Explore the best rated trails in Grand Rapids, MI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Fred Meijer Flat River Trail and Fred Meijer Standale Trail. With more than 42 trails covering 746 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.
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When complete, the Paul Henry - Thornapple Trail will be a 42-mile, multi-use recreation trail, extending from Grand Rapids to Vermontville; it eventually may be extended to Jackson. The trail is...
The Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee (CIS) Rail Trail stretches 41 miles between the mid-Michigan towns of Ionia and Owosso, offering a mix of pastoral and wooded landscapes. It crosses three...
The East West Trail follows an electric utility corridor for more than 2 arrow-straight miles through Kentwood, Michigan. The trail runs along a creek for a short distance and features some short...
The Medbery Bike Trail runs from a junction with the Hart-Montague Trail State Park and White Lake Pathway in Montague, Michigan, to an industrial park west of town. The rail-trail passes primarily...
The Fred Meijer Berry Junction Trail is situated between two natural treasures: Lake Michigan to the west and the Manistee National Forest to the east. The pathway, built on an inactive section of the...
An easy, flat, and well-maintained trail system, the Kent Trails provide transportation and access to nature in the bustling, second-largest metropolitan area in Michigan. The southern trail section...
The Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail is the last trail of a dozen trails in western Michigan to be named after philanthropist and Rail-Trail Champion Fred Meijer. When complete, the trail will be an...
The Fred Meijer Kenowa Trail begins in the rural community of Jamestown southwest of Grand Rapids and travels nearly 10 miles west, primarily along existing roads, to Zeeland Township. Passing by one...
To be in Holland, Michigan, is to experience authentic Dutch culture in the American Midwest, from dikes and canals, to tulip fields and even a windmill. The city sits on the Lake Michigan shoreline...
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Allegan County’s Interurban Trail runs north-south through the City of Wayland. The trail follows a former interurban railroad corridor through the heart of the community between Grand Rapids and...
The Lakeshore Connector Path runs along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, between Grand Haven and Holland, a distance of nearly 20 miles. The paved path parallels Lakeshore Drive and offers access...
The Laketon Trail offers an important connection between the Muskegon Lakeshore Trail and the Musketawa Trail in the City of Muskegon. The paved pathway largely parallels Laketon Avenue, along the...
The Fred Meijer M-6 Trail runs for 9 miles paralleling Michigan Highway 6/Paul B. Henry Expressway south of Grand Rapids (a.k.a. the M-6). As such, it's not the most quiet of trails, but it still...
The North Bank Trail will one day stretch 18 miles from Spring Lake to Marne, on the western outskirts of Grand Rapids. Currently, a little more than its first three miles are complete on the trail's...
The Musketawa Trail is one of the best places to get away from it all if you live and work in the western Michigan population centers of Muskegon or Grand Rapids. The 25-mile paved rail-trail rolls...
The Linear Trail Park trail winds its way through the town of Grand Haven paralleling several of the town's main thoroughfares. It connects on the west side at two points to the Lake Shore Connector...
The Butterworth Trail connects several neighborhoods in Grand Rapids on both sides of the Grand River. The majority of the paved trail loops through a large swath of land formerly home to the...
The Lakeside Trail system offers more than 25 miles of paved paths through the villages of Fruitport, Ferrysburg, and Spring Lake. Its main loop circles Spring Lake (the lake) and encompasses spur...
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The City of Wyoming’s Interurban Trail follows a former interurban railroad corridor through the heart of the community just south of Grand Rapids. Trains between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo ceased...
The Battle Creek Linear Park trail encompasses nearly 26 miles of connected trails in Battle Creek. Residents use the loop trails to put some snap, crackle, and pop in their exercise routines, while...
The Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail is the last trail of a dozen trails in western Michigan to be named after philanthropist and Rail-Trail Champion Fred Meijer. When complete, the trail will be an...
In just 4 miles, visitors to the Cannon Township Trail are able to experience a variety of landscapes. The greenway begins in the Cannon Township Center, and travels through pine forests, grassy...
