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: [3 trail ratings]
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observations from a newbie
By tracianne on August 10, 2010
My husband & I have only been bicycling for a few months now, but we absolutely love to bike the Chief Ladiga Trail. It is paved and smooth enough for an out-of-shape 40-something to go the entire distance (not all at once) and have a very enjoyable time! The scenery & surroundings are beautiful.
Chief Ladiga Trail
By mhwillems on June 12, 2010
Started in Anniston/Oxford rode to Piedmont. Good beginners trail with plenty of rest places but the
best was in Piedmont Visitors Center. Where else can you meet interesting volunteers with much historical information, rest on porch in rocking chair of historical home, have ice cold water and indoor restroom.
They deserve an A+

M Willems
Riding the Chief Ladiga Trail
By bamajason on May 15, 2010
My wife and I started our ride at the end of the trail in Anniston and rode to Cedartown, Georgia and then back. Total was 86.5 miles. We really enjoyed the Alabama portion of the ride. The trail is flat and rolls through some very rural areas. Once we left Anniston, we rode through Jacksonville, but chose not to stop. Once we got to Piedmont, we ventured a couple of blocks off the trail to pick up some drinks at a local convenience store. At this point, I was unaware of the Eubanks Welcome Center another mile up the trail. I did not go in to the EWC, but my wife took advantage of the neighboring bathroom. I anticipated being able to stop further up the trail for more water, but was disappointed there was nothing else on the trail until we reached Cedartown. (I guess I will plan accordingly and pick up extra drinks in Piedmont the next time through). The Gateway Park on the state line was a nice resting point with picnic tables and benches in the shade. The trail was maybe a little narrower in Alabama than in Georgia, but was very smooth and kept very clean. I enjoyed the fact that much of the trail is in the shade. I would highly recommend this trail to anyone looking to get out for an enjoyable ride.
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