Silver Comet Trail, credit Kevin Mills
Silver Comet Trail & Chief Ladiga Trail, Georgia/Alabama
700-foot-long railroad tunnel integrated into the trail design hint of past glories.
Deep down in Dixieland, this 95-mile two-state combo trail linking Georgia and Alabama stands out as one of the nation’s longest, finest, and most popular rail-trails. This meticulously maintained 12-foot-wide route is mostly flat and is paved all the way from the Atlanta suburb of Smyrna, Georgia, to Anniston, Alabama. The trail follows the bed of the old Seaboard Railroad. From 1947 to 1969, the shiny Silver Comet passenger train provided luxury service between New York and Birmingham. Today, several old trestles and a
The Silver Comet section runs 62 miles from Smyrna to the Alabama state line where it connects with the Chief Ladiga Trail that continues through 33 miles of scenic southern countryside. Ladiga, incidentally, was a Muscogee Indian leader noted for signing treaties ceding tribal lands in the region to the U.S. government during the 1830s. Amenities abound along the route, including 17 wheelchair-accessible access points, 15 restrooms, nearly a dozen water fountains and a variety of
RAILS TO TRAILS
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025 | 12
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