More than a half-dozen old railroad towns between Kalamazoo and South Haven offer rest and replenishment to travelers using the Kal-Haven Trail. The 34-mile crushed-limestone rail-trail links these...
The Upper Macatawa Trail is sited within the stunning natural area of the same name, in Zeeland, Michigan. The trail runs 2.8 miles and offers a sensory as it passes through hardwood forest, verdant...
The Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee (CIS) Rail Trail stretches 41 miles between the mid-Michigan towns of Ionia and Owosso, offering a mix of pastoral and wooded landscapes. It crosses three...
The Fred Meijer Standale Trail—one of several trails in western Michigan named for the grocery magnate and philanthropist who donated generously to their development—connects retail, civic and...
The Lakeshore Connector Path runs along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, between Grand Haven and Holland, a distance of nearly 20 miles. The paved path parallels Lakeshore Drive and offers access...
Muskegon's Lakeshore Trail provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, while also passing among beautiful sand dunes, lively parks and the city of Muskegon itself. Small sections of the...
The Fred Meijer Millennium Trail courses through the 1,500-acre Millennium Park in Walker, a community southwest of Grand Rapids. The trail network has both paved and crushed stone trails, allowing...
The Battle Creek Linear Park trail encompasses nearly 26 miles of connected trails in Battle Creek. Residents use the loop trails to put some snap, crackle, and pop in their exercise routines, while...
To be in Holland, Michigan, is to experience authentic Dutch culture in the American Midwest, from dikes and canals, to tulip fields and even a windmill. The city sits on the Lake Michigan shoreline...
The Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park connects a bustling Grand Rapids community to the forests, farmlands, and friendly towns of Northern Lower Michigan. At nearly 93 miles, it is the state’s...
The Lakeside Trail system offers more than 25 miles of paved paths through the villages of Fruitport, Ferrysburg, and Spring Lake. Its main loop circles Spring Lake (the lake) and encompasses spur...
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Following the north side of the creek, the Buck Creek Trail provides a pleasant route through Grandville's neighborhoods and, with a newer extension, connects the downtown area with a network of...
When complete, the Paul Henry - Thornapple Trail will be a 42-mile, multi-use recreation trail, extending from Grand Rapids to Vermontville; it eventually may be extended to Jackson. The trail is...
The City of Wyoming’s Interurban Trail follows a former interurban railroad corridor through the heart of the community just south of Grand Rapids. Trains between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo ceased...
The Fred Thwaites Grand River Trail, also known as the Ionia River Trail, travels for just over 3 miles along the edge of Grand River. The paved pathway begins at Quarry Road and travels to the Ionia...
The Medbery Bike Trail runs from a junction with the Hart-Montague Trail State Park and White Lake Pathway in Montague, Michigan, to an industrial park west of town. The rail-trail passes primarily...
The Plaster Creek Trail provides a non-motorized way to access Grand Rapids neighborhoods via a pleasant, tree-lined route. The path meanders along a tributary of the Grand River from Ken-O-Sha Park...
The largely unimproved Fred Meijer Flat River Valley Rail Trail links the cities of Lowell, Belding and Greenville in Kent, Ionia and Montcalm counties, respectively. While plans call for the eventual...
The Lakeside Trail system offers more than 25 miles of paved paths through the villages of Fruitport, Ferrysburg, and Spring Lake. Its main loop circles Spring Lake (the lake) and encompasses spur...
Following the north side of the creek, the Buck Creek Trail provides a pleasant route through Grandville's neighborhoods and, with a newer extension, connects the downtown area with a network of...
The Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail is the last trail of a dozen trails in western Michigan to be named after philanthropist and Rail-Trail Champion Fred Meijer. When complete, the trail will be an...
The Fred Meijer Standale Trail—one of several trails in western Michigan named for the grocery magnate and philanthropist who donated generously to their development—connects retail, civic and...
The Fred Meijer Millennium Trail courses through the 1,500-acre Millennium Park in Walker, a community southwest of Grand Rapids. The trail network has both paved and crushed stone trails, allowing...
