Silver Comet / Chief Ladiga Forum

I really want to bike from Esom Hill trail head to the Chief Ladiga trailhead in Anniston, AL. I can handle 30 miles but don't think I would be able to make it back. I am curious if there are any Uber options in Anniston where you can get a lift with your bike back to Esom Hill. I may drive out to Anniston and bike a bit of the trail out there; then scout out the taxi companies or other transportation options. I figure I may be able to find a local there and pay them gas & transport fee for lift back to Esom Hill.

Did you find a taxi service or uber driver?

Does anyone know of any 'group' rides, which would be 'open to the public,' that are planned this spring or summer on the Silver Comet?

Try meetup.com and look for something called Silver Comet Trail Cycling. They started last fall; they had a few rides. Appears to be just regular riders and not the speed demons.

Thank you BM ... found it & joined.

No luck with meet up. Any other information pertaining to casual group rides? Don't enjoy riding solo.

https://www.meetup.com/Silver-Comet-Trail-Biking/

Hi all. I was planning an overnight trip in the next couple weeks starting at Camp Highland Rd in Smyrna near the Smyrna Bicycles. Is the little parking lot along the road a good place to leave a car overnight (relatively speaking)? It looks like it was probably built for the trail users. Also, has anyone stayed at the Chief Ladiga Campground in Piedmont AL? Was thinking about staying the night there, and heading back the next day. Appreciate any info you have. Thanks!

Anyone know if there are any current trail closures on any part of the Silver Comet Trail?

I plan to ride the trail from end to end , I have ridden the Silver Comet Trail from begining to Rockmart and back in 1 day, no hils at all, I see there are hills from the other side of Rockmart to Cedartown, how hard are they? I will train before I make this ride to make but I want to make it in 12hrs. what do you think! P.S. I am not a professional rider.

the hills are tough-- short but steep-- but they're only in a 4-5 mile segment with some flat areas in between hills. since it's on the trail, it's easy to pull over and catch your breath if needed. i'm a recreational rider and made it fine (but not without sweat and cursing)!

my husband and I did Smyrna to the line and back for 123 miles and were on the bikes 10 hours. trashmore mountain is a bad boy all right! I only cried once :) have fun! we are prepping to do a 2 days 200 mil out and back in the spring!

TM...are you still planning to do this this year? Alone? I'm training for it as well. Let me know and I'll send contact info.

I rode the stretch from Rockmart to the Chief Ladiga trail head. I didn't think the Trashmore mt section was too terrible. I seem to remember it even had swtichbacks which made it easier. I seem to remember a huge downhill stretch after this that seemed to go on for a few miles. I have riden the entire trail and the Rockmart to Cedartown stretch to me is by far the best.

I plan to do it one-way - from Atlanta to Anniston. Is there any way to bring my bike back on any vehicle. I found that Amtrak in this route does not have the facility to carry the bike.

What is the maximum width of trikes or quads on the trail due to the bollards (posts) that keep cars off the trail? My wife & I are thinking about getting a side-by-side quad but fear it will not fit between the posts. Some of the quads range from 38 to 55 inches wide. Anybody know a good source for these? We've read about Rhoads Car, Quadracycle LLC, etc.
Thank you.

Great place to start your ride from. Eddie and all the volunteers that staff the welcome center are very warm and friendly and offer a great place to stop if riding from another part of the trail. Bathrooms outside and one inside that has a shower to use if you bring a towel. I ride the CL/SC every few weeks and highly recommend this stop.

Good info Clark. - Many thanks

Are any parts of the trail closed

According to Google Search this location is closed. The link on the page is NSF.

Does anyone know of lodging at Coots Lake Beach Trailhead

About 1 mile west of Coots Lake .....
http://www.therockrvpark.com/
A few miles further west is Rome ....
http://www.romegeorgia.com/lodging.html

My apologies ... I just posted that ' "Rome" was a few miles further west.' I had intended to say that "Rockmart" was few miles further west. Sorry for that error on my part. Thx.

