Find the top rated trails in Fenton, 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 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...
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The Trolley Line Trail, which opened in 2009, runs north from the City of Clio to the Saginaw County line at Willard Road in Vienna Township. It is so-named because it occupies a corridor that once...
The Lansing River Trail traces the course of three waterways for more than 25 miles across Michigan’s capital city. Visiting all four main points of the compass in Lansing, the trail provides a route...
The Milford Trail connects the Village of Milford with the popular Kensington Metropark in Oakland County. The winding trail offers plenty of scenery as it travels through woodlands and...
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 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...
Eastern Michigan's 7-mile Saginaw County to Bay County Connector is lined with trees and traverses picturesque farmland. The paved rail-trail follows the former Detroit and Mackinac Railway, which...
Paved and mostly flat, the Huron Valley Trail links several suburban communities, parks, and a large recreation area while providing connections to a growing network of trails. Forming a lowercase...
The Kensington Metropark Trail forms a paved loop around Kent Lake in western Oakland County. The scenic area, which features 4,481 acres of hilly terrain around the large lake, is one of the most...
The Sycamore Trail, which opened in October 2014, provides an important connection between two other trails in Delhi Charter Township, on the south end of Lansing. At the trail’s northern end, it...
The Genesee Valley Trail provides a pleasant, nearly 2-mile route on the western outskirts of Flint. The paved trail runs mostly at a diagonal from just north of Genesee Valley Center to Corunna...
The Valhalla Trail runs for just over a mile in Delhi Charter Township, a southern suburb of Lansing. Its northern half is wooded and winds through Valhalla Park, which offers a swimming beach,...
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 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...
he 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....
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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...
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 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 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...
The Black Creek Nature Trail begins at the Davison Township Municipal Center and winds its way to the trail system in the City of Davison’s Jack Abernathy Regional Park. Travelers on the trail will...
This trail is actually composed of two trails: the 2-mile Rouge River Gateway Greenway and the 17.5-mile Hines Park Trail, which create a seamless 19.5-mile connection between Dearborn and...
Paved and mostly flat, the Huron Valley Trail links several suburban communities, parks, and a large recreation area while providing connections to a growing network of trails. Forming a lowercase...
The Zilwaukee Pathway offers a paved route through the eastern Michigan city of Zilwaukee. It begins on the western shore of the Saginaw River at Zilwaukee Riverfront Park, where you'll find parking,...
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 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...
The Chelsea Community Wellness Path weaves through a large campus home to many of Chelsea’s amenities. Although the total length of the trail is less than 2 miles, it is divided into three separate...
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 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 Vassar Rail Trail weaves through the small community of Vassar, Michigan. The trail segment built on a former railroad corridor is located on the western bank of the Cass River and is perhaps the...
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,...
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 Lansing River Trail traces the course of three waterways for more than 25 miles across Michigan’s capital city. Visiting all four main points of the compass in Lansing, the trail provides a route...
The Genesee Valley Trail provides a pleasant, nearly 2-mile route on the western outskirts of Flint. The paved trail runs mostly at a diagonal from just north of Genesee Valley Center to Corunna...
The Thomas Township Trail provides a paved, north-south route of just over 2 miles through this Michigan community. It begins at a connection with the popular Saginaw Valley Rail Trail, which heads...
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 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...
The Southern Links Trailway is a 10-mile rail-trail that connects the communities of Columbiaville, Otter Lake and Millington in central Michigan. While the trail is paved with smooth asphalt, an...
The Saginaw Valley Rail Trail offers a year-round rural retreat from the urban confines of Saginaw. Rolling through a continuous woodsy border past farms, fields, and game areas for 11 miles, the...
The Northern Tier Trail winds through East Lansing on the outskirts of Michigan's capital, offering miles of paved pathway through tree-lined areas and wetlands. The 10-foot-wide trail connects...
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 Chelsea Community Wellness Path weaves through a large campus home to many of Chelsea’s amenities. Although the total length of the trail is less than 2 miles, it is divided into three separate...
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 Harger Line Rail-Trail runs for an arrow-straight 10 miles through farmland in rural Saginaw County. The trail opened in 2008, two years after the underlying Harger Line Railway corridor was...
The Ram Trail is a close to 2-mile trail beginning at Holt High School where there is access to tennis courts, soccer fields, softball and baseball diamonds and playgrounds. The trail runs eastward...
The Thomas Township Trail provides a paved, north-south route of just over 2 miles through this Michigan community. It begins at a connection with the popular Saginaw Valley Rail Trail, which heads...
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...
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 Saginaw Valley Rail Trail offers a year-round rural retreat from the urban confines of Saginaw. Rolling through a continuous woodsy border past farms, fields, and game areas for 11 miles, the...
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The Flint River Trail begins near downtown at the University of Michigan-Flint campus and heads north along both sides of the Flint River to Bluebell Beach on the reservoir. Another segment takes you...