Muskegon's Lakeshore Trail provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, while also passing among beautiful sand dunes, lively parks and the city of Muskegon itself. Small sections of the...
The Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Rail Trail is one component of a network of trails in mid-west Michigan that, when complete, will stretch 125 miles from Alma to Owosso. The trails are named after...
When complete, the Paul Henry - Thornapple Trail will be a 42-mile, multi-use recreation trail, extending from Grand Rapids to Vermontville; it eventually may be extended to Jackson. The trail is...
The Medbery Bike Trail runs from a junction with the Hart-Montague Trail State Park and White Lake Pathway in Montague, Michigan, to an industrial park west of town. The rail-trail passes primarily...
The Fred Meijer Berry Junction Trail is situated between two natural treasures: Lake Michigan to the west and the Manistee National Forest to the east. The pathway, built on an inactive section of the...
The Grand River Edges Trail runs in loops on the east and west banks of the Grand River near downtown Grand Rapids. At the south end, the trail crosses back and forth over the river via pedestrian...
The Fred Meijer Flat River Trail connects 2 mountain bike trails and 5 city parks in Greenville. The trail follows the winding Flat River, offering scenic views and incorporating forest and wetlands....
The Battle Creek Linear Park trail encompasses nearly 26 miles of connected trails in Battle Creek. Residents use the loop trails to put some snap, crackle, and pop in their exercise routines, while...
The Fred Meijer M-6 Trail runs for 9 miles paralleling Michigan Highway 6/Paul B. Henry Expressway south of Grand Rapids (a.k.a. the M-6). As such, it's not the most quiet of trails, but it still...
The Laketon Trail offers an important connection between the Muskegon Lakeshore Trail and the Musketawa Trail in the City of Muskegon. The paved pathway largely parallels Laketon Avenue, along the...
More than a half-dozen old railroad towns between Kalamazoo and South Haven offer rest and replenishment to travelers using the Kal-Haven Trail. The 34-mile crushed-limestone rail-trail links these...
The Musketawa Trail is one of the best places to get away from it all if you live and work in the western Michigan population centers of Muskegon or Grand Rapids. The 25-mile paved rail-trail rolls...
The Fred Thwaites Grand River Trail, also known as the Ionia River Trail, travels for just over 3 miles along the edge of Grand River. The paved pathway begins at Quarry Road and travels to the Ionia...
The East West Trail follows an electric utility corridor for more than 2 arrow-straight miles through Kentwood, Michigan. The trail runs along a creek for a short distance and features some short...
The Lakeshore Connector Path runs along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, between Grand Haven and Holland, a distance of nearly 20 miles. The paved path parallels Lakeshore Drive and offers access...
I biked the entirety of the improved portion of this trail yesterday 10/9/19.
I started in Ovid, where there was parking by the trail but no public restrooms and headed west. As anticipated, the trail was improved and very nice until Smith Road just west of Owasso (about 7.5 miles). Past Smith Road, the trail was overgrown with grass 2-3 ft tall and trees growing across--impassable without a machete. I turned around there and rode all the way through Saranac, where the trail ended at mile marker 133. Past there, the trail had original railroad ballast with large stones, not passable even with a mountain bike. I then turned back and returned to my car in Ovid. The most beautiful part of the trail was West of Pewamo, as it was along the Grand River valley. East of Pewamo to Owasso, it is primarily farm land sheltered by a line of trees in most places. There is parking and restrooms along the trail in St. Johns, Fowler, Pewamo, Muir, Ionia and Saranac. The trail was beautifully, newly paved asphalt within all of the towns, and hard-packed crushed limestone in between. It was perfect for a cyclocross bike or mountain bike and most likely entirely passable with a road bike (some rare soft spots in the crushed stone could be difficult). I will definitely ride this again. 51.5 miles of improved trail total, for a round tip distance of 103 miles.
We parked at the Trailhead just South of Cadillac. Biked 2 miles into the city of Cadillac for lunch. There's also some great little shops in Cadillac.