Coot's Lake, One of many beautiful places along the Silver Comet trail. Another 3 miles to the East and you enter the Brushy Mtn. Tunnel.

looking for good spot near aniston

Great lunch available at Soli's Soups, Salads and Sandwiches. Try the chicken salad and pimento cheese. Short distance off the trail in downtown.

Is a sub-50cc mobility-scooter allowed on the trail? Florida treats sub-50cc scooters similar to bicycles, in that they can drive on sidewalks and license plates are optional. Have read Georgia law and it likewise treats sub-50cc scooters like bicycles - in their own separate category. Mine has Florida handicap plates (service-connected disability). Family is planning to bike the trail and I'd like to tag along, if it's allowed?

Does anyone know of lodging at Don Williams Trail Head?

Does anyone know of lodging close to the Florence Road Trailhead?

Piedmont is the best access point for the trail. After a long ride, you can shower and change clothes at the Eubanks Welcome Center before your drive home. What a plus. Thanks!!

Are there any nearby motels that will let us bring our bikes inside for the night?

Which town?

We've stayed at many hotels from budget to 4-star and have never been told we couldn't take our bikes to the room.

Unfortunately they closed last year.

Can anyone suggest a hotel in Smyrna that is close to the trail or at least one you do not have to travel on a busy highway to reach?

Does anyone know how close the Amtrak station in Atlanta is to the trail in Smyrna? Or any shuttles that could transport us? Want to ride from Smyrna to Anninston and take the train back to Atlanta.
And I can't get a sense of this trail on hills. Is it hilly? Or just in a certain area?

Hi! The Amtrak station is located in Buckhead and about a 30 minute drive to the Silver comet trailhead. You might be able to get a taxi/uber. The trail is very flat because it was an old railway.

First, the Amtrak station is about 30 minutes drive from the Silver Comet Trailhead at Mavell Rd. You will, however, have issues because you cannot bring a bike on board at Anniston as they don't have baggage handling service at Anniston at this time. SO, your bike would have to fold down to be of carry-on size. Unfortunately, rail service WITH your bike is not feasible to/from Anniston. You could, however, do what I did and park your vehicle in Anniston and then ride Amtrak back the day or 2 before your ride.

Second, the trail is flat as it was built on a railbed. It does have slight (very slight) inclines and declines but nothing of note. There is, however, one VERY notable exception. The section from Grady Road to the Cedartown Depot (roughly 5-6 miles long) is very hilly. When you traverse this section, pay very close attention to the signs and markings on the trail. There is one downhill section that has a sharp curve at the end that will catch you off-guard if you are not careful.

My friend and I will be cycling the entire trail one-way Memorial Day weekend 2016 (2 days Sat. 28th /Sun 29nd),can start from either end ... seeking a shuttle if anyone knows of a service ... or someone willing to exchange vehicles and drive/meet half-way on Sun.29th or Mon.(30th).

A portion of the Chief Ladiga in Jacksonville is temporarily closed due to storm damage, details and photos:
http://www.annistonstar.com/gallery/chief-ladiga-trail-damage/collection_8ef55c5c-dbd2-11e5-afcc-87b1518a64f0.html

Is there a detour in effect that is easily followed, or do we need to have a map?

Please add Publix at Powder Springs shopping center to the services. It's right across the street from the trail entrance and is a great spot to stop for food, water or restrooms.

3721 New Macland Road
Powder Springs, GA 30127

Do u have monthly rentals and if so how much?

looking at a mid-november out & back ride ... how's the weather, then ......

I intend to run the entire trail (Silver Comet and Chief Ladiga) sometime in the next few months. As you have to be off the trail after dark, this will probably be a 2-3 day run. I'll be running alone - so the proverbial question: is there a safety issue? I'm a not very intimidating male.

A friend and I are looking to bike the trail from Smyrna to Anniston, and I'm wondering about how long it takes? We're not pro bikers or anything, but pretty athletic, so assuming an decent comfortable pace around how long will we be on the trail?

Myself and a group are riding this in October, just wondering if you had a answer to the question?