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 Kensington Metropark Trail forms a paved loop around Kent Lake in western Oakland County. The scenic area, which features 4,481 acres of hilly terrain around the large lake, is one of the most...
The Vassar Rail Trail weaves through the small community of Vassar, Michigan. The trail segment built on a former railroad corridor is located on the western bank of the Cass River and is perhaps 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...
The Trolley Line Trail, which opened in 2009, runs north from the City of Clio to the Saginaw County line at Willard Road in Vienna Township. It is so-named because it occupies a corridor that once...
The Southern Links Trailway is a 10-mile rail-trail that connects the communities of Columbiaville, Otter Lake and Millington in central Michigan. While the trail is paved with smooth asphalt, an...
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 Milford Trail connects the Village of Milford with the popular Kensington Metropark in Oakland County. The winding trail offers plenty of scenery as it travels through woodlands and...
Eastern Michigan's 7-mile Saginaw County to Bay County Connector is lined with trees and traverses picturesque farmland. The paved rail-trail follows the former Detroit and Mackinac Railway, which...
The Genesee Valley Trail provides a pleasant, nearly 2-mile route on the western outskirts of Flint. The paved trail runs mostly at a diagonal from just north of Genesee Valley Center to Corunna...
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...
I rode this trail for the first time while in Novi for a work event. The trail was very rough on the majority of the trail and overgrown in some areas. I will not ride this trail next time I'm in town because it made my ride not very enjoyable. Hopefully they will give it some attention because it has the potential to be a decent trail.
The George Atkin Jr. Recreational Trail is a nice little trail, but as the previous two reviewers had mentioned, is quite rough. There are many cracks in the pavement that you need to be careful, throughout every portion of the trail. Most have been spray painted to alert users of the danger, but even still it's hard to see. I'd recommend the trail to cyclists, but if you are a roadie, I wouldn't necessarily bring my best bike. A hybrid or any bike with larger diameter tires is best suited to handle the terrain of the aging trail.
With the negatives out of the way, the positives are quite nice. The engineering of the trail is outstanding. There are signs at ever spur in the trail and all parts of the trails avoid roads, bypassing M-57 (Vienna Rd) and Mill St. in Clio and the railroad tracks just as it connects with the Trolley Line Rail Trail/spurs towards the Business Park off of Vienna.
Terrain-wise, For those who want a good workout with elevation, the trail provides some nice little climbs, mostly heading south towards Wilson Rd. The trail is very wooded, basically like riding/walking/running on a trail through the woods. In some spots the trail is quite overgrown, but never enough to not have a path on the trail. Some of the spots on the trail are apt to be muddy or have a tiny amount of water going through it. It's never enough to make it impassible but might make you wet if your bike tire splashes it up! There is a small spot where water runs over the creek, near the Church and near Vienna Rd. Again, it's never impassible but you should probably slow down through it.
Length-wise, with the connecting Trolley Line Trail, I was able to get about 12 miles into it taking all of the spurs but, missing out on probably 3 or so miles on the Trolley due to it being closed about 1.5 miles from it's end point. (as of August 2017)
The trail has always been lightly used when I've been on it. I've never saw more than a handful of people in the numerous times I've walked or rode it.
To summarize, it's a good trail that is showing it's age. You can get a nice little workout and it gets you to most businesses and places in Clio. If you live in Mt. Morris or just outside the Downtown portion of Clio you could ride the trail into the city, to run errands as the spurs give you great access to many important portions of the city. Be safe, don't ride at extremely fast pace and keep your eyes on the trail (for the cracks) and you should have a nice time and get back in one piece.
This is really a very nice urban trail, but if you have a choice, you may enjoy it more on a mountain bike or hybrid with shocks since the Lansing segment I did had a rather coarse texture over a majority of the 18 miles I did. I used a single speed track bike with fairly narrow/high pressure tires, which was okay, but I'd use a different bike next time.
The signage for the Lansing segment I rode was quite good, and meandering along the river was very nice. There are a fair number of wooded bridge decks that are fun, but a little bumpy.
The East Lansing segment that runs through the MSU campus and is much smoother, but there only seems to be pavement indicators for the bike lane/trail, and not the signs like they do in Lansing. I was probably not paying attention and meandered away from the trail a few times.
Great trail, but be sure to pick the right bike to do it.
This has the potential to be a great trail, but as of this writing there are a few problems. It is a new trail having opened just last fall (2016) and has limited amenities so far. I did not see any water along the way and only a couple of places to stop and rest. The only trail head with parking is at the north end in Bay City though there are plans for a southern trail head at the Saginaw end. There are also plans to connect the trail with the Bay City loop trail and with trails in Saginaw.
