Highland Recreation Area (Teeple Lake)

Highland State Recreation Area offers facilities for horseback riding, cross-country skiing and mountain biking. Anglers can enjoy catching bluegill, pike, bass and crappie, and swimmers will enjoy the beach at Teeple Lake. The 546-acre Haven Hill Natural Area features lush forest, Michigan wildflowers and a variety of bird species, all of which can be seen from the park's nature trails. In terms of mountain biking, this is the trail everyone wants kept secret. There are 16.2 total available miles of winding, climbing, narrow singletrack built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers. Ride the A (3.8 miles) & B loop for 9.7 miles as the basic continuous trail, or add on the C loop (2.7 miles, offshoot of B loop) and / or D loop (3.8 miles, offshoot of A loop) for a total of 16.2 miles. Unlike Poto or Pontiac Lake, you rarely get cooking on this trail. Your time is spent navigating rocks and roots on this narrow singletrack lovers heaven. Plenty of off-camber trail to keep you on your toes, too. Beginners should ride this trail with other experienced riders, it is a challenging ride. The basic A/B loop define the character of this trail, while C loop adds more rock passages. D loop is the most technical with lots of tight, off camber up and down turns, advanced riders only should attempt this loop. If you plan on riding all loops allow at least 2+ hours. These trails are maintained in part by volunteers of the Michigan Mountain Biking Association (MMBA).

How to get there from Detroit: M59 west 10 miles beyond where you turn north for Pontiac Lake. Turn left at Duck Lake Road and travel 1 mile to dirt road (Livingston Road). Turn right and head west until you see the parking area to the right. Trailhead is well marked across the road.