Find the top rated trails in Elk Rapids, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Boardman Lake Trail connects Traverse City neighborhoods, businesses, two parks and the district's library on a scenic route along the eastern shoreline of a large natural lake. One day, it's...
The North Western State Trail—formerly known as the Petoskey to Mackinaw Trail after its endpoints—passes through many communities along the way, including Conway, Oden, Ponshewaing, Brutus, Pellston,...
Remoteness and solitude describe a trip along the 22-mile Betsie Valley Trail in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. Starting at the old logging town of Thompsonville, the trail slopes gently...
Located in Grayling, Michigan, the Grayling Bicycle Turnpike runs from the north side of the Grayling downtown area at North Down River Road all the way out to the entrance of Hartwick Pines State...
When completed, the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail will wind for 27 miles through the stunning Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—a national park on the shores of Lake Michigan in the northwest...
Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park makes tracks from a bustling Grand Rapids community to the forests, farmlands, and friendly towns of Northern Lower Michigan. At nearly 93 miles, it is the...
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The 13-mile Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trail provides trail users with extended waterfront access in Traverse City, the self-proclaimed Cherry Capital of the World, brushing by...
The 62-mile North Central State Trail offers a multiuse trail adventure into the hills, agricultural areas, woods, and waterways of Michigan, with connections to well-¿established tourist towns at...
The 17-mile Leelanau Trail runs up a Lake Michigan peninsula that is known for its abundance of cherry orchards and Riesling grape vineyards. Located in northern Michigan, the paved trail connects the...
icture-postcard-worthy views of Lake Michigan and its shoreline greet visitors to the Little Traverse Wheelway in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. The paved trail rolls for 24 miles from...
Remoteness and solitude describe a trip along the 22-mile Betsie Valley Trail in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. Starting at the old logging town of Thompsonville, the trail slopes gently...
The 17-mile Leelanau Trail runs up a Lake Michigan peninsula that is known for its abundance of cherry orchards and Riesling grape vineyards. Located in northern Michigan, the paved trail connects the...
icture-postcard-worthy views of Lake Michigan and its shoreline greet visitors to the Little Traverse Wheelway in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. The paved trail rolls for 24 miles from...
The 5-mile Spring Brook Trail crosses flat to hilly terrain in Mackinaw State Forest. The trail accommodates hikers, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers. The trail meanders along a wooded creek...
The 62-mile North Central State Trail offers a multiuse trail adventure into the hills, agricultural areas, woods, and waterways of Michigan, with connections to well-¿established tourist towns at...
The Wellston Area Tourist Association maintains about 64 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling in the ManisteeHuron National Forest. For more information and maps, contact the Tourist...
Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park makes tracks from a bustling Grand Rapids community to the forests, farmlands, and friendly towns of Northern Lower Michigan. At nearly 93 miles, it is the...
The Shingle Mill Pathway is a series of trail loops for hikers, cross-country skiers and mountain bikers. Horses and snowmobiles are not permitted on the Shingle Mill Pathway. All the loops begin...
The Irons Area Tourist Association maintains 60 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiles and ATVs in the Manistee National Forest. For more information, contact the tourist association or the national...
The 13-mile Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trail provides trail users with extended waterfront access in Traverse City, the self-proclaimed Cherry Capital of the World, brushing by...
Located in Grayling, Michigan, the Grayling Bicycle Turnpike runs from the north side of the Grayling downtown area at North Down River Road all the way out to the entrance of Hartwick Pines State...
When completed, the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail will wind for 27 miles through the stunning Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—a national park on the shores of Lake Michigan in the northwest...
The Boardman Lake Trail connects Traverse City neighborhoods, businesses, two parks and the district's library on a scenic route along the eastern shoreline of a large natural lake. One day, it's...
The North Western State Trail—formerly known as the Petoskey to Mackinaw Trail after its endpoints—passes through many communities along the way, including Conway, Oden, Ponshewaing, Brutus, Pellston,...
The Grass River Natural Area has a system of six trails through wetlands and woodland, a beautiful retreat south of Lake Bellaire in northern Michigan. The preserve's rail-trail provides just over 2...
The North Western State Trail—formerly known as the Petoskey to Mackinaw Trail after its endpoints—passes through many communities along the way, including Conway, Oden, Ponshewaing, Brutus, Pellston,...
Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park makes tracks from a bustling Grand Rapids community to the forests, farmlands, and friendly towns of Northern Lower Michigan. At nearly 93 miles, it is the...
The 5-mile Spring Brook Trail crosses flat to hilly terrain in Mackinaw State Forest. The trail accommodates hikers, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers. The trail meanders along a wooded creek...
The 62-mile North Central State Trail offers a multiuse trail adventure into the hills, agricultural areas, woods, and waterways of Michigan, with connections to well-¿established tourist towns at...
The 13-mile Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trail provides trail users with extended waterfront access in Traverse City, the self-proclaimed Cherry Capital of the World, brushing by...
