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 Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park . With more than 44 trails covering 413 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.
There are a lot of great parks along this Trail. I have seen a lot of deep woods species like the Acadian Flycatcher and Wood Thrush and many warbler species as well during the spring and summer. One night in Spring when I was coming down the 76th street segment of the trail I also saw American Woodcocks doing their peenting calls and displays. I observed a Barred Owl and Wild Turkeys during a foray down the Kentwood Trail a couple of days ago. This trail takes you away from civilization and out into the wild, through farmland and through wooded areas. A great area to hike, bike and birdwatch in.
We parked at the Saranac trailhead and boat launch, across the street from Saranac depot and historical museum. There's a pavilion with restrooms. We went left from parking lot toward Ionia (right goes toward Lowell). Trail is smooth asphalt for first 1-2 miles, then turned to smooth, level crushed stone, then back to asphalt for 1-2 miles into Ionia. The trail is mostly tree-lined with a few bridges closer to Ionia, including one large bridge over the Grand River; only one significant road crossing after crossing the road in Saranac until Ionia. It was about 8.65 miles from parking in Saranac to an elevated bridge over a roadway near downtown Ionia. There's a pavilion with restrooms and designated trail parking after crossing the big bridge. Ionia has a picturesque downtown with a brick paved Main Street, historic store fronts and court house.
The trail is well maintained, and the pace was pleasantly fast for crushed stone surface; on gravel bikes with 42c tires.
Late August I rode the Kal-Haven from South Haven to Kalamazoo and back. I suppose it should be called the Haven-Kal?
The trail was in perfect condition. Very well maintained. In fact midway there was a downed tree blocking the trail. On the way back a few hours later, it had been removed! Kudos to the trail maintenance team.
Ride with GPS indicated a total vertical ascent of 1436 feet, but my Wahoo recorded 630 feet. Typical of RWG, I guess. It's pretty flat. I didn't really notice any significant hills.
Lots of people on the trail, but not too many. Straight in many sections but never boring.
My only negative opinion of the trail are the stop signs. The trail crosses many country roads, some paved, some gravel, every 1 mile and often every half mile. So there are stop signs. And you need to stop and check because there are cars some going fast. But they get annoying and tiresome. Just when you build up your speed and are in a good cruising flow, you see a stop sign, and have to brake, downshift and unclip. And then build up speed again, only to unclip again, multiplied by 100 times over the out and back. Ug.
So well maintained! Even not paved portions are excellent. The trail is beautiful, it offers a lot of shade, and has great trail heads with dining options along the way. There was plenty of restrooms too.
If you want nature this is not the trail for you. Spent most of the trail crossing roads and watching out for cars.
In its day, you may have been able to ride a road bike on this rail trail. Unfortunately, it is primarily loose, broken asphalt. It would be a great ride if you have a mountain, fat tire, or e-bike with wider tires.
Wanting to ride only on the paved section, we hopped on in Hamburg and headed toward Pinckney. There is plenty of parking for the trail just kitty-corner from the Hamburg Pub. There is a lot of intermittent shade which helped on this 86 degree day. The trail is extremely well- maintained and we were on the paved section for about 8 1/2 miles till we started going through Pinckney. Then it turned to gravel so we turned around and headed back. We planned to eat at the Hamburg Pub but the Trump 2024 lawn sign at the pub was a turn-off so we instead headed a couple miles down the road to Zukey Lake Tavern. It was beautiful up on the deck. The food was OK and the cold draft beer was perfect.
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!¿
The trail is nice but be careful with small sinkholes . There are many ….. at least at the section from South Heaven (I rode about 15 miles). I rode in one of them and fell down pretty badly.
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.
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