Biked from Cadillac to LeRoy and back, approx 35 miles round trip.
Trail is very nicely paved asphalt through open areas and wooded areas.
Great ride on the Northern section of the trail.
Between Cadillac and LeRoy you will pass through Tustin which has a few small stores if you need anything.
Along the trail there are wooded sections of huge white pine trees.
We parked at Jackson's Landing trailhead. Large paved lot and portable restroom.
Trail is asphalt paved and plastic decking. The plastic decking sections are extensive and very rough and bouncy if traveling at a decent speed.
The trail goes along the Flat River. Coming out of Greenville the trail is more of a paved sidewalk, up near the High School.
Trail services include eateries nearby since most of this trail is within the city limits.
You can also access the Heartland Trail from Jackson's Landing trailhead.
Biked the trail from Middleville south on a cool clear weekday in late September. Trail was not crowded but a bit bumpy in a few spots. We also biked the new portion a mile long and it was beautiful. Nice restaurants in town near the trai.
Perfect for the family! Take bug spray if you’re walking.
We arrived late in the day just as storm clouds were rolling in, but we managed a ride to Riverdale and returned to Alma just after sunset (17.5 miles). The trail appeared to have been recently re-sealed and, except for a 100 yard section west of Warner Road, it was buttery smooth. The only hazards encountered were the numerous bunnies running across the trail in front of us.
Planned and completed the entire trail starting from Grand Rapids Comstock Park to downtown Cadillac and back, last weekend. Was riding a gravel bike and can say that the gravel sections including the paved were so much fun to ride on. That being said, there are some deeper gravel and sand sections, mainly in the smaller cities at the crosswalks, so beware. Not bad, but you’d want to keep your eyes out for it. A fair amount of restroom stops, if you plan them. Highly recommend stopping in Rockford for a brew. Abundant campgrounds in Cadillac. Very much a friend and family group area though, so a little clustered. Stayed the second night at the Young’s Lake Campground and I could not recommend more! Very friendly owners greet you at the front and it’s not too big. It has its own little beach right in front of a lake. Some winding roads to get there, but super worth it. The stars were amazing. Great trail throughout, but when they do get to paving the entire trail, I’m sure it’d make the distance a lot easier and more accessible (although I personally liked the silence with no one else around but nature) FYI saw some Blue Racer snakes on the trail near Cadillac. Nonpoisonous, but you’ll be surprised. Recommend friendsofthewhitepinetrail.com for more details along the trail.
We rode from Alma to Erdmore and back.
The first 5 miles (or so) headed westward are smooth, but after that the trail deteriorates with frequent hard bumps (much repair is needed). The entire trail is over-grown and we were constantly dodging branches and thick weeds (again, attention needed). Few restrooms. No mile markers.
A high spot - 3D ice cream and pizza in Vestaburg. Great food, especially the ice cream, at reasonable prices.
Not a bad ride for locals. Drove a couple hours to ride here. To be clear, this is mostly a paved path by the road with houses you ride by. You only have a few lake overlooks. Was hoping for much more lake and a lot less riding through what felt like a woody housing addition
We left Montague and ode to Hart. Spent the night at the Dunes Express and then rode back to Montague. We are just novice riders, but really enjoyed this ride. Well-maintained, fairly flat terrain. There are several small towns along the way so it kind of made the trip go faster as we set goals. Country Dairy was the highlight of the trip though. Oh my goodness....the ice cream was out of this world- I love my ice cream! But the farm itself was gorgeous. The people we met along the way were very friendly. The dunes express was a nice overnight too. But don’t be fooled...the dunes are not “right there”. We though we would arrive at the hotel and walk to the lake for the day- nope- 7 more miles! We will absolutely be returning!
Rode from Reed City to Leroy. Nice trail except for the third of a mile south of Sylvan Rd. For some inexplicable reason this section is still unpaved and is loose gravel. Not only is it dangerous for road bikes the sharp stones caused my wife to get a flat tire. Tried to do a little research on why but came up empty. Would recommend walking this section for safety.
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