike checked at local bike shop, purchased a new helmet, got a gel seat cover for my road bike, purchased snacks and drinks, charged everything (lights, phone, power bank, bluetooth earpiece..what not!)..and boom, started at 8.30 AM from Mavell Road, just by myself. Though my wife was supportive in planning, shopping, and dropping me till there, I couldn’t trick her to do it with me ?

Day after Thanksgiving meant, there were not many people on the trail. So I decided to say hello to everyone :) My first stop was in Dallas, GA. It took me about 1.5 hours to get there. I spent near 15 minutes there, used the restrooms, had some snacks, talked to a local senior citizen and continued on. Coot's Lake was my next stop because of the natural beauty. Great lake but little facilities (one portable toilet, no water filling station, no shade on the trail side). Still there was a sweet family of 4, and some cars parked, so felt normal.

From there on, it was unknown territory. I wish I had known better. Rockmart was too soon after Coot’s Lake, so I didn’t stop there. It was about noon by now and I had planned to reach Cedartown by 2PM. I got down from the bike near the Cemetery in Rockmart though, and walked my bike there. Felt bad to bike past that. That sort of became the harbinger of things to come. For the next 10 miles or so, it’s the best kept secret of Silver Comet, the “Surprise Hill”. Somebody must have decided to throw a challenge there, and made the trail encircle several hills. I rode alongside a motorized highway for few miles. Very bare, nothing shaded. And no, it’s not a rail-trail there at all. Because I was going up the hill all the time and noticed the rail track way below the trail. When that stretch ended, it was followed by a stretch with muddy and smelly side areas. My backpack with all day’s supply started feeling all too heavy by this time. I wanted to sit down, but there was no way I was stopping in that stretch. So, I powered through. I had started to feel every organ and fat cells in my body by then. Thankfully, a mile later, there were lovely farmhouses by the trail and few benches to sit on, even a table! Though there was no restroom. Still, I took a break there, ate some snacks, rehydrated myself, called my wife, complained about the lack of information provided like an entitled millennial and reassessed the plan. It was about 1.30 PM, and I had done about 45 miles of the total 95 miles. From my last stop in Coot’s Lake till here, I had barely seen anyone on the trail. Google told me Cedartown Depot was still 6 miles away. Going by the uphill territory, and the super high heart rate for last hour or so, I figured it would take me at least 45 minutes to get to Cedartown. There, I’d need a solid 1-2-hour(s) break and recharging. That meant I needed to stay in Cedartown probably till 4.00 PM. Did I mention the sunset at this time of the year occurs around 5.00 PM? The trail, of course, is legally open only from dawn to dusk! Time to put my luckiest charm on and call my wife! “Honey, I don’t feel good that you’re by yourself on Black Friday and I’m out there having fun on the trail. So, why don’t you come over to Cedartown and we will have the nightfall there! I hear there are plenty of good shops in nearby Rome ????”. That worked! Lo and behold, wife was on her way to Cedartown Depot.

I reached the depot before her though, around 2.30 PM. The Welcome Center, including the restrooms were very closed. Though it’s a cute little town, there were notices all-around to be aware of crime. Good thing, the depot is in the heart of Cedartown downtown, and the traffic was very respectable of a cyclist. I biked to the nearby Town Plaza that had plenty of food and lodge options! Wife joined me there. I was rejuvenated just by the sight of her’s. Besides, what would a few kisses and touches not fix! As women are inherently more capable of better planning and nurturing than men, wife had a dinner buffet reserved, a good hotel booked and brought on my night clothes and morning necessities. The Jacuzzi had never felt better in my life! That night I slept like a baby!

(Rest to follow)

(Continued..)

I woke up well past 10 next morning. It was a typical Saturday morning, except the effects of day after 51 miles biking were apparent. Muscles and joints sore, heart rate still a little high, and my butt slightly swollen (damn that gel seat cover). I thought of the night before – I remembered feeling cold, popping a paracetamol, and wife giving me a body massage to put me to sleep. What was I thankful for this year again!

