By staciamontle in June, 2011
I find this trail mostly easy. I bike the 44th to 84th a lot and going towards 84th is slightly uphill, but there is a McDonalds and an ice cream shop nearby and makes it worthwhile before you coast back down to 44th.
If you keep going and want to go in the other direction past 44th, it continues over behind RambleWood Apartments, and goes in a direct path down to Prairie Parkway. From there you turn left on Prairie Parkway and turn right on Ivanrest and continue past 28th street (I'd recommend walking across it, its a short light), then go past Chicago Dr (have to ride on a road for less than a mile). The trail pick up at the Treatment plant and continues down past the highway. It will look like it ends at a road but it continues and you can turn right or left...
by turning left-you ride on the right side of the road and can go past the ferry (not exactly sure where it goes from there).
By turning right- you ride on the left side of the road and ride for about 1-3 miles and turn left at the bridge to go over the Grand River. Once on the other side of the bridge it breaks off into 3 different ways.
Going to the left-I think this leads to Millennium Park or Johnson. Not quite sure though
Going straight-this is just a shortcut to lead you to Millennium Park and Johnson Park, there are no signs to tell you that i believe.
Going to the Right-This will lead you along the river and will eventually come to another fork. Going to the left brings you to John Ball park. If you keep going and ride on the trail it eventually goes all the way up to Wealthy St. by the bridge going back over the river.
By going to the right you may come across signs and will bring you to Millennium park (by turning to the right and riding on the road till you see a sidewalk at the next street you can go all the way up to standale) and if you go past that it goes to Johnson Park.
By teddgram in June, 2009
It would be nice if they had a way to connect some of the sections together, but when you are on the trail (not on the streets between the trail sections) it's pretty nice. We've done the section from 44th to Byron Center a lot of times. Make sure you turn left at the end and get some ice cream before you had back to 44th.
The other sections that follow the river can be nice, but it can be pretty buggy if you should happen to stop. It's pretty shaded, and scenic. I like that they made the road on the south side of the river one way, making the other direction for the trail users only.
By Jeff in July, 2006
"I ride the Southern part of this trail frequently because I find it to be a great family ride. I park in Byron Center and ride to 44th Street and back about 11 miles... good for the kids. This portion of the trail is some farmland, some residential, some wooded.
This week I rode the entire length of the trail for the 1st time. I really enjoyed it... it has a bit of everything. It does get a bit urban going across 28th Street and Chicago Drive but once you get past the City of Grandville you are back on the trail. Plug your nose going past the wastewater plant. The portion along the Grand River is real nice and you cross the river eventually and have your choice of Millenium Park to the left of John Ball Park to the right. I first went to John Ball Park, primarily because the trail signage disappears after you cross the river. I then rode down to Millenium Park. Very nice park, however, the geese were not real excited about sharing ""their"" trail with me.
Then I headed back to Byron Center. The days ride for me a great workout at 32+- miles.
Overall, a good family trail, fairly flat. Only downside is Urban section through Grandville and in some of the wooded areas the trail is getting rough due to tree root growth under the trail, but a small price to pay for a great ride.
Thumbs up for Kent Trails!!"