HIKING IN DALLAS GA

Whether you are looking for a leasurely stroll, biking, rollerblading, dog walking, waterfalls, or to visit  historical sites you can find all of that when you Hike around Dallas GA.

SILVER COMET TRAIL

The Silver Comet is a paved pedestrian rail-trail located 13 miles northwest of Atlanta, Georgia. It is 61.5 miles long, free of charge, and travels through Cobb, Paulding, and Polk counties. This quiet, non-motorized trail is for walkers, hikers, bicyclists, rollerbladers, horses, dog walkers, and is mostly wheelchair accessible.

The Silver Comet starts at the Mavell Road Trailhead in Smyrna, Georgia, and it ends at the Georgia/Alabama state line near Cedartown and the Esom Hill Trailhead. 

Trailhead Access Locations in Dallas GA

• The Paulding Chamber Trailhead is at mile marker 19.4 on the Silver Comet Trail and parking is behind the Dallas Chamber of Commerce.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  There is a restroom, picnic tables, and paved parking. A fairly steep walkway leads up to the trail.

• The McPherson Church Road Trailhead is located in Paulding County at the intersection of McPherson Church Road and the Silver Comet Trail. The Silver Comet crosses over McPherson Church Road near mile-marker 27.13 on the Silver Comet Trail, and the nicely paved flat parking lot is located right next to McPherson Church Road.

  There are 13 regular parking spaces, 1 ADA parking space, no water, no picnic tables, but there is a port a-toilet. 

• Rambo Trailhead is at mile marker 22.2 on the Silver Comet Trail. It has paved parking, a port a-toilet, picnic tables, no water, and is 0.7 miles east of the Pumpkinvine Trestle.

  Built in 1901, the Pumpkinvine Trestle is over 750-feet long and rises 126-feet over Pumpkinvine Creek. The trestle was restored in 1999 and opened for Silver Comet use in 2000. The Pumpkinvine Trestle is located less than a mile west of the Rambo Road Trailhead in Dallas, Georgia.

• The Tara Drummond Trailhead and Park is at mile marker 20.3 on the Silver Comet Trail. The park has nice restrooms, water, benches, paved parking, and a large fountain. The trailhead is dedicated to Tara Drummond. 

• Hiram Trailhead is at mile marker 14.7 on the Silver Comet Trail and has good parking. Homer Leggett Park is next to the trailhead and has nice restrooms, water, covered picnic tables, a dog park, and a playground. An original train caboose is located in the trailhead parking lot and serves as a Sheriff station for the deputies that patrol the trail.

  The trailhead is located in the city of Hiram

PUMPKINVINE CREEK NATURE PRESERVE

Pumpkinvine Creek Nature Preserve is perpetually conserved to remain natural and to have zero cost to the public for recreation.  It is 5 miles of natural surface hiking and biking trails.

Pumpkinvine Creek Nature Preserve has a creek front on two sides and a high-crowned hilltop in the middle.  The property consist of a swamp, wetland, high grassy field, mixed hardwood forest, and emergent pine forest. 

HIGH SHOALS FALLS & BLUE HOLE FALLS

This 2 mile hike will give you a chance to see not just 1 waterfall but 2 and is beautiful year round. 

This hike follows the High Shoals Falls Trail through the mossy creek valley and you will pass along the way  backpacking campsites. And it visits the smaller yet equally beautiful Blue Hole Falls, a single-drop waterfall that cascades into a deep, turquoise pool. A cool, deep blue pool sits below Blue Hole Falls, lending to the waterfall’s name.

PICKETT'S MILL BATTLEFIELD

Pickett’s Mill is one of the best preserved Civil War battlefields in the nation. Visitors can travel roads used by Federal and Confederate troops, see earthworks constructed by these men, and walk through the same ravine where hundreds died. An authentic 1800s pioneer cabin is furnished and open for tours during certain events.

On May 27, 1864, the Federal Army, having been stopped in its advance on Atlanta two days earlier by the Battle of New Hope Church, attempted to outflank the Confederate position. Some 14,000 Federal troops were selected for the task, and General Howard was given command. After a five-hour march, Howard’s force reached the vicinity of Pickett’s Mill and prepared to attack. Waiting were 10,000 Confederate troops under the command of General Cleburne. The Federal assault began at 5 p.m. and continued into the night. Daybreak found the Confederates still in possession of the field. The Federals had lost 1,600 men compared to the Confederate loss of 500. The Confederate victory resulted in a one-week delay of the Federal advance on Atlanta.

