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Chief Ladiga Trail:
Alabama
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Description:
In northeast Alabama, the nearly 33-mile Chief Ladiga Trail is a regional playground that passes through welcoming towns and pastoral landscapes. Following a former CSX railroad corridor, the rail-trail is named for the Creek Indian leader who signed the 1832 Cusseta Treaty, surrendering the tribe's remaining land in the area. Remarkably flat and smooth the trails arcs from Woodland Park in Anniston northeast through small towns and quiet countryside to the state line. It begins on a slightly raised rail bed, then enters open fields, passing beneath canopies of pine, dogwood, and other native trees and alongside enchanting wetlands. You'll find numerous access points along the way. The first stop is Weaver, where you might want to pop into the nearby grocery store for snacks. Back on the trail, twin stone foundations of a railroad trestle flank the route. Five miles along, in Jacksonville, you'll pass a train depot awaiting restoration and the Jacksonville State University campus. Just off the trail is the historic town square, which boasts several shops and restaurants (climb Mountain Street and turn right on Route 21). Keep alert over the following nine miles, as you may catch a deer or fox watching you. You'll soon reach central Piedmont, a quaint community that embraces the trail with a welcome center, benches, and a sandwich shop just steps away. From Piedmont the scenery begins to change. Duggar Mountain and the southern Appalachians provide a backdrop to fields that transition to forests. Terrapin Creek skirts the trail, and soon a bridge carries you over it. Here, the trail travels through protected wilderness within Talladega National Forest. Equestrians, please check the trail website and contact the trail manager to inquire about equestrian use on the trail.
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Parking & Trail Access:
Directions: From I-20, take Exit 185 and head north about 10 miles through Anniston on Route 1/Quintard Avenue, then bear right on McClellan Boulevard/Route 21 on the north side of town. A few miles past the split, turn left on Weaver Road, continue about a mile, then turn left again on Holly Farms Road to the well-marked Woodland Park trailhead. Contact: Jacksonville State University Environmental Policy & Information Center 700 Pelham Road North, Suite 246 Jacksonville, AL 36265 (256) 782-5681
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Reviews: [1 trail ratings]
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good eats on chief ladiga
By ybrmcjf on September 06, 2009
The chief is great and the communities on the trail are very accomodating to cyclists, so if you want to support the communities please do business in them - like eat! My favorite place in Piedmont AL is 'Solid Rock Cafe' in the town, about 2 blocks off of trail. Great coffee/ice cream/sandwiches. Closes at 3:00 on Saturday and closed on Sunday. My favorite place in Cedartown, GA is 'Moores' that has just opened under new owner. Very gourmet type sandwiches at very reasonable prices. Open 7 days a week (only sandwiches on Saturday and only meat-and-3 on Sunday). To get there coming from AL, once you hit the main (only) drag in Cedartown, turn left and go 2 blocks down on left. These are small towns that could really use some tourist support.
Skating Without Worry
By SPDSKTR on August 11, 2009
As the head coach of Birmingham's (to our knowledge) only inline speed skating team, finding a place to train for our long distance outdoor events. The Chief Ladiga Trail is perfect for us! No cars, long distances, smooth pavement (with the exception of tree roots beginning to surface)... it's a speed skater's dream come true!

We've biked the whole distance to the Silver Comet Trail and, before the two trails connected, skated until we ran out of trail! I'm sure we were merely a few miles from the Silver Comet side and we would have gone the distance if able.

We all really like the company we meet out there, too. We seem to impress all the cyclists we encounter out there as we match or even exceed their speeds. I think my favorite section is the downhill before the little park located next to Federal Mogul. It allows us to achieve speeds of 25+ MPH with little effort... 34+ MPH if we intend to sprint.

I highly recommend this trail for EVERYONE! This is the perfect place for a family getaway if they're looking for something fun and healthy to do.

-Justin "SPDSKTR" Horn
Riding the SCT and CLT
By dweav256 on June 09, 2009
My wife, kids and I rode the Chief Ladiga Trail last weekend. We did it in three days. On Friday, my two daughters, ages 9 and 10 rode from the Eubanks Welcome Center in Piedmont, Al (where we live) to the Georgia state line. It is 14 miles to the states line, and we actuall rode about 2 miles beyond that (this two miles was on the Silver Comet Trail, since it connects to the Chielf Ladiga Trail at the state line). We rode round trip, so my girls and I rode 30 miles on Friday.

On Saturday, we started at the Eubanks Welcome Center and rode the other direction, all on the Chief Ladiga Trail. We rode to marker 24, and beck, a total of 20 miles.

On Sunday we finished riding the CLT, we loaded up my truck with the bikes, and parked at marker 24, then road to the end ot the trail (marker 33, approx.), and back, for 18 miles on Sunday.

I will say we are hooked on the CLT, it is awesome. Our next goal is to ride the Silver comet trail, in Ga. Starting this Sat., we are going to ride the first leg of the trail

Another interesting not, my wife and i have decided to open up a Bed and Breakfast here in piedmont, for trail users. For more information go to www.chiefladigatrailbedandbreakfast.com.

ttyl,
Don
Trail Photo
Trail Facts
Trail End Points: Anniston, AL to Alabama-Georgia State Line
Counties: Calhoun, Cleburne
Trail Length: 33 miles
Trail Category: Rail-Trail
Trail Surfaces: Asphalt
Trail Activities: Walk, Bicycle, Inline Skates, Mountain Bicycle, Fishing, Wheelchair

Related Links
Guidebook: Learn more about other Southeast rail-trails in RTC's Southeast Guidebook.
Trail of the Month: March 2004