Find the top rated trails in Gadsden, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Tennessee River Greenway is a short, but scenic, route in southern Huntsville with a forested area on one side and the river on the other. The trailhead at Ditto Landing offers a great place to...
This is a rolling paved trail that follows along the shoreline of Guntersville Lake and is alongside Sunset Drive. Some of the hills are a little long, but there are plenty of flat areas as well. The...
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...
The Silver Comet Trail follows the bed of the old Seaboard Air Line. From 1947 to 1969, the shiny Silver Comet passenger train provided luxury service between New York and Birmingham. Today, three...
The Silver Comet Trail follows the bed of the old Seaboard Air Line. From 1947 to 1969, the shiny Silver Comet passenger train provided luxury service between New York and Birmingham. Today, three...
This is a rolling paved trail that follows along the shoreline of Guntersville Lake and is alongside Sunset Drive. Some of the hills are a little long, but there are plenty of flat areas as well. The...
A rugged trek through the North Georgia mountains, this 4.5-mile trail is ideally suited to hikers and mountain bikers. Despite its quiet, dense forest setting, the Simms Mountain Trail does pass...
The Tennessee River Greenway is a short, but scenic, route in southern Huntsville with a forested area on one side and the river on the other. The trailhead at Ditto Landing offers a great place to...
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...
This is a rolling paved trail that follows along the shoreline of Guntersville Lake and is alongside Sunset Drive. Some of the hills are a little long, but there are plenty of flat areas as well. The...
The Silver Comet Trail follows the bed of the old Seaboard Air Line. From 1947 to 1969, the shiny Silver Comet passenger train provided luxury service between New York and Birmingham. Today, three...
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...
A rugged trek through the North Georgia mountains, this 4.5-mile trail is ideally suited to hikers and mountain bikers. Despite its quiet, dense forest setting, the Simms Mountain Trail does pass...
The Tennessee River Greenway is a short, but scenic, route in southern Huntsville with a forested area on one side and the river on the other. The trailhead at Ditto Landing offers a great place to...
This trail is part of the Huntsville Greenway system. The northern end of this trail is connected to the southern end of the Aldridge Creek Greenway at the entrance to Ditto Landing Park on Hobbs Island Road. There isn't a parking lot at this point but I guess you could park on the side of the road. The trail proceeds south for a short distance to the main part of the Ditto Landing Park. Although this trail has little or no markings or signs, Ditto Landing is small enough that it is hard to get lost. Just ride past the pavilion and south to the river, then turn east (left) and you will run into the main part of the greenway, a wide paved trail along the river.
A little ways down the trail, you will pass by an old warehouse with a large, flat concrete area going out to a docking port on the riverbank. This is the old State Docks which hasn't been used in decades. The trail continues on by the river to the Madison County Marina at the east end of the trail.
This is a short but pretty trail with good views of the river including the US-231 bridge. You will often see a lot of small boats on the river with the occasional barge going by.
Although it is a short trail, combining this with the Aldridge Creek Greenway (another nice trail) makes for a very nice ride.
Roughly a 26-mile round trip, this is a beautiful stretch of the Silver Comet trail. It is pretty flat most of the way, all though I joked with my wife that it seemed like it was uphill both ways. It practically always seemed like we were going slightly uphill, but I guess that was an illusion, since clearly we couldn't have been going uphill both ways! There is a lot of shade and the ride is interesting as you ride through forests, over a high bridge, and through a couple of tunnels. One thing to know: the beach at Coot's Lake is no longer open to the public. We got caught in an unexpected heavy thunderstorm and sought shelter there until the storm passed, but were rebuffed by the owner. We were two veterans on July 4th simply seeking shelter from the rain for a few minutes. Sad. Anyway, stay away from there - they don't want you there. Otherwise, the trip was great.
This trail was easily the most welcome surprise I found after enrolling at Jacksonville State University. Paved and flat, it's a perfect trail for beginners (like yours truly) but the sheer length of the trail opens it up to experienced wayfarers as well. It's a beautiful, tree-lined experience with plenty of shade for extended trips. My usual routes are from the Jacksonville train station to Alexandria-Jacksonville hwy and from Park Place Apartments to Germania Springs Park, alternating which one I do each day. Both are just over 3 miles round-trip. The trail is lively -- so lively, in fact, that I've never gona down it without meeting at least 3 others. If you prefer your walk in solitude, then this trail is not what you're looking for. Otherwise, I believe everyone should give Ladiga a shot! Also, if you wish to go further, the trail becomes the Silver Comet Trail at the state line, extending on into Georgia.
