American Travel Journal: Silver Comet Trail - Day 2: Rambo Nursery to Grady Road

Continuing our November 2014 bicycle ride on the Silver Comet Trail, we road 23.2 miles from Rambo Nursery to Grady Road. The route through Rockmart deviates from the still active railroad track and instead follows Simpson Creek through downtown, then turns northwest and climbs a hill before following a road in Rose Hill Cemetery. From there, the trail drops back down to skirt the edge of a major sports complex in town and then heads west through a wetland area. The trail then makes a steep ascent to follow US 278 for nearly three miles in an undulating profile that contains grades much steeper than a typical rail trail. The trail then follows the edge of a pasture back to the old railroad right of way and continues about 3.5 miles to Grady Road. We chose not to bike the section from Grady Road to the replica train station in Cedartown as the trail again deviates from the old right of way and heads directly west with a grade of about 8% before topping the first of three hills. After about 1.5 miles, the trail again follows the abandoned right of way, but there are no designated trail heads or parking areas for the 5.4 trail miles between Grady Road and the Cedartown depot.

Maple leaves in November

The 750 feet long Pumpkinvine Creek trestle

The trestle is 126 feet above Pumpkinvine Creek

Another view of the trestle that was built in 1901

Trestle shadow on Pumpkinvine Creek

Waves of clouds

Autumn colors along the trail

Brushy Mountain tunnel

Although photographs show there were directional signs in the past, we did not find them as we approached Hutchins Mountain Road. The trail seems to rise up the road, but it does not continue on the other side. A turn to the left just before the fence will keep you on the trail and provide nice views of the confluence of Thompson and Simpson Creeks. This is where the trail veers away from the still active section of the railroad and follows Simpson Creek through Rockmart.