Explore the best rated trails in Detroit, MI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Clinton River Park Trail and Island Lake Trail Connector . With more than 42 trails covering 373 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.
A paved path, suitable for walking and cycling, the Trenton Walking Path follows the small but tranquil Frank and Poet Creek through a series of parks and green space that cuts right through the heart...
The West Bloomfield Trail sails along for nearly 7 miles through a municipality that claims to be one of the wettest in the nation—not from rainfall but from the sheer number of lakes (28), ponds...
A popular destination year-round for residents across the Detroit area, the Lake Erie Metropark offers a wide variety of activities and recreation sites across its 1600-plus acres. Nestled along the...
This trail runs from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens two miles south to Parker Mill Park. It was conceived in response to the need for a safer alternative for non-motorized travelers. Dixboro Road only...
With 4,461 acres of prime recreational lands, this top-rated park's scenic, hilly terrain surrounds beautiful 500-acre Stony Creek Lake. Park features include a nature center, a hike-bike trail,...
The aptly-named North-South Connector Trail provides a paved trail connection between the communities of Gibraltar and Trenton, in the area south of Detroit known as the Downriver. Part of a...
Providing nearly two and a half miles of paved trail through a mixture of suburban and industrial land, the Brownstown Township Trail may not be much of a destination trail, but it is a great resource...
The automotive industry has the most impact on Macomb County’s economy, but it’s the freshly picked apples and squeezed cider that leave lasting impressions on visitors to the Macomb Orchard Trail....
You won’t find this trail’s name on the ground: the continuous stretch is actually made up of the scenic trails within Oakwoods Metropark, Willow Metropark and Lower Huron Metropark, as well as a...
The Metro Connector Trail works as its name suggests, closing the gap between two local favorites in Novi: the M-5 Metro Trail and the I-275 Metro Trail. The trail begins on 13 Mile Road and then...
The Clinton River Trail is a 16-mile recreational trail on an abandoned rail line through the heart of Oakland County, including the cities of Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills and...
The Michigan Air Line Trail stretches nearly 6 miles across the communities of Wixom, Walled Lake and Commerce Township in Oakland County. The trail begins on Wixom Road and travels east in the former...
The Bridge to Bay Trail extends from the village of Lake Port on Lake Huron south to Algonac on the St. Clair River; however, only about 37.5 miles of the 54 planned miles are completed as of early...
Clocking in at over four and a half miles, the ITC Corridor Trail in Novi is a fantastic recreational asset for the community, providing a paved pathway that connects neighborhoods and recreation...
Running from the city of Monroe's popular Munson Park, through the city's charming historic downtown, and out to Sterling State Park - one of the most-frequented of Michigan's state parks - the River...
The M-5 Metro Trail runs for 2 miles between Commerce Township and the city of Novi in southeastern Michigan. The paved trail parallels the west side of its namesake roadway (also known as the...
Tradition says that Michigan has 11,000 lakes. The eastern section of the Lakelands Trail State Park passes through a chain of them as it rolls from the town of Hamburg and Lakeland to Munith some 26...
Stretching from the small riverside community of Rockwood to the East-West Connector Trail north of the city, the Rockwood Pathway provides a great way for cyclists and pedestrians to get around town...
The Metro Parkway Trail—also known as the Freedom Trail—parallels the busy Metropolitan Parkway (16 Mile Road) through urban Macomb County. You'll find many street crossings throughout a mix of...
The Dequindre Cut Greenway is a paved path nearly 2 miles long in downtown Detroit. The trail has separate lanes for cyclists and pedestrians and you'll find entrance ramps at Lafayette Street,...
The Lower Rouge River Recreation Trail closely follows the river for 4 miles through the town of Canton, located between the urban centers of Ann Arbor and Detroit. The compacted crushed stone pathway...
Closure Notice: Parts of the Milford Trail will be closed from June to October 2020 for the Saginaw Trail Pipeline project. A map of the affected area can be found on the project website. The...
The Clinton River Trail is a 16-mile recreational trail on an abandoned rail line through the heart of Oakland County, including the cities of Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills and...
This unassuming recreational path in Goodrich, Genesee County is actually a part of the Iron Belle Trail, Michigan's state-spanning multiuse trail system. The Gale Road Trail starts near Perry Road...
The Grosse Ile Trail is a smooth, paved route running nearly the entire north–south length of Grosse Ile, which rests in the Detroit River between mainland Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The trail...
