Coronavirus Restrictions Relax, Silver Comet Trail To Reopen

DALLAS, GA — The popular Silver Comet Trail — along with parts of the Paulding and Cobb park systems — is reopening this Saturday as Georgia gradually sheds restrictions connected with the coronavirus.

The Paulding County Board of Commissioners announced Tuesday that it would reopen all of its county parks, including the Silver Comet Trail heads. Only Braly Sports Complex will remain closed.

Cobb County followed suit and announced Wednesday on its website that it too would open its access to the Silver Comet Trail. Cobb also will open its county trails and what it calls “passive parks,” or parks without amenities like playgrounds and ball fields that make social distancing difficult.

“The decision to reopen Paulding County’s parks was made by the Paulding County Board of Commissioners after many conversations with internal staff and the local medical authorities,” Paulding County Parks and Recreation Director Michael Justus said via email Thursday.

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In a news release, the Paulding commissioners asked hikers to take “personal responsibility” to ensure their safety and to continue to follow the CDC’s recommendations for slowing the spread of COVID-19.

“We are not out of the woods just yet but are moving to a new normal,” the board wrote. “The safety of our citizens remain the highest priority.”

Last month, WSB-TV reported that the trail was one of numerous public spaces in Georgia that was still being used despite being officially closed to slow spread of the coronavirus. A Cobb County spokesman said at the time that there was no way to patrol the entire 61-mile trail.

The Silver Comet Trail is a free walking trail that runs between Smyrna and the Alabama state line. It can be accessed in Cobb, Paulding and Polk counties. There was no word on the trail’s official website or on Polk County government websites about whether access would be available in Polk County. Officials there could not be reached Thursday for comment.

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