Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Calhoun, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
This trail has been built in many sections over the years with the last middle connector nearing completion. There was a period that some repairs seemed to have been ignored but within the last few months they have repaired a lot of damage that was either done by fallen trees or some rotten wood on the decking. The section that is currently connected to the Riverpark has parking at that location as well as North Hawthorne, Sterchi Farms and Faith Rd. Sterchi Farms is currently closed due to the upgrades that are being done on this area. The trail is technically closed at this point but most people just continue on because they are only disturbing about a 100 yard length of the trail and typically aren't even working on the trail itself anymore. The 2 bridges in this section are really nice bridges. This section stays right on the creek for the most part except where it goes behind Waterhaven Subdivision (thank you to those owners for their easement along their properties). There is an elevated section that climbs pretty far up the hillside to get around a large rock outcrop but gives a very nice elevated view of the creek. They have added bathrooms at Sterchi Farms recently as well as a covered picnic area. Adjacent to this area is a large area for climbing and playing.
The section currently connected to Camp Jordan has the levee that is pretty level and smooth but is mixed sections of packed and loose gravel so be aware of that if you do not like that type of surface. It does return to asphalt prior to going under I-75. There is a point where it crosses Brainerd Rd that you have to cross, at a traffic light, or go down the stairs, under the bridge then back up the stairs. The rest is all paved surface including the loop around Camp Jordan that used to be gravel.
The Chief Ladiga trail, to me, is a great extension of the Comet (or the Comet is an extension of the Ladiga?) in my opinion, the trail is a very fun trail, but you need to understand it to ensure it is fun for you. Coming from the Georgia border, the trail is very picturesque but there are some rural sections that are a little bumpy for the high pressure 700c crowd, although the 2" tire MTB crowd wouldn't notice anything. In my opinion, Piedmont to the border trailhead is fantastic, and Piedmont to Jacksonville State University is equally awesome. The ride from Jacksonville State University to Anniston is pretty pointless unless you are riding it just so you can say you did the whole thing. The Anniston terminus is very underwhelming, kind of just ending in the middle of nowhere near a small park area.
At the time of this review, Ebikes are not legal on the Chief Ladiga trail, regardless of class. In reality, they are fine IMO since there is zero enforcement and from what I understand, zero plans to enforce. Currently there is no legal distinction between a class 1 Ebike and a full dress Harley. As far as I know, Alabama is simply behind in recognizing Ebikes. We rode half the trail on Ebikes and half on acoustics and even used the Police Station parking in Piedmont to load/unload our Ebikes and had no issues. Ebikes are fun and this trail makes them more fun!
Lastly, there is a time change at the border of the Comet and the Ladiga. The comet is in Eastern time and Ladiga is in Central time. Great place to do some time travelling, and if you want to go for a record, you can start just barely on the Comet then ride to Piedmont to collect your new record time (at least by the clocks)!
Trail in excellent condition until you get past rockmart. Then a lot of leaves and debris on the path. Also is a busy trail near Smyrna but thins out quickly when traveling west bound
I LOVE the Silver Comet Trail! I ride on it about twice a week (usually from the beginning near Nickajack School), and it's just great. Keep it up!
I biked the Silver Comet Trail with my wife to the trail end at the GA/AL state line in 2016. The trail surface is paved and one of the best converted rail trails in the southeast. Very smooth.
I rode the trail's namesake Silver Comet train in the late 50's with my Mom and brother from Birmingham to Atlanta. Biking this trail brought back many memories of that train ride. Definitely worth a bike ride, especially during the week when it's less busy.
My wife and I rode from Piedmont to the AL/GA state line. The asphalt pavement was pretty good and the areas where tree roots had pushed up the pavement have been ground down. The trail is a steady climb starting just east of Piedmont up to the state line. The bridge transitions are fairly smooth. Starting at 8.7 miles (state line is 0.0) to 4.8 miles, we encountered many "road apples" (aka horse poop) on the pavement. Fortunately, the trail was not busy and we were able to dodge them. Apart from that, the trail is a nice ride.
My wife and I rode from the Mavell Trailhead (MM 0) to the Florence Rd trailhead on a Saturday afternoon. We enjoyed the paved trail and the fact that it was shaded most of the way. Also, every road crossing in this zone had a user-activated traffic light. Some of the busier roads had bridges over them, or underpasses. Being a Saturday afternoon, it was very busy. I used my "dingy" bell frequently to alert pedestrians that we were approaching. all in all, it was a good ride. If I were to ride it again, I'd try to do it on a weekday.
In early September 2021, I rode parts of the trail. On the first day, I rode from the Tara/Drummond Trailhead westward to the trail's intersection with Bethlehem Road and returned to the that same trailhead. Two days later, I rode from the trail's intersection with Bethlehem Road to Cedartown and returned to the Bethlehem Road intersection. The trailhead was well executed with ample parking and flush toilets. Other trailheads to the west offered less parking and portajohns. The concrete surface was not anywhere near as smooth as relatively new asphalt. I felt a constant jiggling through my bike which got to be annoying after a while going about 12 to 15 mph. Numerous areas of tree debris and leaves covered parts of the trail. Fortunately, it was a dry day, so the debris didn't contribute to any slipperiness. The route through Rockmart was not very well signed, necessitating a couple of u-turns. The surface through Rockmart had me thinking,"Why am I still on the trail when the adjacent city street looks to have a better surface?" West of Rockmart, the trail experience is less enjoyable as the surface is more uneven than east of town and openly parallels U.S.278. I returned to Rockmart heading east on U.S.278, a 4-lane 65 mph divided highway, which was a much better ride. The light to moderate traffic tolerated my presence as all of the drivers gave me the right lane with nary a honk. I always ride in bright-colored clothing, a red flashing rear light and a rear view mirror to make sure approaching traffic sees me. On the second day, traversing the trail westward to Cedartown from Bethlehem Road, the trail is even less enjoyable with the stench of adjacent landfill hanging in the air coupled with challenging hills into Cedartown. The adjacent nearly level railroad right-of-way drove home the point that this was not a rails-to-trails portion of the trail. The Cedartown depot was a nice stop with friendly staff. Again, I chose to return to my starting point to the east on U.S.278. The trail is an asset for the area, but in the areas I experienced, it is needs some TLC. If you're in the area, it would be worth checking out. I can't recommend traveling specifically to ride on the trail as I did. There are much better places to ride than between Rockmart and Cedartown on the Silver Comet Trail.
Love the trail - but it's NOT Chattanooga - it is Chattahoochee! Can't believe the HUGE screw up here.
Bout too many challenging hills but its length makes for a great work out. It’s mostly populated everyday by cyclists, walkers, and joggers. Has a few good views and even a public outdoor workout facility.
It was a very nice experience !!! Well maintan, beautifull view. 👍
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