Room coffee was no good. Wife had found a great brunch place by then. I dressed-up and we left for the brunch in Rome. God, the waiting line was so loooooooong. Had some lovely conversations while waiting though, Rome has its own laurels. I had a high protein breakfast. It took us only 1.5 hours there, so it was well past noon. And I had promised to take my wife to Shopping! God, was it going to be another day? Wife figured my misery and decided to stomp on it.

Wife (playfully) - “Honey, should we go to the mall now?”

Me – ‘you mean in Anniston, AL, right?’

Wife – “Of course!”

She dropped me to the Cedartown depot. We took some great pictures there. I discarded the seat cover and was back on the trail by 1.30 PM. From there to the state boundary in Esom Hill, it was mostly uphill, 150 ft. or so over 11 miles. I didn’t have any problem doing that in about an hour. Highest point I noticed was about 950 ft above sea level. Wife joined me at the state boundary, we shot some videos and took some pictures. We met few other bikers who were also from Atlanta. As for facilities, there were no restrooms, but some benches and shades, and, of course, the welcome arch. The Silver Comet trail ends there (or starts there, depending upon which side you are coming from), and Chief Ladiga trail starts. Chief Ladiga trail has 33 miles that I had to do. It was about 3.00 PM by then. Google said sunset was at 4.22 PM in Anniston, AL where the Chief Ladiga trail ends. Time zone changes couple miles into Alabama!

I had about 2 hours to do 33 miles. Good thing is, it’s all downhill from Esom Hill, GA to Piedmont, AL. I walked my wife to the Jeep and resumed biking. I reminded myself that it won’t get totally dark right after the sunset, so the trail would still be legally open. That thought brought some comfort and allowed me to appreciate the magical mountain chains in the background. I muttered “Alabama has its heart in place” when I noticed the trail surface being Asphalt! (Georgia has only 13 miles of Asphalt and rest concrete). Though, Asphalt would invariably break and be bumpy. So, I left it to the experts to determine what’s the best surface for the trail and indulged in taking selfies by small rivers, creeks and bridges in the protected wilderness of Talladega National Forest at the foot of Duggar Mountains. I felt super happy in the moment.

Wife surprised me with a cheer girl routine at Eubanks Welcome Center at Piedmont. It was easily the best neighborhood over the last 50 miles or so. Small children playing, dogs jumping around, cats meowing, and squirrels charging at you before making sudden U-turns. Saying hello to everyone finally paid off. People seemed happy. Dark clouds and wind were noticeable though. The watch ticked 4.00 PM. I had 19 miles more to go.

“Go, go, go”

I was speeding though I didn’t notice any posted signs. The miles went past in a hurry, most of it felt downhill. I switched on the front and back flashlights, which was a good move considering there were several street crossings. Large offices and plants also felt like coming back to the city life, which I had begun to crave by then. Jacksonville State University felt like a great area. From there, the last few miles went contemplating when would I ever get to do this again! I let out a shriek – a mix of joy, relief and missing you already - when the sign said, “Welcome to Anniston”.

Anniston was just the right place for the after party. And shopping!

Really enjoyed reading your post. Thank you.

I enjoyed it too. In fact, at times I was laughing out loud. I've ridden from Smyrna to Cedartown and I know where those hills are. I did a lot of research before I went up there ...so I wasn't totally surprised. I had to walk up Mount Trashmore. Luckily I wasn't trying to do it all in one day. We had to cut our trip short when it got cold and wet. 35 degrees and raining in late November is not ideal riding weather.

Enjoy reading about your experience. Didn't know about the hills. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for the kind words! I'd love to hear more about other people's experiences and also about other good trails in the area.

This last weekend I did Path400 (caution: not fully open yet) to Beltline to Stone Mountain. I am thinking of doing the Chattahoochee Riverwalk/Bike next. Anyone interested in joining?

Super liked your post. Did you bike the Chattahoochee river-walk?

@Anita: Yes! But I'm always game for Columbus. Not sure whether or not to drop my coordinates here, maybe admin can help get connected.