The aptly-named North-South Connector Trail provides a paved trail connection between the communities of Gibraltar and Trenton, in the area south of Detroit known as the Downriver. Part of a...
Running from the city of Monroe's popular Munson Park, through the city's charming historic downtown, and out to Sterling State Park - one of the most-frequented of Michigan's state parks - the River...
The Island Lake Pathway runs east–west through the densely-wooded landscape of the Island Lake Recreation Area southeast of Brighton. Although relatively short, the paved trail may prove a challenge...
Clinton River Park Trail winds along the east bank of its namesake river in Sterling Heights, a northern suburb of Detroit. The paved trail runs through a tranquil, wooded area; keep a lookout for...
Canton's ITC Corridor Trail makes use of a power-line utility corridor, converting this space that previously served as a barrier between neighborhoods into a means of connecting various parts of the...
The Bridge to Bay Trail extends from the village of Lake Port on Lake Huron south to Algonac on the St. Clair River; however, only about 37.5 miles of the 54 planned miles are completed as of early...
You won’t find this trail’s name on the ground: the continuous stretch is actually made up of the scenic trails within Oakwoods Metropark, Willow Metropark and Lower Huron Metropark, as well as a...
The Flat Rock Pathway is a paved asphalt path in the small, industrial community of Flat Rock, located on the banks of the Huron River not far from where it empties into Lake Erie. Part of the...
The Metro Parkway Trail—also known as the Freedom Trail—parallels the busy Metropolitan Parkway (16 Mile Road) through urban Macomb County. You'll find many street crossings throughout a mix of...
Even though the Paint Creek Trail is Michigan’s oldest nonmotorized rail-trail, the occasional face-lifts and renovations keep it looking as young as ever. Established in 1983, the crushed-limestone...
Tradition says that Michigan has 11,000 lakes. The eastern section of the Lakelands Trail State Park passes through a chain of them as it rolls from the town of Hamburg and Lakeland to Munith some 26...
With 4,461 acres of prime recreational lands, this top-rated park's scenic, hilly terrain surrounds beautiful 500-acre Stony Creek Lake. Park features include a nature center, a hike-bike trail,...
Stretching from the small riverside community of Rockwood to the East-West Connector Trail north of the city, the Rockwood Pathway provides a great way for cyclists and pedestrians to get around town...
The East-West Connector Trail is true to its name, providing an important off-road connection between several trails in the Downriver Linked Greenways network, which enables cyclists and pedestrians...
Along its 3.5-mile route, the RiverWalk offers breathtaking views of the Detroit River and city skyline. Recreational opportunities abound as the trail links Milliken State Park and numerous plazas...
The Grosse Ile Trail is a smooth, paved route running nearly the entire north–south length of Grosse Ile, which rests in the Detroit River between mainland Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The trail...
A popular destination year-round for residents across the Detroit area, the Lake Erie Metropark offers a wide variety of activities and recreation sites across its 1600-plus acres. Nestled along the...
The Bridge to Bay Trail extends from the village of Lake Port on Lake Huron south to Algonac on the St. Clair River; however, only about 37.5 miles of the 54 planned miles are completed as of early...
The Metro Parkway Trail—also known as the Freedom Trail—parallels the busy Metropolitan Parkway (16 Mile Road) through urban Macomb County. You'll find many street crossings throughout a mix of...
Clinton River Park Trail winds along the east bank of its namesake river in Sterling Heights, a northern suburb of Detroit. The paved trail runs through a tranquil, wooded area; keep a lookout for...
The Polly Ann Trail is a 34-mile long, non-motorized trail extending north from suburban Detroit on a former Pontiac, Oxford & Northern Railroad corridor. The trail is managed separately by groups in...
The West Bloomfield Trail sails along for nearly 7 miles through a municipality that claims to be one of the wettest in the nation—not from rainfall but from the sheer number of lakes (28), ponds...
The M-5 Metro Trail runs for 2 miles between Commerce Township and the city of Novi in southeastern Michigan. The paved trail parallels the west side of its namesake roadway (also known as the...
Closure Notice: Parts of the Milford Trail will be closed from June to October 2020 for the Saginaw Trail Pipeline project. A map of the affected area can be found on the project website. The...
Tradition says that Michigan has 11,000 lakes. The eastern section of the Lakelands Trail State Park passes through a chain of them as it rolls from the town of Hamburg and Lakeland to Munith some 26...