Pickett`s Mill is now open 7 days per week, 9am-5pm. The museum is open Friday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm. Access to the trails on these days is through the museum with paid historic site admission or with the historic sites annual pass. Guests can access the trails for self-guided hikes Monday – Thursday by paying $5 per vehicle parking fee at the collection box in front of the museum or with a state park annual pass or historic site annual pass displayed in your vehicle. The entrance to the rentable group shelter and the playground is located on Hiram Acworth Highway. The playground is available 9am -5pm with a paid daily ParkPass or an annual ParkPass. The enclosed group shelter is available for rent with advance reservations.

Facilities

• 765 Acres
• Group Shelter (Before making reservations, call park for capacity limits.)
• Picnic Tables
• Event Facility
• Visitor Center
• Bus Parking

Things To Do & See

• Earthworks
• Pioneer Cabin
• Field Trips
• Hiking — 4 miles of trails
• All-Terrain Georgia Action Track Chair

White Trail 

1.1 Miles (green trail on map) – Moderate to Strenuous Hike This trail will be marked with white paint markings on trees along the route and features trenches, artillery encampments, original roads, and beautiful views. Beginning at the ravine overlook, take the left onto Pickett’s Mill Road. You’ll come to an intersection with another wide path known as Leverett’s Mill Road. Turn right at this intersection and follow Leverett’s Mill Road north past a large wheat field. After you pass the wheat field, watch for Union trenches on a hill to your left. Continue towards the Federal staging area where they prepared to advance into the ravine, where you’ll also find Union artillery earthworks. This trail will merge with the red and blue trails and you will begin to see all three colored markings on trees near the path to indicate that the trails have merged.

Blue Trail 

1.5 Miles – Moderate to Strenuous Hike This trail mirrors much of the original Pickett’s Mill Road and is marked by blue paint blazes on trees along the route. You will see trenches, artillery encampments, original roads, the Pickett’s Mill site, and the entrance to the Brand House loop. From the ravine overlook, turn right and proceed past the Y intersection with the red trail. As you approach Pickett’s Mill creek, stay left and walk parallel to the creek, past the mill site. Part of the blue trail merges with the red trail, and you will see both colors of paint markings on the trees. You will see the entrance to the Brand House loop to your right. The final leg of the Blue Trail will merge with the red and white trails and you will begin to see all three colored markings on trees near the path to indicate that the trails have merged.

Red Trail 

2.0 Miles – Moderate to Strenuous Hike This trail leads from the ravine overlook to the cornfield. The first leg of this trail is merged with the blue trail and you will see markings in both colors on the trees along the route. From the ravine overlook, take the trail to the right. At the “Y” intersection in the trail, the blue and red trails diverge. Follow this fork to the right to continue on the red trail. You will come to a cornfield that was the scene of desperate fighting to save the Confederate flank during the battle. From the cornfield, continue along the trail until it merges again with the blue trail. The rest of the trail is merged first with the blue trail and then with the white trail as it loops back around through the ravine where much of the fighting took place during the battle.

Brand House Trail 

3.0 Miles – (orange trail on map) – Moderate to Strenuous Hike To access this trail, take the right-most trail from the ravine overlook and follow the blue trail (see above), indicated by blue markings on trees along the route. Just short of 1 mile from the start of the blue trail, you will see the entrance to the Brand House loop to the right. After entering the Brand House loop, follow it left. This one-way loop should be hiked clockwise to ensure that the orange trail markings on trees along the route will remain in your view. During the battle, this area was held by US General William Carlin’s brigade. Carlin’s men destroyed the Brand House and used the logs to reinforce their earthworks and trenches. On the morning of May 30th, it witnessed a Confederate attack by two Confederate brigades under General Thomas Hindman. When you have hiked the loop you will return to the intersection with the blue trail.

Purple Connector 

0.5 Miles (purple trail on map) – Easy Hike This trail begins just past the corn field on the Red Trail and cuts through the forest to rejoin the Red Trail at Wildcat Falls. Wildcat Falls is the highest, (3 feet), and most scenic waterfall at Pickett’s Mill SHS.

PAULDING FOREST

Paulding Forest Wildlife Management Area is located in Paulding and Polk counties. This 25,707-acre property offers hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey, and small game. Raccoon Creek, one of the southernmost trout fishing opportunities is located on the WMA. Horse and bike/hiking trails and areas, except the Silver Comet Trail, are closed all day during firearm deer hunts and before 10:00 a.m. during archery deer and turkey hunts. No ATVs allowed on the property.

Accommodations & Facilities

• Lake
• Silver Comet Trail
• Primitive Campsites

Activities

• Biking
• Geocaching — NOT allowed during managed hunts or before 10 a.m. during turkey season
• Hiking
• Hunting
  • Youth Hunts
• Lake Fishing
• Primitive Camping
• Trout Fishing
• Wildlife Viewing

THE PETTIT PRESERVE

**This Preserve Does Require a Membership to Hike Here**