Yes if you are trying to get connected but don't want to publicly post your email, send it to me at contact@bikesilvercomet.com. Then I'll share the emails with you both.

I have some logistical questions. Is it possible to rent bikes at one end or the other, complete the trail, and somehow get the bikes back to where they belong? Any ideas?

Ride it back. ;-)

My friend and I are going to ride the trail for four days.

Can we park at trailhead? If not please tell me where?

You can call me at 210-373-2038.

We plan to start riding on September 26, 2019.

Jorge Tijerina

Congratulations to Jacksonville, AL trail maintenance department, all ungulations have been leveled, much safer ride now. Would be great if Jacksonville could teach Piedmont and Cleburne county how to mill down the raised asphalt.

Feb 18, 2020
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Silver Comet Trail Bridge over Noses Creek in Powder Springs will remain closed another month after heavy rains delayed repair work.

The wooden bridge has been undergoing maintenance for damaged supports and overgrown trees. It is now scheduled to reopen after March 20.

...

Full article:
https://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/silver-comet-trail-bridge-closure-extended-after-rains/yDe8HtvGjHVolaOz3iICuK/

Marker is on wrong side of road

Move the marker to the East Church Street location

Also there is a primative camp site on the "U" shaped dip, between MP 45 & 46. This dip is also the actual location of the trail.

The marker is in the wrong place.
Move it to Grady Road.
And the trail highlight is also incorrect.
The trail follows the thin green line over Mt. Trashmore.

FYI

I wanted to see if I could answer this for myself by reading the materials on this site but I confess I have not reviewed everything yet. I hope to do the round trip Smyrna to Anniston and back this March. I have never been there but I see there is a small parking lot at the trailhead in Smyrna. I am slow and expect it to take me 4 days to do the trail so my truck will be in a parking lot for 4 days and 3 nights.

I have some questions I hope someone can help with.

1. Since the trail closes at sunset, does the parking lot also close?

2. If I can keep my vehicle there overnight, is it reasonably safe? Of course there are no guarantees but I guess I am asking whether it is known to be unsafe. It seems to me a solitary vehicle there multiple days overnight will be an obvious target.

3. Is there a particular hotel/motel where they will let me keep the truck there for multiple days if I stay one night, and that is close enough to the trail for me to ride my bike to the trail on somewhat safe roadways?

4. I could start and end somewhere other than the GA trailhead. Is there secure parking (e.g., public, paid for parking in a secure lot) somewhere else along the trail?

Thank you for any assistance.

There is a place to park your bike overnight at the rear of the Weaver Police Department(WPD), which is monitored by camera. Parking is availabe over night also if desired. Motel is about two miles from the WPD.

Thank you very much Sir.

I would park at the Paulding County Government Parking lot.
Address: 240 Constitution Blvd., Dallas , Ga.
It has lights, cameras, and Sheriff patrols.
This lot is in Dallas and you access the SCT by bike trail East on 278 to Tara Drummond Park.

are motor asisted bikes allowed

Did 45 today from Hiram to Rockmart and back. Trail was a mess after last night’s storm. Lots of downed trees and debris everywhere.

You can use an electric bike if 750 watts or less and does not have a throttle, must be a peddle assist only.

I'm thinking of riding from Smyrna to Anniston. Does anyone know of a shuttle service from Anniston to Smyrna? Thank you.

are motor asisted bikes allowed it is not a dirt bike or motorscooter motor asisted bike

Scroll down to a discussion about “E-Bikes” on 4/15/2019. Sounds like it’s okay to me.

are motor asisted bikes allowed it is not a dirt bike or motorscooter motor asisted bike

Have you a map showing lodging spots along the length of the Ladiga/Comet?

Have an opinion of security of car park at the Anniston trailhead?

THANK YOU!