The Grass River Natural Area has a system of six trails through wetlands and woodland, a beautiful retreat south of Lake Bellaire in northern Michigan. The preserve's rail-trail provides just over 2...
When completed, the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail will wind for 27 miles through the stunning Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—a national park on the shores of Lake Michigan in the northwest...
icture-postcard-worthy views of Lake Michigan and its shoreline greet visitors to the Little Traverse Wheelway in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. The paved trail rolls for 24 miles from...
The Wellston Area Tourist Association maintains about 64 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling in the ManisteeHuron National Forest. For more information and maps, contact the Tourist...
Located in Grayling, Michigan, the Grayling Bicycle Turnpike runs from the north side of the Grayling downtown area at North Down River Road all the way out to the entrance of Hartwick Pines State...
The Shingle Mill Pathway is a series of trail loops for hikers, cross-country skiers and mountain bikers. Horses and snowmobiles are not permitted on the Shingle Mill Pathway. All the loops begin...
Remoteness and solitude describe a trip along the 22-mile Betsie Valley Trail in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. Starting at the old logging town of Thompsonville, the trail slopes gently...
The Boardman Lake Trail connects Traverse City neighborhoods, businesses, two parks and the district's library on a scenic route along the eastern shoreline of a large natural lake. One day, it's...
The 17-mile Leelanau Trail runs up a Lake Michigan peninsula that is known for its abundance of cherry orchards and Riesling grape vineyards. Located in northern Michigan, the paved trail connects the...
The Irons Area Tourist Association maintains 60 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiles and ATVs in the Manistee National Forest. For more information, contact the tourist association or the national...
Biked the trail today from Reed City to Leroy and back.
New asphalt and smooth!!
Would be perfect...except for the half mile south of Sylvan Rd.
They did not improve that section and it is loose gravel.
If riding with road tires...it's treacherous. If it was packed in, it would be easier to ride through.
Have ridden the Northern route of the Heritage Trail to The Homestead and north. Today we parked in the tennis complex in Glen Arbor and rode to Glen Haven and the Dune Climb. The trail is paved with a 5% grade of gently rolling hills but goes up to a 12% grade at the Dune Climb(not for the faint hearted). This is a beautiful trail that completely surprised us. We did discover you have to ride the road in Glen Arbor. There are nice restrooms and places to picnic in Glen Arbor and Glen Haven. Will definitely ride this trail again.
Ridden many times. This is a favorite when I’m in this area.
Starting from M-10 intersection north for about 3 miles, the trail has been paved with asphalt. As of yesterday (8/5/2018) it is still closed, but it's certainly ride-able, so I would think it will be open soon.
I rode my Recumbent Terra Trike from the parking lot in Belmont to Sand Lake, round trip just under 35 miles. I have rheumatoid arthritis, so biking is a thing of the past. Parts of the trail are in desperate need of repair, as the tree roots are making some of the trail not so pleasant. I also like to inline skate, and many portions of this trail are making inline skating less of an option.
Trail is being graded and worked on north of Reed City.
I sure hope they are planning on paving it.
Meanwhile, the parking at Paris Park is no longer free for trail users.
Pulled in today and the Ranger stated the fee is $6 minimum for using the trail....the lot had no cars in it.
Ranger suggested another parking spot just north of Paris 1/4 mile.
Small lot...would work but the entry to the trail was gated and locked.
After many years of having to cross I-75 on a two lane highway bridge the new pedestrian only bridge was completed late last fall and is now seeing lots of usage. The trip out to Hardwick Pines State Park is now much safer and a lot more fun!
Love this trail!
HOWEVER, on Saturday mornings, there is no parking at the Gaylord trail head. The soccer activities at the park take all parking for several hours.
ALSO, the soccer participants actually park on the trail, totally blocking it.
Unfortunately, this weekend (9/23), while attempting to navigate around parked cars on the trail, I got hung up in the sand and fell. Bent my derailleur and bloodied up my leg!
I informed the police that the trail was blocked. My suspicions are it did little good.
Love this trail!!!
This is a great trail but it is really deteriorating quickly. From East Park west to Charlevoix it is so beat up that it is basically disgusting to ride on my handcycle or on any type of recumbent three wheel type of bike. The curb cuts are atrocious and if you want to bend a wheel or blow a tire this is the trail for you. Even the new extension up to Alanson which is only 3 seasons old is getting really, really bumpy due to the fact that when it was built the tree roots were not cleared deep enough. The section from downtown Petoskey to East Park is the only smooth and properly maintained part of the trail albeit it now has some tree root and cracking issues too. The section from the newly purchased $300,000.00 trail office that houses the council director who has a huge salary for what he does, north to Harbor Springs has some deterioration and curb cut issues too. All and all this could be Michigan's best trail if it had built and maintained properly. Its a shame that there are few fundraising events or even donation boxes along this very heavily used trail so money could be raised to fix the many issues. Its also unfortunate that all the chiefs on the council never answer emails or complaints relating to the many, many problems that they seem to ignore.
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