Biking on the Silver Comet Trail

If you're a bicycle rider looking for a place to ride, especially if you have kids, then you need to check out the Silver Comet Trail outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Part of the rails-to-trails project, the trail runs the route of the old Silver Comet train. The tracks have been removed, the trail paved and, voila!, a beautiful trail for bike riders, walkers, in-line skaters, etc. You may even run into horses out in Paulding County. And being built on an old train route, the biggest hills you have are the bridges built over the streets.

The trail travels through three of Georgia's counties - Cobb, Paulding, and Polk. When complete, the trail will connect to the Chief Ladiga Trail in Alabama for an eventual 101 mile trip. (According to the PATH Foundation, there is a 9 mile section between Grady Rd and Cedartown still under construction. I haven't made it out that far to check it out.)

Although the trail officially begins in Smryna on Mavell Rd. (near Nickajack Elementary School), there is a connector to a shopping area at the intersection of South Cobb Dr. and the East-West Connector. Here you can refresh yourself at the local restaurants or gear up and head out. The first trailhead is at Mavell Rd. Reset your odometers to zero and go west, young man! About half of the trailheads have restroom facilities; a few have snacks and drinks available or easy access to local shopping.

I usually travel in the first twenty mile stretch, because of where I live. What I love about it is the beautiful scenery and the friendly people. If you are out for a cycling workout, try early mornings, as it can be highly used by pedestrians later in the day, which may slow you down. Along the way, the Silver Comet Trail connects to smaller trails such as Wildhorse Creek Trail and Lucille Trail in Powder Springs. Check these out for the flora and fauna - I've seen rabbits galore, several varieties of birds and have even been lucky enough to have a deer stare me down!

These are the trailheads and their mile marker: