Find the top rated bike trails in Alabama, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Chief Ladiga Trail, Nov 2018, *Excellent*
I recently bicycled from Dallas, Ga, to Anniston, Ala. An excellent ride which I highly recommend, that could easily be broken into sections for a family outing or weekend 'de-stressor'. Thank you to those responsible for the development and maintenance of this path. Great job!
Comments;
Trail surface conditions; excellent. The path is cement in Georgia and asphalt in Alabama for the entire length. It is well drained, smooth, wide, and in generally excellent repair. A few areas tree roots have encroached and damaged the asphalt path, but this is not currently an issue.
Signage & markers; very good over all. Markers are located every mile, however a recommended improvement would be to add distance values to cities, towns, trailheads, etc. As for signage there is very little. Interpretive plaques, historical markers, place names, availability and direction of restroom\food\lodging\police\medical signs, etc. could be added at appropriate sites.
Trail maintenance; very good to excellent. The trail right of way is clear and wide, free of encroaching brush and bordered by well kept grass. Some vistas could be improved by clearing underbrush which would allow viewing of surrounding area. Especially when approaching some road crossings is this true. I noticed virtually no litter. Trestles and bridges, while currently usable and safe, are showing typical wear and age. Hopefully a schedule of maintenance exists for these.
Amenities; average. While benches and rest stops are conveniently located and not too far apart, I think toilets or port-a-potties are needed trailside at appropriate locations.
Great job to those who created this trail!
A friend and I began our walk/hike at sunrise at the AL/GA state line. With 33 miles ahead of us an early start was necessary to allow enough time (10-11 hrs) to finish the trail before sunset that evening. The first several hours of the walk gave way to a landscape of beautiful autumn colors, bridges, and streams. Duggar Mtn also provided a beautiful backdrop for surrounding pastures, forests, and farmlands. As we continued on the path through the countryside the scenery began to change as the trail lead us through the small town of Piedmont where we were able to rest for a short while at the Eubanks Welcome Center. For the next several miles we continued to enjoy the beauty of the trail. Entering Jacksonville the trail lead us through the campus of Jacksonville State University and near a old train depot. With the sun beginning to set we finally made our way to the trail end in Weaver where friends and family greeted us with a celebratory bottle of champagne to commemorate a successful adventure.
We have ridden this trail 4 or 5 times in the past and we have really enjoyed it, but not this time. We started at the caboose in town and headed north on the trail. It was very rough. Lots of tree limbs and debris. There were large rocks that made the going very tough. Looks like someone has stopped maintaining the trail. We made it to the northern end after a very rough ride. We decided that we just couldn't head back on the trail so we rode the road back into Elkmont.
We were so disappointed in the trail that we did not try the southern part. We just drove the 2 hours back home.
It is a shame because we have enjoyed the trail in the past. We won't come back unless something is done for the trail.
Started at the Chief Ladiga trailhead at Michael Tucker Park in Weaver / Anniston. As someone else mentioned, plenty of parking and clean, open bathroom facilities. Every bit of this trail is well marked and very well maintained. The buckles or bumps in the trail were marked with white paint.
Took the recumbent trike since this was a paved trail. And, while I wasn't planning to ride all the way to the AL/GA border and the link with the Silver Comet, the trail, weather conditions, mix of shade and sun, I found myself just going... and going... One of the other bikers at the start told me it was a flat ride (relatively), he wasn't kidding. All the elevation changes are gradual, long sight lines, no blind curves, so made for as easy or fast as you like.
Trail was never crowded, bikes, a few hikers/walkers and a single skateboarder (near the college in Jacksonville). Saw flock of wild turkeys, some squirrels and one rabbit. Plenty of birds, dragonflies and butterflies
I hadn't planned on the full out and back, but with Piedmont right in the middle of the out and the back, was able to restock water as needed. Lunch along the trail was as peaceful as could be.
Anyone of any ability could ride as much or as little of this trail as they like. Multiple places along the trail to park, all the road crossings are clearly marked and only one listed as "caution". Plenty of shade, especially in morning or late afternoon. All the bridges are in excellent shape.
Quite a gem.
This trail runs along the perimeter of the Brookley airport. It is quiet and secluded as it runs behind houses. Most riders extend it by riding along the bay road to the park. It has little to no traffic and is perfect for road bikes.
To say Huntsville Greenways are cookie cutter is not a diss. One can expect concrete and asphalt trails, wide grassy borders and usually a creek. Almost all are well maintained. The best are mowed all the way to the water, have interesting structure and avoid road crossings. Indian Creek is one of the better ones. Just wish it was longer.
A nice little Greenway, failed only by any interesting structure. Kinda feels like your riding in someone’s back yard. Great if you live in one of the connecting subdivisions; but a bit boring.
Outstanding family venue. Plenty of places for kids to play in the water, enjoy the nature park and it’s playgrounds and ride about 9 miles of Greenway. Restrooms in the park are rare for Huntsville’s greenways. Even my daughter said “Good find, dad!” I’ll take that. You can park at either end, or at Hays in the middle.
A jewel among Huntsville greenways, Aldridge is level, clean, safe, and relatively entertaining. You’ll want selfies at the bridges and train trestle. In all a good 10 mile round trip along the Creek.
I started my ride at the trailhead in Anniston, a really good spot to begin the ride: a large parking-area directly on the trail, a lovely and well-kept park, and, what was a total surprise to my wife and me, it not only has public restrooms, but also showers, not locked but open for everyone, and with HOT water at that, and everything perfectly clean! We were enthusiastic! Considering the hot showers there, it might also be a very good end of a ride, of course.
In Jacksonville the former railway depot now is a well-maintained rest stop, with absolutely clean facilities. Water is also available there. And don’t forget to sign the guestbook for the trail.
The end, the spot where it connects with the Silver Comet Trail that is, has a nice rest area with benches and a Porta Potty which, after a 33-mile ride, might come in handy.
When I rode the Chief Ladiga Trail on May 19 this year, it was an absolutely fantastic day. It was quite warm, and the humidity wasn't half bad, but as the trail quite often lead under the thick leafy canopy of the trees and as I had the airflow around me, it certainly was bearable. The air was gorgeously fresh, and smelled of every possible tree, shrub, and herb, and I kept thinking that here even the air one breathes was green. I didn't see any larger wildlife, but an abundance of squirrels and chipmunks. The small towns I passed through were some nice distraction – not that I had needed one as the trail showed enough variety: sometimes leading through open meadow, sometimes through green tunnels in a manner of speaking, and later with the wooded hills of Alabama in the background, with a blue sky and fluffy white clouds above. And in between again and again the green wetlands of a slowly meandering gurgling creek.
Finally, a remark about the state of the trail: absolutely fantastic – smooth asphalt from beginning to end [I could easily have ridden my road bike instead of the more cross-country-suitable Salsa Fargo], and if there was a slight dent in it, from a root that was pushing the asphalt up, that was marked with white paint, even if it was just half an inch up. The people who first created that path and now maintain it in such a perfect condition deserve a lot of praise and a heartfelt "thank you".
Swan Creek Trail is a well maintained bike/walk/run trail in Athens, AL. Nice natural features like the creek with small noisy rapids and interesting man made ramps and bridges. Trail travels under all major roads for maximum safety. Good mix of sun and shade connecting Athens shopping to tennis, ball and soccer facilities. Enjoy this quick pit stop with even your smallest or oldest family members and pets.
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