Silver Comet Trail

Where is the Silver Comet Trail?

The Silver Comet Trail is located approximately 13 miles northwest of Atlanta, Georgia. It is a multiuse path for walking, biking, roller blading, etc. Motorized vehicles are not on the trail. Silver Comet is fully paved for an astonishing 94.5 miles spanning from mid-Georgia to mid-Alabama. The path becomes the Chief Ladiga Trail after 61.5 miles (from AL state line) from mile point 0 in Georgia.

Are there rest stops on the Silver Comet Trail?

At mile point 0, Mavell Road Trailhead, there is parking, bathrooms, and water fountains. The parking here fills up especially on weekends, so if you want to guarantee a spot, go early.

There are multiple rest stops on the trail which you can find on the Silver Comet Trail Website. However, not all water fountains work so beware. It might be better to have enough water if you don’t want to go off the path to get more.

What should I expect riding the Silver Comet Trail like?

This path is paved and mostly flat, making it the best place for Atlanta cyclists to train for a long distance at a higher speed. I would go here for training for sure. I think it is the go-to path if I want to see how far I can go without other difficulties such as hills. Since it goes across the entire west side of Georgia, it’s very interesting to see the changes in culture and landscape.

The vibe of the towns change from “metropolitan” to very “country” feeling. Especially near Rockmart (mile point 39) and Cedartown (mile point 52), the towns feel very different from Atlanta!

What’s very obvious once you ride this trail is the easiness of riding. The path is super smooth and flat. At least the first 30 miles from mile point 0 near Atlanta was flat. Near mile point 45, there is a short section of steep hills. In my opinion, this segment of the trail passes by the fastest due to amazing downhills.

As a biker, I recommend going early in the morning. The path becomes less easy to maneuver past 8 am with more people on weekends.

There was shade for majority of the route, making it nice and cool even in the summer heat. It does make it a little darker and cooler in the winter. In the spring, the trail turns yellow from pollen…ugh.

There are minimal stops such as road crossings. After around mile point 10, there are minimal vars on the already minimal road crossings. (make sure to slow down and be careful though!) Only one or two road crossings were larger intersections. Most of the crossings were very small roads or driveways to businesses.

What can I expect to see on the Silver Comet Trail?

The views were really nice! There are sections of the path that simply opens up to great views. There are also elevated bridges that give great views of hills and forests. Still, I will say there is less excitement the more you go. It’s an easy training location but will end up being more on the boring side with less adrenaline rushes. There are small side trails for extra excitement but not many. I say this since I personally like a mix of on-road and off-road.

At around mile 30, there is a very large tunnel. It looks amazing and feels amazing to ride through. However, it was wet majority of the times I have gone.

Can I do the Silver Comet Trail in One Day?

A small concern if you want to ride the whole thing is the distance. There are hotels but not many close to the trails. It would be important to plan your ride so you can properly save energy while actually making it to your hotel. Camping should be allowed at specific locations. In my opinion, riding the whole thing would be a two-day trip to truly enjoy it without simply grinding (unless you’re a macho strong rider)