The Dequindre Cut Greenway is a paved path nearly 2 miles long in downtown Detroit. The trail has separate lanes for cyclists and pedestrians and you'll find entrance ramps at Lafayette Street,...
The aptly-named North-South Connector Trail provides a paved trail connection between the communities of Gibraltar and Trenton, in the area south of Detroit known as the Downriver. Part of a...
Along its 3.5-mile route, the RiverWalk offers breathtaking views of the Detroit River and city skyline. Recreational opportunities abound as the trail links Milliken State Park and numerous plazas...
The Border-to-Border Trail is a work in progress, which when complete, will stretch across Washtenaw County from its border with Livingston County in the northwest to Wayne County in the east. Much of...
This trail runs from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens two miles south to Parker Mill Park. It was conceived in response to the need for a safer alternative for non-motorized travelers. Dixboro Road only...
An extension of the paved paths that connect the Oakwoods, Willow, and Lower Huron Metroparks, the Oakwoods Metropark to Flat Rock Trail allows you to continue your trail experience into the small...
The I-275 Metro Trail began back in the 1970s as the Michigan Department of Transportation's response to the then-fuel crisis. The original trail linked Wayne, Oakland and Monroe counties along a...
Providing nearly two and a half miles of paved trail through a mixture of suburban and industrial land, the Brownstown Township Trail may not be much of a destination trail, but it is a great resource...
The Clinton River Spillway Trail passes through a mostly wooded corridor above and parallel to the spillway between Velger Boat Harbor on Lake St. Clair and Shady Side Park in Mt. Clemens. At the east...
The Michigan Air Line Trail stretches nearly 6 miles across the communities of Wixom, Walled Lake and Commerce Township in Oakland County. The trail begins on Wixom Road and travels east in the former...
We rode this yesterday. It is just gorgeous and very well maintained. In regard to some of the recent reviews regarding crowds - although we saw a good number of people riding or walking, it was totally fine since we were there on a Thursday. Weekends are much busier. There are a lot of curves on the trail, so that's something to look out for if it's crowded and some are trying to pass when they shouldn't. Side note - on the south end of Kent Lake, there's a short connecter bike path that goes under I-96 to Island Lake. The Island Lake trails aren't nearly as well maintained and are very bumpy.
Ran it yesterday for the first time, parked at the ITC park and ran up to Providence Hospital. FYI, the whole thing was open - just need to take the dirt road at 9 Mile and Garfield to catch the rest of the trail. Nice trail.
Just wanted to give an update on the last review from July - the trail is open as of October 2020. You have to run on the dirt roads at 9 Mile and Garfield but no issues this morning.
We started at Sylvan Manor and rode the 4mile road detour. It was very rough sidewalks and busy road crossings. Best to start at Opdyke Rd and ride East from there. The road crossings, while many, had very courteous drivers you actually stopped for you! Beautiful scenery and lots of spots to get off the trail for a snack or lunch. We stopped at Rochester Mills Brewery and the food was pretty good. Cool vibes. Would go back. I rode a Salsa Cutthroat which was perfect for this ride. My riding buddy had Synapse with wider tires but still needed to walk some of the route through glass (on the rode detour).
Trail In great shape! Busy but enough room for all!! Scenery is beautiful!!
1) The overpass above the railway line south of Michigan Ave has three spots where the concrete is dangerously unlevel. Beware road bike riders. In the same stretch there are a few areas of collected sand; sand caution. 2) The asphalt path going through the underpass at the rail line near Hannah has dramatic buckling and sinking. It is always narrow and sandy (from unavoidable run off). This feels like mountain biking. Road bikers be cautious. 3) South of Huron the path becomes a jungle; the asphalt is laced with significant mounds of grass. The area is nearly impassable on a road bike without gravel or “knobby” tires. I could not complete the connection to the end, I was forced to turn back. Otherwise, the trail is pretty enjoyable.
New trail makes for a smooth ride. Mixed scenery amongst industrial areas. Connects between West Bloomfield trail and Huron Valley.
Trail is nice and smooth. Nicely maintained. Rode from Romeo to Richmond. One of my favorite rides
The surface is flat and smooth. Slowdown at the street intersections due to the ongoing traffic. If you’re looking for a scenic route this one is not for you.
Very nice and smooth ride all the way. Nice scenery as well - I would ride this again
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