Bike Forums - Silver Comet Trail Photos

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How do you get to the coffee house in Rockmart? Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaveyGravey (Post 20794920)

How do you get to the coffee house in Rockmart? Thanks

212 S Marble St, Rockmart, GA 30153

It is right on the square.

-Tim-

Feb 17, 2019.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d378c3367f.jpg

This geodetic marker is embedded into the wall at the west end of the Brushy Mountain Tunnel. A complete description of the marker is at https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_...?PidBox=DG1052.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6065ce6ffc.jpg

Looking forward to getting on out on the Silver Comet Trail once the time change happens. I Road on the trail quite a bit this winter after work with my new lighting system. Weather was very rainy though. Nice pics @TimothyH

Tim, great photos and the trail looks awesome. Have a few questions for you.

Am thinking about driving down from SC and riding the trail for a couple of days.

How would you approach it if you wanted to park and ride for 50 miles or so (maybe a little longer), then find a place to eat sleep, and ride back to the vehicle the next day?

thanks for any info

There aren't going to be many accommodations along the trail in terms of motels. I know there is a hotel or motel at the western end of the trail. The area is very rural once outside of the Atlanta Suburbs. There are a couple of campsites.

I think the most interesting parts of the trail are from Hiram to Rockmart although I've not explored into Alabama much.

You could contact @jppe who just rode the whole trail with an overnight in Piedmont. See https://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plu...iga-trail.html

You might also get some feedback at https://www.atlbike.org.

-Tim-

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flip Flop Rider (Post 20932723)

Greetings!

You really need to ride the trail! For what you’re interested in I’d suggest doing a hotel in Cedartown. They have an old depot that hosts cyclist using the trail. Cedartown is at the halfway point on the combination of the two trails. From there you could ride either direction for 50 miles. I’d suggest riding south to Anniston. It’s pretty flat that direction. Plus you cross the state line where the two trails meet. Be sure and sign the book in the mailbox! The only towns between Cedartown and Anniston on the trail are Piedmont and Jacksonville. Piedmont is a great place to refuel. They even have a house that’s the “Welcome Center” for the trail. Piedmont has a coffee shop/bakery/deli as well. There is also a grocery store with a deli a block off the trail.

Piedmont is about half way to the end of the trail. What I’d suggest is riding to the end of the trail which is in Anniston. However the trailhead is in north Anniston and it’s difficult to bike into Anniston from there. Jacksonville is back up the trail about 5 miles. I stayed in the University Inn in Jacksonville which I’d highly recommend. It’s locally owned and only $50. The rooms have been refurbished and you can request a room on the first floor with your bike. It’s on a major highway but accessible by bike. It’s about a mile off the trail. There’s also a Hampton Inn but I’ve used University Inn a number of times with no issues.

You can bike to places to eat and stores for supplies are a block away. I got up early the next morning and Huddle House for breakfast wasn’t far away and open 24/7. It’s on the 4 lane major highway but there was no traffic on the highway at 5:00 am! I used google maps on my phone to get me back to the trail from there. Very easy.

You could also head the other direction from Cedartown towards Smyrna but I haven’t researched lodging near the trail in that direction. It’s really heavy traffic at the trail end but the trail has a connector that continues for a long ways. Perhaps close to a hotel. There is a pretty hilly 10 mile section before Rockmart. Yesterday I measured some hills at 13-14%! They are not long but you will definitely be in your easiest gears! That way is probably a little more scenic with tunnels and creek crossings. But in the last 10+ miles there are a lot of street crossings where you really need to watch for traffic. It’s also more heavily used by everyone since it’s Atlanta suburbs. They do have more trailheads with rest rooms in that direction. If it were me I’d just ride to from Cedartown to Rockmart and back and forego going all the way to the end.

The Chief Ladiga Trail is an asphalt surface like a wide golf cart path. It’s nice but tree roots have created bumps in wooded sections. They’ve recently marked those bumps with paint to warn cyclists that are doing a time trial on it today. The Silver Comet Trail is like an interstate for bikes!! It’s generally wide concrete with a yellow center line marking! You can ride road bikes on both trails as they are paved end to end.

There is a coffee shop in Rockmart but not much else. They do have a welcome center for cyclist that has a restroom and water though. With luck you might see them filming the movie!

I have a spreadsheet/cue sheet for the two trails combined that you are welcome to. It has convenience stops on it as well. If you’d like a copy just let me know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jppe (Post 20934182)

There is a pretty hilly 10 mile section before Rockmart. Yesterday I measured some hills at 13-14%! They are not long but you will definitely be in your easiest gears!

The hills between Rockmart and Cedartown can be avoided by taking Morgan Valley Rd from Rockmart. This becomes Antioch Rd when it crosses the line into Floyd County.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30008223

Morgan Valley/Antioch are scenic, low traffic and add opportunities for two store stops. The additional 1 mile north through Cedartown is four lane but only moderately trafficked and very manageable.

This is the route we take when we ride fixed gear centuries.

-Tim-

Is there a good guide of where to park, where not to park, less crowded parts of the trail, etc?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverRubicon (Post 20934465)

Is there a good guide of where to park, where not to park, less crowded parts of the trail, etc?

I found this on the internet

https://pathfoundation.org/trails/silver-comet/

Silver Comet Trail Georgia - Welcome :)

There also a couple of Facebook groups you might join. Just search for Silver Comet Trail. Steve Rowland is the administrator for one of the sites and he is very helpful.

I’ve browsed the official site in the past but never found it useful. Was hoping for more insider info. Atlantabikerides has great route and trip ideas but not the more basic details. I guess I need to throw the bike in the truck and feel it out for myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chong67 (Post 19641123)

I say from Marietta to Rambo Trail Head, it is alot of people, esp. on the weekends. I ride from Marietta to Paudling Chamber of Commere and stop at Chick-Fil-A or Zaxby for lunch.

Go to Google map and click on Bicycling option to see the trail and places to eat around it.

Started in Smyrna a few weekends ago. Honestly just didn't want to drive out to Hiram like we usually do and figured we were early enough for it to be fine. And it was on the way out. What I hadn't taken into account was all the walkers .... strollers.... lolligaggers.... meanderers (all wearing headphones, of course, or four across) that we'd run into on the way back. Teach me to be lazy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by here hold my ha (Post 20989403)

Darn Atlanta traffic...