I rode Smyrna to Rockmart and back in May for 84 total miles. Riding time was 5.5 hours and elapsed time was 6.5 hours. I generally ride 15-20 mph so figure maybe 8-10 hours depending on how many stops you take. I will be riding the whole trail again at the end of October.

From everything I can find -- this motel is permanently closed?

BONESHAKER BICYCLES should be listed next to the comet trail by the Florence road trail head.
Sales,service,parts,rentals.
3401 Florence circle suit 300
Powder Springs GA 30127
770-222-2663
Tue-Fri 11 am - 6:30 pm
Sat 10 am - 4 pm
Sun 10 am - 3 pm
www.boneshakesbicycles.com

Thanks for the heads-up. I have added Boneshaker to the Powder Springs page.
Happy trails!

CYCOLOGY BIKE SHOP should be listed near this trailhead. It's just minutes from the trailhead in the Paulding Exchange shopping center at
4484 Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway
Hiram, GA 30141
P: 678-909-2472
Tue-Fri 11 am - 6 pm
Sat 10 am - 5 pm - Sun 1 pm - 5 pm cycologybikeshop.com

Thank you for the heads-up; I have added Cycology to the Hiram page.

The water fountain no longer works at the Van Wert Trailhead.

Does anyone know of a lodge or vacation home rental that would sleep 4 couples close to the trail. We wanted to avoid hotels and some of our group does not want to camp.

This Campground is actually at mile marker 34. From Smyrna to Rockmart take the McDowell Road exit off the trail just past mile marker 34 and Coot's Lake. The road dead ends into the campground and is just 300 yards off the trail. There is also a cheap motel across the street called Polk motel. But the campground was nice. The people were friendly. And the cost was just $15 a night. There is no camp store but you can get just about anything you need at the gas station at Coot's Lake less than a mile up the trail.

We were so glad to have you! We hope that you come back and stay with us again!

Anyone know of any regularly scheduled easy to moderate group rides on The Silver Comet, preferably on the eastern side ??? Thanks.

Is overnight parking at any of the eastern trailheads available? safe?

Here is a 'Parking' spot that I know is safe; however, it is maybe too far to the west of "east" for you .... as it is just east of Rockmart; plus, it would cost you $15 or so per day. It is a well run campground called The Rock that has been in business for years. If you chose to inquire with them you will probably find that Lydia is your point of contact, and John is the owner. Here is the webside with the "Contact" page:
http://www.therockrvpark.com/reservations.html
They are available by phone, as well, however, I have found that Lydia is even more responsive by email.
Best wishes on good Silver Comet fun :- ).

is it safe to run the trail or is it only for bikes?

GREAT for running, biking, skating, walking and ever just settin'-a-spell-'n-watching all the above fun times.... :-).

My 13 year old son along with me and my 21 year old nephew just completed a three day 172 mile trip along the trail. Other than being extremely hot we had a blast. We parked in Jacksonville at the old train depot on Thursday morning. We were on mountain bikes which are not great for speed on the trail. We had lunch at a local place called Knuckle Heads in Rockmart. Good atmosphere and the food was good. The ride up to the Brushy Mountain tunnel was a gradual incline the entire way. We spent the night in the Sleep Inn and Suites in Hiram. Very easy access to the trail. Lots of good restaurants within an easy walk of the hotel. The next morning my 13 year old slept while me and my nephew rode on to Smyrna. This was a very easy 28 mile round trip. Back to the hotel for naps and dinner. We were back I. The trail at 6:30 am. Hiram to Rockmart was fast and easy. Of course Rockmart to Cedartown is no joke. The heat index got as high as 112. We had lunch in Piedmont at the Solid Rock Cafe. Excellent food. We got there about 2:30. 76 miles total and we got to Jacksonville about 4:39. Great trip, but I want to go in the fall to see the fall colors.

