The Chatt Valley Becomes Georgia’s Cycling Destination

When one traverses the backroads of Carroll, Heard and Troup counties it’s difficult to deny that the Chattahoochee corridor from Southwest Atlanta to Columbus is one of the most beautiful areas in Georgia to tour by bicycle. It’s no wonder that the Velocity Atlanta Century is staged in Chatt Hills and uses Coweta and South Fulton Roads for routes. The Wilson100 takes off from Senoia and passes through southwest Coweta and Meriwether County. The Tour de Troup out of Lagrange takes cyclists on some of the most scenic routes that the Chattahoochee Valley area offers. BRAG has year after year utilized many of the same roads in the Chatt Valley for their annual events. The 2021 BRAG route visited Carrollton, Senoia, Lagrange and Columbus.

Chattahoochee Valley cycling events are not limited to century road rides. The “Kissing Bridge Gravel Race” is held annually in Woodbury, Georgia. Lagrange hosts the “Lagrange Cycling Classic” criterium race and Brown’s Mill hosts Gonuts Biking races annually.

More than 10 mountain bike trail systems are now available from South Fulton to Muscogee County. Through the advocacy efforts of MTBAtlanta and IMBA, the Chattachoochee River corridor is evolving in to a trail of trails. Cochran Mill, Moore’s Bridge, Brown’s Mill, Pyne Road Park and Standing Boy are all quenching the thirst of mountain bikers desiring natural surface singletrack trails. Combine road and mountain with numerous gravel routes and organized events and one finds a burgeoning cycling destination unmatched in Georgia. No other area of Georgia offers multiple opportunities for cycling in multiple disciplines like the Chatt Valley.

Local municipalities have embraced the Valley as an area for connectivity with multiple greenway and rails to trail projects under development. The Carrollton Greenbelt sets the bar high for greenways in Georgia, and Newnan, Pine Mountain, Lagrange and Columbus continue to build out their greenways. Four of Georgia’s State Bike Routes cross the valley including the Chattahoochee Trace, Central, Little White House, and Trans Georgia state bike routes. It’s difficult to find any community in the Valley that has not submitted to the idea, “cycling is good for our community” or better yet, “cycling is good for business”.

So when you’re looking for somewhere to go this summer that’s bike friendly and offers every discipline of cycling, consider visiting the Chatt Valley. The area provides ample lodging options and tons of attractions in addition to all the opportunities to get on your bike.