We parked at Esom Hill, close to the GA/AL border. We rode the Comet east to Cedartown mi53 (see my reviews of other sections of Comet), then turned around and rode west to Borden Springs. 27mi roundtrip. Trail is concrete in GA, then turns to asphalt in AL, but both well maintained. It runs through the woods almost the whole way. Shaded, but no scenery but trees. No facilities either. It is a rail-trail, and you think its flat, but its not. Esom Hill is the crest, and its down hill both ways from there - about 100ft elevation change on both sides. But its gradual, so its very doable. But you will notice the difference one direction over the other. Will return to do final west section.
We parked at Esom Hill, close to the GA/AL border. We rode the Comet east to Cedartown mi53 (see my reviews of other sections of Comet), then turned around and rode west to Borden Springs. 27mi roundtrip. Trail is concrete in GA, then turns to asphalt in AL, but both well maintained. It runs through the woods almost the whole way. Shaded, but no scenery but trees. No facilities either. It is a rail-trail, and you think its flat, but its not. Esom Hill is the crest, and its down hill both ways from there - about 100ft elevation change on both sides. But its gradual, so its very doable. But you will notice the difference one direction over the other. Will return to do final west section.
First time on the Comet at the recommendation of a friend. He wasn't kidding - this is a great trail. Well maintained with beautiful scenery. Road the leg from the Georgia State line to Cedartown. Wow just wow. Will do again soon.
I've ridden a number of rail trails and the Chief Ladiga is the best yet. Started in Piedmont AL and the parking was the best; clearly marked lot right behind the police station! Couldn't ask for a better start. Well marked and groomed trail throughout our ride to the Georgia State line. Several stops along the way allow you to rest and even have a picnic lunch. Only needs one or two more bathroom facilities. Worth the drive to cycle this great trail. Will do so again soon.
For a long, late fall weekend, my wife and I based camped at the Chief Ladiga Trail Campground. The campground is located in the Talladega N.F. approx. 7 miles from the GA state line. It is on the trial with plenty of acreage, a running creek, clean showers and a great staff (Terry & his dog Honey)! Hopping onto the trail riding east, we went through some of the most scenic RtTs we have ever rode. You will ride slightly uphill through beautiful forest and creeks until you hit the state line, the photo stop. You will continue with the same scenery, but on concrete, until you “dog leg” at the outskirts/industrial area of Cedartown. After the loop and city street maze, you can visit Cedartown via the unique S. College St. bridge or S. Main St. at the depot. The depot is a great spot to break and has a small museum and bathrooms. There are a couple of unique places to lunch but since it was Sunday most of the place were close so we ate some awesome Sunday-after-church fried chicken at Bojangles. While in town, ride round to courthouse to see the local sports statues. These parts of the CL & SC trails were great but bring plenty of fluids and be careful at all the crossings. After returning the same way, we had a great night sleep and I hit the CL trial westbound.
This is a continuation of my ride on the Silver Comet Trail. What a beautiful ride west through the Talladega NF with a taste of the “old South”. Passing the N.F., you will travel tangent a roadway until you arrive at Piedmont and the Eubanks Welcome Center. The town was tearing down the old cotton/textile mill which is now common in the south, but I could not overcome an overwhelming since of melancholy in the sense we are destroying all our history, but….. The trail to Jacksonville is less woodsy, hillier and more populated but still very nice. Watch on the left side for the white sea mines in the “tree tunnel” before you travel through the impressive campus of Jacksonville State University. The trail remains much the same as before while your travel through Weaver to abruptly stop at the terminus, Holley Farm Road Trailhead just north of Anniston. The CL trial is asphalt and has some minor rough sections but nothing that takes away from its enjoyment. The towns and locals along the path take pride in the trail and are very welcoming to cyclist. If you get the opportunity, I would recommend visiting downtown Anniston by car along the unique Quintard Ave and eating at the local’s favorite Matas Greek Pizza. I think my love of this trail system stems the opportunities to camp, hike & bike all in one GREAT place.
My husband and I drove to Anniston, Alabama from New Orleans and spent 2 days riding the Chief Ladiga and Silver Comet Trail. We stayed in Anniston and drove to Piedmont to ride to the Georgia State line. The trail was smooth and the scenery was beautiful. On Tuesday, we drove a little passed Rockmart, Georgia to ride the Silver Comet Trail. We wanted to ride through the train tunnel and across the tressel bridge, which was very cool. This trail was even smoother and the scenery was equally beautiful. We are looking forward to doing it again. If riding around this time, bring lots of gear to brave the cold weather.
This is a lovely trail full of beautiful nature. We entered the trail in Smyrna, keeping our kids to the right side of the path to allow passing. Within 5 minutes a cycler came speeding up on us, we only knew because the people behind us were screaming for him to slow down after almost hitting their small child. He continued on In the right lane knocking my 3yr old nephew off his bike and to the ground, not stopping until others demanded he stop. Same thing happened on the way out as we were leaving, this man got off his bike and came after the family who yelled for him to slow down! I am horrified by the lack of courtesy for children by these cyclers we encountered and hope that this is not common and that next time will be a different experience.
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