Imagine riding your bike through the countryside, peddling under large pines and near rock cliffs, past bubbling creeks, through quaint downtowns, on a trail that once was a railroad bed for sleek rail cars carrying passengers between New York City and Birmingham, Alabama. Now, stop imagining it and do it!

The Silver Comet Trail runs more than 60 miles from metro Atlanta, through Polk County, to the Alabama border. This non-motorized trail is perfect for walkers, hikers, bicyclists, rollerbladers, horses, and is wheelchair accessible.

Polk County’s access points to the trail are at Coot’s Lake Road, Van Wert Trailhead, Rockmart, Nathan Dean, Martin, Esom Hill and Cedartown Welcome Center at the Depot.

At the Georgia/Alabama state line, the Silver Comet connects to the 33-mile long Chief Ladiga Trail. Plans are underway to extend the Chief Ladiga an additional 7 miles. Both the Silver Comet Trail and Chief Ladiga are fully paved rail-trails built on abandoned railroad lines. The combined Silver Comet and Chief Ladiga trail length is estimated to be more than 100 paved miles from Smyrna, Georgia to Anniston, Alabama. For more information about the Silver Comet Trail, click here.