September 8, 2010

Really nice ride. Started in Rochester; incline but not bad. Hard gravel. Well kept. Lots of bridges, creeks, beautiful "cottages".
Ended in Lake Orion. Rode around the historic town. Nice. Friendly.
Return was 2 gears easier. One of our top picks of the year.

My wife and I have biked this trail on several occasions and it is by far our favorite to date. The scenery is spectacular as you travel along the Paint Creek. It is an easy ride both ways but the return trip to Rochester is easiest as it is downhill the whole way. The cider mill in goodison is a great midpoint to stop and get some cider in season.

"This is a trail that will accomodate the vast majority of recreational cyclists, runners and walkers that want to avoid the roads. This is an excellent trail for families and occasional riders. The trail can easily be navigated with any bicycle with hybrid tires or mountain bike tires. Semislicks or Cross tires are best in my opinion.
The grade is a very mild uphill grade running from Rochester to Lake Orion.

The trail extends northeast on crushed limestone/gravel approximetely 8.5 miles from the Rochester City park and is usually wide enough to easily allow two riders alongside with a little room to spare. The trail also extends southward though mostly paved sections for a half-mile until it links with the Clinton River Trail that runs from West Bloomfield through Rochester Hills and links with the Macomb County trail.
http://www.clintonrivertrail.org
http://www.macomborchardtrail.com

The traffic at Tienken, just over a half-mile north of the Rochester City Park, is moderate so you can expect to wait for traffic to clear before crossing the intersection. Some motorists will stop and allow you to cross however.

In season, I will typically take a break from road riding and using the trail once a week. During the day, especially on weekends, expect to see many runners, walkers and other riders on the trail. So those wanting to use this trail for training purposes may want to use the trail in the early morning.
"

"Very nice ride with cider mills, lots of wildlife and flat terrain. 15 miles from Orion to Rochester. Plenty of places for lunch in Rochester and then hit the Cider Mill on the way back for a break. "

"This trail is a lot more interesting than riding in a circle around Stoney Creek Metro Park. The scenery is beautiful and we frequently see deer, chipmunks, etc. Difficulty level is Easy, if you like challenging hills, you won't find them here."

"The trail is very pretty, but it needs to be paved. Traffic is extremely heavy and it's nearly impossible to ride 2 by 2. Do not even attempt to start in Lake Orion. There are absolutely NO SIGNS indicating where the trail begins. We drove forever, until we stopped into a gas station to ask for directions. Turns out you have to take a little winding dirt road to the trailhead, that is barely noticeable from the main road. All in all, we had an enjoyable day. "

Very nice trail but the surface in many areas is getting very rocky and gravelly making for a rough ride. Motorists at the main-road crossings at Tienken and Adams are oblivious to the bikers so be careful crossing. Otherwise it's a great trail - wish it were longer!

"I enjoy biking on this trail very much! I have ridden it in spring and summer, and can't wait for autumn to see the natural beauty along Paint Creek. It has a good surface -- the trail is used by joggers, bikers, walkers, and there is evidence of horses."

"We took our Boy Scout Troop for a weekend of biking. We started from the Municipal Park in downtown Rochester. The pathway is hard-packed. The views are very nice. Several marsh areas for view birds. Road crossings almost every mile. We stopped at Clarkston Road and then went to the Bald Mtn. Rec Area for a weekend campout. We then did 15 miles of Mountain Biking. We never made it to the north set of trails. On our last day, we headed back down PCT, back to Rochester.

This trail is easy for all ages."