We have started a new SAG business down the Silver Comet and Chief Ladiga Trail every Wednesday and Thursday rotating between Georgia and Alabama. We would love for you all to join us! Our website address is southernexpresssag.com

Thanks,
Winston and Tammy

We loved the 2 day bike ride with you all and hope to get the word out as much as possible. It was just a blast with the new friends we made and perfect weather. This is the perfect weekend and we were so well taken care of, and I would even use the word pampered :) The Hampton Inn hotel was brand new, cozy beds, and great outdoor pool. The dinner was delicious complete with a shuttle to the place. Great breakfast on Sunday and the ride back was so fun. We will be doing this again very soon. Thanks to Tammy and husband, and Winston and Heather.

contact info of SAG please

Anyone interested in starting a no drop Saturday morning group ride from the Silver Comet Depot?

Do police bike patrol the Silver Comet Trail?

Yes. There is a patrol car half the width of the trail that makes rounds. I've seen it primarily between Hiram and Rockmart, but never beyond that point.

My wife and I plan to ride from Rockmart to Anniston, spend the night at a B&B and ride back the next day. I am wondering where I can safely leave my car overnight in Rockmart. Safe from both thieves and tow trucks.

Does anyone have suggestions on where to park?

i am wondering if anyone has had experience staying at motels other than the holiday inn express in cedar town? there are no rooms available there on the nights we need. there is the country hearth inn? and another one of which i can't remember the name.

The Inn is approximately 1.2 miles from the trailer when you use the Tara Drummond Trail Head.

My riding buddy and I will be riding the SCT and Chief Ladiga trails (round trip) in early May. We'll have an overnight stay in AL.

Neither of us have ridden it before and have no idea about motel/hotel accommodations or eating places in AL. Would appreciate any hints/help anyone can give.

I am also a little concerned about the hills (I'm 80 years old)....are there several "notable" hills on the trails? If so, where?

Would appreciate any "lessons learned" if you are willing to share them with us.

Thanks.

I have ridden the Chief Lagida/Silver Comet Trail several times. There are some steep hills between Cedartown and Rockmart. The steepest hill are from Cedartown to about 5 miles to the east. There is also a steep hill on the west side of Rockmart. A few of these hills are steep enough the many people have to walk their bikes up the hill. The rest of the trail is either flat or has gradual climbs and descents. The hotel that I have recently stayed at on the Alabama side is the Hampton Inn in Jacksonville. I had a good stay there in March 2014.

The Eubanks Welcome Center has a website that lists the motels on the Chief Ladiga.
http://www.piedmontcity.org/ladigatrail.htm

I'd park in the middle and ride to one end and back on day one and then ride to the other end and back on day two. Nothing close to the trail in Alabama as far as I can tell. Rockmart Econolodge is not far from the trail and fairly centrally located and Rockmart is a better place to RON (remain over night) compared to Cedartown, IMHO.

Rode Chief Ladiga/Silver Comet 5/13-14/2015. Started at Anniston; overnight in Rockmart/Econolodge; ended in Smyrna. Beautiful. Honeysuckle smells all the way; scenic; no flats or other issues. The 'hills' between Cedartown and Rockmart at just rollers; short and steep with the operative word being short. 400 yards max but you MUST be in your lowest gear and hammer (maybe stand up) to get up....I was on a road bike (52/39 in front) and 12/25 in back....no real issues; my buddy on a hybrid missed a shift and wound up walking twice but only for a hundred yards or so....enjoy the ride. Pirkles Deli is the best place for lunch in Cedartown but they close at 3. Econolodge is hidden past McDonalds and behind AutoZone on 268 but you can get there thru the parking lots and avoid the highway. Enjoy and ride safe!

Would love to see development of coffee houses and restaurants along the Silver Comet trail. We like to do some leisurely biking and it would be great to be able to stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner along the way. We recently took some guests biking but missed bring able to take a break on a patio or terrace.

The Silver Comet is a great opportunity to get out in nature. And you want to clog it up with development? Why don't you just go walk or bike around your nearest mega-shopping mall?

what is the trail surface?

From what I've read, the entire trail is asphalt/cement/paved.

