Explore the best rated trails in Battle Creek, MI, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Fred Meijer Flat River Valley Rail Trail and Sycamore Trail . With more than 44 trails covering 414 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The longest single connected trail I've ridden in Michigan so far. If you ride it all the way from Jackson to Brighton it's about 40 miles, but there's plenty of places to stop by in-between that show up about every 6 miles. Gregory is about halfway through and offers some good food options for anyone looking to make the full trek.
The trail from Hamburg MI going into Brighton is completely paved and beautiful. Everything from Hamburg going into Jackson is unpaved crushed limestone, and while there's beautiful wildlife around every corner the path can wear you out do the crushed limestone path. Still gives you a beautiful look at different Michigan biomes along the way and is in the middle of nature and away from the busy cityscape for most of the ride.
Rode this trail last year. Started in Goshen and headed toward Middlebury. There is a large section of trail that is exposed to the wind. Chose a calm day, it’s not pleasant riding into a 20 mph wind!¿
Started in Jackson and went west to Concord (against the wind). In Concord continue west on the street when trail terminates. Ate lunch in Concord Tavern downtown which is to your left as you dead-end into Main Street... fantastic pizza.
Then rode back to Jackson (with the wind). Saw deer, birds, and lots of little critters. Very enjoyable outing of 22 miles round-trip.
I rode from Kalamazoo to South Haven, staying 2 nights in South Haven, and returning to Kalamazoo on July 1. I love this trail and my trip was great. The east part of the trail is narrower and has more shade and the surface is older. About midway the trail is wider and has fresh crushed limestone. I stopped at a Dollar General at Bloomingdale to get snacks for lunch and to use their restroom. I plan to do the trail in the fall when it will be a different experience.
Yes, it's bumpy and a little disjointed, but I love that I can take it south from 36th Street to the M6 trail and avoid riding on major roads. I wish it could be extended north into downtown GR.
Rode from South Haven to Grand Junction. State did a great job of rebuilding trail by widening, improving drainage and building a new bridge. However, the loose crushed stone makes it difficult.
As of June 2024 trail is now fully open.
I rode this trail from Pinkney to Stockbridge and back. It was a pleasant ride with varying scenery-sometimes open fields and sometimes heavily wooded. Another thing I liked about this trail is that is not endlessly flat. Instead there are some easy hills and downhill
First- many kudos to the people who care for this trail. Thank you!! We rode the trail from Shipshewana to Gohshen yesterday and my wife and I found ourselves saying Wow at nearly every turn. Although there are quite a few road crossings none were problematic. This is not a trail to get on and go flat out for exercise rather it is a trail to go at a relaxing pace and enjoy the scenery and the many people who are also enjoying the trail. We will do the trail again in the fall.
We enjoyed this ride, all 45 miles, from Creekside Park in Lowell to Greenville and back. The surface wasn't nice asphalt, but kinda rough. Some areas were worn smoothish from use - so not terrible. But we will were able to keep a good pace. The bathrooms in Belding were locked on the Saturday morning of Memorial weekend, but there was a lovely porta potty we could use. What's the point of bathrooms if we can't use them? (Side note, the bathrooms at Creekside Park in Lowell were unlocked and very nice. The sign on the bathrooms said they opened at 10 am, but we were there earlier than that and they were open. Thanks, Lowell.)
We saw several turtles, including a few snappers that appeared to be laying eggs on the edge of the path, but we didn't too close to verify that because we like to keep our fingers. Also saw some deer, a quail, birds, and a bunny.
Beware, southbound once you get around Smyrna there is a long uphill section. Not steep because trains are wimpier than I am, but it was a long section.
I look forward to doing a marathon training long run on trail starting between Shipshewana and Middlebury towards Goshen every year! Such a great and scenic trail.
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