Hi Barry and Candace, please use the following link to see a list of all lodging along the Silver Comet and Chief Ladiga trails. This is the Trip Planner tool with "Lodging" selected. As you'll see, you can customize the list to include other types of services as well.

https://bikesilvercomet.com/planner.aspx?scid=14&ecid=1&rt=0&svcs=|3|

If you know of any errors or omissions, please let us know.

Hopefully someone will have some insight on Anniston parking.

Happy trails!

The Silver Comet Trail bridge over Noses Creek, located near the Carter Road parking lot and trail mile marker 8.4, will be closed from Jan. 6 to Feb. 20....

Source: Tribune Ledger News

Full story:
https://www.mdjonline.com/news/silver-comet-trail-closure-at-noses-creek-bridge/article_f9e62efa-15ef-11ea-a8ab-af3040881248.html

Hello everyone,

I am a runner on the silver comet every weekend and am currently training for a marathon next month (my 6th). For anyone familiar with that process, it's important to get some training runs in with some miles at your goal race pace. That being said, I figured I would ask the most knowledgeable folks this question. Rather than going from Coot's Lake to Hiram (18 miles), is there any stretch that is flat for a long time or at least less hilly than that route that would support an 18 mile run? I am willing to even go out 9 miles, 9 miles back if it means it was on a flat route. Additionally, I have become so familiar with Coots Lake to Hiram that it totally messes with my head now because I recognize certain points. Figured it was worth a shot to ask, or if you know of any long flat stretches in the metro atlanta area or close to it that would support an 18 mile run, whether out and back or not, please let me know! Happy I stumbled upon this forum and hope being a non-cyclist doesn't deter any tips.

Thank you guys!
Garrett

I have found that from Cedartown, GA to Piedmont, AL is the flattest 24 miles with very little other traffic or cross streets.

Is there a shuttle service available at this time? Looking at riding the trail Sept 23-26th, of this year. I have searched and called and do not seem to find anything. Many thanks

Has anyone ridden the trail end to end and utilized Amtrak on the return trip?
I did this on the Katy trail last year and it worked great.

I just called about this 8/2019. While the Crescent line can accommodate bikes, the Anniston station is unmanned so there is no way to get a bike checked into the baggage car. They do not yet have 'walk-on' bike service, but some news outlets have reported that they are working on changing this.

I'm unable to pedal a bike for long period of time. Are e-bikes allowed for pedal assistance?

I do not know IF they are allowed;
however, only wanted to report back to you that 2 weekends ago I saw 3 E-Bikes on The Comet in the Rockmart vicinity.

Of the 33 states that explicitly define e-bikes, some state laws, such as in Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Utah and Washington, specifically allow e-bike operation on facilities such as bicycle paths or greenways, with the caveat that many carve out exceptions for localities to enact stricter operation regulations on such bike and pedestrian facilities. Georgia’s law simply states “Electric assisted bicycles may be operated on bicycle paths.” In Delaware, Florida, Iowa and Nebraska, electric bicycles are defined within the existing definition of a bicycle, therefore there is not a distinction when it comes to operation on trails. Vermont specifies that motor-assisted bicycles are governed as bicycles and have the same rights and duties applicable to bicyclists.

I think there is actually a posted speed limit isn't there (I know I don't have to worry about breaking it on my bicyle! :- )?
What brings this question to mind is the recent other Original Post inquiring if E-Bikes were allowed ... The E-Bicyclists with whom I spoke told me that their E-Bikes travel along at 17mph on level paved surface.

The posted speed limit in the rules of the trails is 15MPH

Is it $15 per person or per campsite?

is there a special rate for 3 or more nights?

Thank God, they put a tobacco mart smack in the middle of a 100 mile bicycle route. Good to know. Gonna get me some smokes to help me through the last 50.
Maybe the next town will have a place I can sell a pint of blood mid-tour?

I'm new to biking and would love to join a group that goes riding on the trail from Powder Springs (Florence Rd). I'm open for mornings or afternoon rides. I just got my bike so you will have to bear with me, I haven't been on a bike for years so I'm a little wobbly. My ultimate goal is to get enough endurance where I can take the ride to Alabama in September.