I haven't riden it from the state line over to Atlanta, but the entire AL side is paved.

The entire trail is paved.

Rode the entire distance of both trails this past weekend.

Saturday - Anniston, AL to Smyrna, GA

The trail for the entire length is in great condition. There are portions east of the state line on Silver Comet that were littered with some tree debris, such as branches and pine cones. Also, there's a few sections in GA that had standing water on the trail. Other than those items, I have zero complaints.

With respect to the elevation & difficulty of the ride, there's a couple serious climbs east of Cedartown, GA that are challenging, if you're not an experienced rider. Heading east out of Rockmart, there's a 6 mile gradual climb up to Brushy Mountain Railroad Tunnel. It's not steep, but it's long.

Between Piedmont and Cedartown, the trail is very remote with no chances to refill a water bottle or purchase food. Be fully stocked with plenty of both if the intention is to traverse that section.

I saw LOTS of wildlife that included rabbits, a couple small snakes, cows and dogs. These were all ON THE TRAIL! Not only did I have my firearm with me for protection, I also carried pepper spray in the event I had a run in with a not-so-nice dog (or any other animal). Fortunately, I didn't have to use either items.

Sunday's return trip was good. I think the climbs east of Cedartown and much more difficult traveling East to West. One of the climbs near the trash dump rewards riders with a fantastic view of the countryside looking north. Take a moment and enjoy the scenery.

is there a shuttle that will transport you and you bike from either end of the trail to the other?

I found a resource on craigslist that will drive me and a biking buddy from Smyrna back to Cedartown for $150; not cheap but it appears there are not many options at all. Another option we are evaluating is to stay in Cedartown and ride to Anniston and back one day and then to Smyrna and back on day two; makes for long days but avoids needing lots of logistics support. Even with two cars there would be lots of shuttling back and forth...another form of hassle. I'll be curious what you do since I'm riding in June after BRAG.

Riding both trails from west to east and back on a Saturday/Sunday in mid to late April. I'm an avid cyclist, but not hardcore. Average pace will probably be in the 14-16mph range. I will be staying at a friends' house in Marietta Saturday night. Wouldn't mind a companion for the trip, one way or the other, or both.

Please add Cycology Bike Shop as the only bike shop near this trail head. The Chain Station has been closed for a few years now.
Visit http://CycologyBikeShop.com or email me for more info.

Several of us (at least 2, maybe 3 or 4) plan to ride Chief Ladiga/Silver Comet following BRAG in June. If we stay in Cedartown, does anyone know of a resource that can drop us off in Alabama Sunday morning and/or pick us up at Smyrna on Monday afternoon?
Taxi probably doesn't work since we'll have bikes....

was out of town for several mths. but heard the horrible story about the woman who was beaten severely on the silver comet trail. have they caught the jerk who did that yet?

I read some on-line reports from a few years back (2008 and 2009 as I recall) of some trouble on the trail. Riders attacked/robbed.

Has this nasty problem been taken care of?

Are there sections of the trail that those who ride it frequently avoid?

Thanks for any information.

Four of us rode in June of 2012 and had no problems. We rode to the end and back over three days (Fri-Sun). I too was concerned and researched the issue but it appeared to be isolated. When we rode we saw many people on the trail. Most everyone was riding with at least one companion.

I have rode the entire trail from end to end about ten times and not once have I even felt a little bit threatened. Of course I am a male but overall this is a pretty safe trail. I am more concerned with bad weather (lightning) than I am of humans on the trail. The trouble on the trail in 2009 came about when we had the flooding rains that shut down sections of the trail due to erosion and trail damage. Seems like it brought out a bad element of people looking for thrills but I haven't heard of much since then.

This "nasty problem" will never be taken care of as long as evil people that want to hurt others have access to the trail.

The problem can be minimized to you personally IF you take care to provide yourself the means to repel such attacks.

My preference for that is an openly carried pistol with the mindset and ability to use it if the need arises.

If you're going to carry around something of such great value (your life), you might as well carry something to keep it from being taken from you.