The trail is flat and runs along the west side of the Saginaw River through woods, marsh and farm fields. In two places bridges cross open water and the views from these bridges are spectacular.
As I road this route I saw numerous wildlife including a few birds I'm not sure I have seen before. Unfortunately you are likely to see way more Canada geese and their leavings than you may want to see. At one point I could imagine how the riders in the Tour de France feel with the crowds pushing in on both sides except this crowd was waddling along and hissing. Aside from the geese you are likely to see quite a few egrets, herons, ducks, deer, etc. I think I may have also seen a couple of Osprey.
We came from Indiana to ride the trail had pretty nice scenery and pretty good signage but for sure needs maintenance pretty bumpy in lot of place. Parked at Moore park parking lot restrooms were locked up in the middle of of the day on a Sunday. Glad we rode the trail but wouldn't make the drive back to it to ride it again.
My husband and I rode this trail on the morning of July 4th. If you love farmland, this is a great trail! We clocked it at 9.5 miles (19 mile round trip) and found the asphalt to be mostly smooth. There are plenty of benches along the way nestled into shade, and miles are marked at each road that the path crosses. There are good staging areas at either end of the trail.
The trail is relatively flat, and we did very little shifting as we rode. However, we started on the east end of the trail and found our time was a bit faster on the return trip; Thus, it appears there is the slightest of upward grades riding east to west. We enjoyed the countryside and seeing all of the crops. We also enjoyed seeing several other riders on the trail, and a couple of walkers.
There are no restroom facilities for this trail; expanding the size of one of the staging areas and adding some kind of restroom might be a nice addition.
However, closer to the east end of the trail there is a sign that points you toward an ice cream place 1/2 mile down a crossroad (Portsmouth Rd) that is actually part of a bigger shopping complex (cafe, shops, and restrooms). Not far from the east end of the trail you can find fast food and other restaurants a short distance away heading east on Hwy 46. On the west side of the trail, it is a short distance south on Hwy 15 to the town of Richfield, that has a couple of local eateries worth visiting.
All-in-all, it's a nice trail with pleasant scenery, some wildlife (mostly birds), and based on our experience some very friendly people along the way.
Rode this for the first time on July 4! Park was being well used for the holiday but very few times did we have to slow down on the bike trail. We missed the turn to get to Oakwoods Metropark but still had just over 17 mile ride. Wish there were some markings on the trails because many places they seem to splinter off. Will definitely ride here again.
Very blessed to have this trail, especially the southern extension. We ride it a couple times a week, usually from the trailhead at Michigan Avenue and go north or south for a 15-plus mile ride. Not too exciting but good for exercise. For a beautiful ride, the redone portion south of Northline Road is in great shape and the entry to Lower Huron Metropark just off Will Carleton (but not easy to find) makes for a nice diversion and adds some hills to an otherwise flat ride. Traffic alerts: Ecorse and Ann Arbor roads (north of I-94) where drivers often blow through walk lights when turning right.
SUMMARY: You can see historic downtowns, middle class suburbia, riverside wetlands, and heavy industry -- sometimes all at once! Trail surface not nearly as nice as Paint Creek / West Bloomfield, but tolerable except for Opdyke to Adams. If you're looking to log 20mph on Strava with a skinny-tire road bike, this is the wrong trail. But CRT offers a nice leisure ride or through connector with an interesting blend of Oakland County scenery.
Sylvan to Bagley (East Section) -- This area is a little raw, although that gives it a sort of authentic charm. It is very lightly traveled, but works fine as a connector/extension for a through ride to West Bloomfield Trail. CRT and West Bloomfield really are right across the street from each other. But bizarrely, there is no signage marking either one at the Orchard Lake crossing. Look for the pedestrian bike/crossing across Orchard Lake, and then you can pick up the trails visually. Both veer immediately away from Orchard Lake Road.
Pontiac Connector - Bagley/Opdyke sections are both paved trails that run parallel to the roads. I did not ride the South Blvd section.
Opdyke to Adams - This is the only fully paved section of the CRT, but unexpectedly has the worst-conditioned surface. If just out for a leisure bike ride, this section should be avoided. I would only ride west from Leach Road Trailhead. But it's fine for walkers. Scenery is interesting enough. I still get a thrill riding over highways, and this section has a nice bridge over I-75.
Adams to Dequindre - This section is mostly loose asphalt. It's not the best surface, but was acceptable for my 35mm tire touring bike. I would not recommend for a skinny-tire road bike. And signs say the asphalt is recycled, so that's a plus. In fact, there is an asphalt factory right along the trail, which was probably the source. You can connect midway with the Paint Creek Trail, or with Macomb-Orchard Trail at Dequindre.
Drove in circles trying to find the parking spots identified on the map. Finally found the rode to the parking lot and it was closed. What we could see of the trail was pretty much like sidewalks. If I wanted to ride through neighborhoods I would have rode at home.
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