Sweet Trails Alabama – Rail Trails Foster a Recreation Boom

A vast trail system, for hiking or biking, is not the first thing that comes to a person’s mind when the topic of discussion is the state of Alabama. The “Heart of Dixie” is more likely to evoke thoughts of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, or the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team.

But Alabama is one of the most biodiverse states east of the Mississippi River. It’s a chapter of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the nation’s largest trail organization, dedicated to connecting the state’s open spaces and landscapes through a safe and accessible trail system built on abandoned train tracks, supporting economic growth and a healthier society.

“Alabama is truly a state with amazing natural beauty and warm, welcoming communities that can provide memorable experiences for trail tourists,” said Brian Rushing, director of Economic Development Programs at the University of Alabama, and a cycling enthusiast himself.

Alabama’s goal is to transform its trails into premier tourism destinations and recreational resources. Although I wasn’t able to hike through the acclaimed Little River Canyon National Preserve at the southern edge of the Appalachian Range, I welcomed another opportunity: I recently joined a group of outdoors enthusiasts on a series of bicycle rides in different areas of the Deep South state. I found the mostly flat pathways to be well-maintained and easy to traverse.

Silver Comet Trail-Chief Ladiga Trail (49.5 miles)

The Silver Comet Trail begins in Atlanta and continues 100 miles to Anniston, Alabama. My cycling journey started at a trailhead in Cedartown, Georgia, 10 miles from the Alabama state line. There, we joined the longest rail trail in Alabama, the Chief Ladiga Trail. Named after a Muscogee Nation leader, the trail continued just under 40 miles to Anniston. At just under 50 miles, this served as my longest single-day ride to date.

We passed the rural towns of Piedmont, Jacksonville, and Weaver before ending in historic Anniston, still remembered for a violent 1961 attack on a group of interracial Freedom Riders. The trail is level and easy to ride, crossing forested countryside and wetlands, with many sections freshly paved. I rarely needed to use my e-bike pedal-assist feature.

“Alabama has more physiographic provinces, 13, than any state besides California, which is not what you think of Alabama,” noted fellow rider Pete Conroy, director of special projects at Jacksonville State University. “These trails connect more than places: They connect people.”

Richard Martin Trail (10.6 miles)

Feeling relieved that I was in decent enough shape to cycle that far in a day across a range of terrains, I found the 10-mile jaunt on the Richard Martin Trail between Athens and Elkmont to be a breeze.

The crushed stone-and-gravel path traversed sublime wetlands, which provided a more challenging ride. Our highlight was crossing the 1864 Sulphur Creek Trestle on the Alabama-Tennessee state line. Here, on the tallest bridge of the historic rail line, hundreds of formerly enslaved people worked, fought, and died for their freedom. Our journey ended in the rustic enclave of Veto, so named because town founders disagreed on a name for the once-bustling railroad community.

Aldridge Creek Greenway, Huntsville (5.5 miles)

In Huntsville, a national aerospace industry hub, I met with Mayor Tommy Battle at Ditto Landing. An avid cyclist, Battle shared with me his long-term vision to expand the city’s network of more than 70 miles of greenways and trails to further connect neighborhoods and outlying areas.

Battle joined us on the Aldridge Creek Greenway and pointed out walkers, cyclists, and even in-line skaters enjoying time on the pathway. “Our trails not only provide recreation but also showcase the beauty of our city,” said Battle, who spearheads the annual Mayor’s Bike Ride.

Birmingham, The Magic City

In Birmingham, our group of cyclists arrived at the revitalized urban hub of Pepper Place for its Saturday farmers’ market. Here, we participated in the kickoff for the state’s observance of the Rails-to-Trails nationwide celebration, with more than 200 events taking place on trails coast to coast.

Our urban bike ride included a gut-wrenching stop at the 16th Street Baptist Church. Here in 1963, a white-supremacist group planted a bomb that killed four schoolgirls and injured more than a dozen others in an incident that became a galvanizing point in the Civil Rights Movement.

Alabama unquestionably experienced dark times throughout history. But today, there is no political fence to mend in agreeing on the importance of Alabama’s picturesque trail system. At each of our stops, city leaders reminded us of the value of linking communities through the expanding trail system. They stressed the need for combined state and federal funding to achieve the ambitious dream of connecting the majority of the state with accessible and well-maintained trails. Things look bright for Sweet Trails in Alabama.

 

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