Southeast Michigan – the great trails region

With spring upon us and daylight extending beyond average working hours, it is time to revisit one of Southeast Michigan’s great assets – our extensive regional trail network.

Did you know that Michigan, with 2,653 miles of rail-trails, ranks first in the nation when it comes to converting old rail lines to bike trails? Add in hiking trails and mountain bike trails, and we have more than 5,000 miles of trail. Our statewide trail system stretches from the Iron Ore Heritage Trail in Marquette, to the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail in Grand Rapids, to the Detroit Riverwalk.

In Southeast Michigan, we are proud to be home to over 1,000 miles of trails, with about 500 additional miles planned over the next few years. The benefits that our trails and greenways provide to communities and the region are extensive, including:

• Economic development,
• Recreation,
• Transportation,
• Public health,
• Community pride, and
• Attraction and retention of families and highly educated workers.

As the old proverb goes, “It’s better to see something once than hear about it a hundred times.” So instead of studying all the ways our trails drive economic development and enhance quality of life for residents, I encourage you to get out and experience these benefits yourself!

No matter where you live or visit in Southeast Michigan, chances are a trail is nearby. Each of the seven counties in our region offers an array of world-class trails from hike-bike, mountain bike, water, equestrian, to unimproved nature trails. So, as we enter spring and summer, visit one, several, or all of the following trails listed here or the many others not included. Our trail system is broad and diverse, and it helps make our region a great place to live, play, and visit. See you on the trail!

Lakelands Trail State Park

Lakelands Trail (photo by David Rivett)

Approximately 20 miles of multi-use trails stretch across southern Livingston County (Unadilla Township, Putnam Township, Hamburg Township, and Pinckney). Lakelands trails include paved asphalt, compacted limestone, and unpaved equestrian paths. Additionally, Green Oak Township is in the process of planning and aligning funding to extend the trail eastward to fully complete the trail from “border to border.”

Border-to-Border Trail (B2B)

City of Dexter Mill Creek multi-use bridge

Approximately 23 miles of paved, shared-use paths wind along the Huron River through Washtenaw County. Once complete, the B2B will span 35 miles of the county, from Dexter Township in the northwest to Ypsilanti Township in the southeast. The completed sections of the B2B include:

• The Huron River Greenway Trail – 10.5-mile trail, offering a scenic tour of a diverse landscape through Ann Arbor, Superior Township, and Ypsilanti.
• Hudson Mills Metro Park and West River Trail in the City of Dexter and Dexter Township.
• The Ford Lake Loop Trail – 9.5-mile trail looping around Ford Lake in Ypsilanti Township and passing through seven community parks.

“Oak Routes” Trail Network

Clinton River Trail

Several major existing trails, pathways, and blueways connect neighborhoods, parks, natural resources, and cultural and civic destinations. To name just a few:

• Clinton River Trail – 16-mile trail connecting Auburn Hills, Pontiac, Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Sylvan Lake.
• Milford Trail – five miles, connecting Kensington Metropark Hike-Bike Trail to downtown Milford.
• Paint Creek Trail – Michigan’s first rail-to-trail, this 8.9 mile trail connects downtown Lake Orion to downtown Rochester.
• Polly Ann Trail – 16.9-mile trail connecting Orion Township, Oxford, Addison Township, and Leonard.
• West Bloomfield Trail – 6.8-mile rail trail connecting the communities of West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor, and Sylvan Lake.

Macomb Orchard Trail

Macomb Orchard Trail

Built on the abandoned Michigan Air-Line Railway, this 23.5-mile paved trail connects the communities of Shelby, Richmond, and Armada Townships, the City of Richmond and the Village of Romeo in Macomb County.

Metro Parkway Trail (also known as the Freedom Trail)

Approximately 11 miles of paved trail connect Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and Harrison Township. The trail parallels 16 Mile Road (Metropolitan Parkway) and connects Freedom Hill County Park to Lake St. Clair Metropark in Macomb County.

Clinton River Park Trail

City of Utica – Clinton River Park Trail & Memorial Park

This 4.5-mile trail in Sterling Heights passes through Jaycee Park, Heritage Park, and Dodge Park as it winds along the Clinton River. The newest addition to this trail opened in late 2015 in the City of Utica, connecting Sterling Heights to River Bends Park Trails in Shelby Township.

Bridge to Bay Trail

City of Port Huron – Blue Water River Walk

The 54-mile planned paved trail in St Clair County extends from Lakeport State Park in Port Huron to New Baltimore. In the City of Port Huron, a 3.75-mile section is complete and includes some of the most beautiful views of the Blue Water Bridge and St Clair River. The recently completed Blue Water River Walk includes much more than a multi-use trail with an observation deck, outdoor classroom in which the public can learn about the ecosystem of the St Clair River, and over 4,300 feet of shoreline and habitat restoration.

River Raisin Heritage Trail

Eight miles of paved hike-bike trails connect major historic sites, state and local parks, nationally significant buildings, and ecological features in the City of Monroe. The design of the trail encourages walkers or bikers to visit historic downtown Monroe and beautiful Sterling State Park on the banks of Lake Erie.

Downriver Linked Greenways East-West Trail

Lake Erie Metropark Trail

These 24.5 scenic miles of trail follow the Huron River basin through Lower Huron, Willow, Oakwoods, and Lake Erie Metroparks, and connect the communities of Brownstown, Van Buren, Sumpter, and Huron Townships; and the Cities of Flat Rock and Gibraltar to the Lake Erie shoreline.

Detroit Riverwalk

Detroit Riverwalk

The vision is a 5.5-mile riverfront multi-use path from the Ambassador Bridge to Gabriel Richard Park, which is just east of the Belle Isle MacArthur Bridge. Attractions along the Detroit Riverwalk include parks, plazas, pavilions, and open green space.

There are many other trails, including water trails and greenways, not included in this abridged list. The bottom line is that Southeast Michigan is fortunate to have such a diverse and extensive trails network that connect our towns, parks, natural environments, and water resources. As the weather continues to warm up, make it a goal to get out and experience them. I know I will!