Explore the best rated trails in Midland, MI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Chippewa Trail and Vassar Rail Trail. With more than 21 trails covering 272 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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The Bay County Riverwalk/Railtrail System connects a nature trail in a wildlife refuge on the shores of Lake Huron to a loop trail around the bustling port of Bay City. From the same 17-mile paved...
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...
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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...
The Chippewa Trail offers a paved 4-mile route from Midland to the Chippewa Nature Center, part of a beautiful 1,200-acre preserve, where you'll find a wildlife viewing area, river overlook and...
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 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 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 shared use trail snakes across the township hitting its most important landmarks in the process, including Saginaw Valley State University in the north, Krossroads Park in the east, and Kochville...
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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 paved Fred Meijer Heartland Trail rolls for 42 miles through farmland and forests in central Michigan as it links a half-dozen rural towns with recreational opportunities. Its route follows the...
The George Atkin Jr. Recreational Trail winds along scenic Pine Run Creek in the City of Clio. From a hub downtown at Clio Park, the paved trail branches out through the city, providing access to a...
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 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 Hampton Township Nature Trail is a 2-mile gravel trail that begins at Finn Road Park winding through marshy areas, woods, skirts farm fields, and ending at a boat launch on Jones Road. Along the...
Freeland Pathway is a 2.5 mile trail in Tittawabassee Township in Freeland, Michigan. The trail is a smooth ribbon of asphalt paralleling Midland Road (SR 47), and features some inclines, although it...
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...
This trail continues right where the Kochville Township Multi-use Pathway, on Tittawabasee Road. (In fact, the two trails are sometimes referred to as the Kochville-Saginaw Pathway). It occupies the...
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 Pere Marquette State Trail, managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, begins in Clare and courses for 53 miles west through beautiful woodlands and fields to Baldwin. If you want to...
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 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 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 shared use trail snakes across the township hitting its most important landmarks in the process, including Saginaw Valley State University in the north, Krossroads Park in the east, and Kochville...
This trail continues right where the Kochville Township Multi-use Pathway, on Tittawabasee Road. (In fact, the two trails are sometimes referred to as the Kochville-Saginaw Pathway). It occupies the...
The Bay County Riverwalk/Railtrail System connects a nature trail in a wildlife refuge on the shores of Lake Huron to a loop trail around the bustling port of Bay City. From the same 17-mile paved...
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 George Atkin Jr. Recreational Trail winds along scenic Pine Run Creek in the City of Clio. From a hub downtown at Clio Park, the paved trail branches out through the city, providing access to a...
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 Chippewa Trail offers a paved 4-mile route from Midland to the Chippewa Nature Center, part of a beautiful 1,200-acre preserve, where you'll find a wildlife viewing area, river overlook and...
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 Hampton Township Nature Trail is a 2-mile gravel trail that begins at Finn Road Park winding through marshy areas, woods, skirts farm fields, and ending at a boat launch on Jones Road. Along the...
Many factors contribute to the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail’s popularity. It runs for 30 miles on smooth asphalt that is well maintained and, at 14 feet, wide enough to ride or walk side-by-side. At...
Freeland Pathway is a 2.5 mile trail in Tittawabassee Township in Freeland, Michigan. The trail is a smooth ribbon of asphalt paralleling Midland Road (SR 47), and features some inclines, although it...
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...
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 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...
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 Pere Marquette State Trail, managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, begins in Clare and courses for 53 miles west through beautiful woodlands and fields to Baldwin. If you want to...
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 George Atkin Jr. Recreational Trail winds along scenic Pine Run Creek in the City of Clio. From a hub downtown at Clio Park, the paved trail branches out through the city, providing access to a...
This trail continues right where the Kochville Township Multi-use Pathway, on Tittawabasee Road. (In fact, the two trails are sometimes referred to as the Kochville-Saginaw Pathway). It occupies the...
The Chippewa Trail offers a paved 4-mile route from Midland to the Chippewa Nature Center, part of a beautiful 1,200-acre preserve, where you'll find a wildlife viewing area, river overlook and...
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 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 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...
Many factors contribute to the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail’s popularity. It runs for 30 miles on smooth asphalt that is well maintained and, at 14 feet, wide enough to ride or walk side-by-side. At...
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...
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 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 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 Hampton Township Nature Trail is a 2-mile gravel trail that begins at Finn Road Park winding through marshy areas, woods, skirts farm fields, and ending at a boat launch on Jones Road. Along the...
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 paved Fred Meijer Heartland Trail rolls for 42 miles through farmland and forests in central Michigan as it links a half-dozen rural towns with recreational opportunities. Its route follows the...
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 shared use trail snakes across the township hitting its most important landmarks in the process, including Saginaw Valley State University in the north, Krossroads Park in the east, and Kochville...
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 Bay County Riverwalk/Railtrail System connects a nature trail in a wildlife refuge on the shores of Lake Huron to a loop trail around the bustling port of Bay City. From the same 17-mile paved...
Freeland Pathway is a 2.5 mile trail in Tittawabassee Township in Freeland, Michigan. The trail is a smooth ribbon of asphalt paralleling Midland Road (SR 47), and features some inclines, although it...
The trail has recently been extended and now continues through Chevy Commons into the city. A very nice trail that goes behind but also hides the urbanized parts of Flint. Very flat and smooth and fairly well maintained.
I’m very disappointed with the maintenance program for the Bay County rail trail/river walk. The surfaces are almost unridable in several areas for bicycles. Several areas are in desperate need of resurfacing. Some areas are like a washboard, some areas have rough seam cracks about every 20 ft. And some areas are just in need of a good cleaning. In the Marquette St area the ride surface is ridiculously rough. I’m afraid I’ll break my bike in this area. The sidewalk is to narrow and close to the buildings to safely ride a bicycle. I don’t like to complain this much but the trails are a beautiful system and if they aren’t maintained they’ll be lost to the same degree as the roads and highways in Michigan. If you take care of them, people will come to the area to ride, walk or just enjoy the trails. Please!
Just a heads up—My wife and I parked near the Tridge and unloaded our bikes, changed into riding cloths then rode to the trail. Oops!! There is a small sign saying the trail entry is closed during bridge repairs across the river. Not much information as to where to go to get on. We reloaded our bikes in the van and, because we have the Trail Link app, we found and parked at Emerson Park and enjoyed a 10 mile out and back ride. Nice trail for seniors like us. We are heading back to do the rest of the trail next week
This trail system is a gem and has been thoroughly reviewed.
As a resident of Sanford, I just wanted to add that the trail is plowed all winter for the 9 mile stretch from Sanford to the Tridge. Accessible year around!
The Chippy trail is an extension off the fantastic Pere Marquette trail system. It begins at the "Tridge" in downtown Midland. Stay to the left when crossing over the Tridge. This will take you south and east , past Midland area ball diamonds and an adjacent frisbee golf course. Just after the ball diamonds, you will come across a trail intersection on your left. If you follow this offshoot it will eventually take you to Overlook Park, which is about a mile distant. This park offers a panoramic view of the sprawling Dow/Dupont facility in Midland.
Stay on the Chippewa trail and you enter a semi open natural area. It's not unusual to see deer, herons and other wildlife. About a half mile past the trail intersection, look for an old apple tree on your left that still produces some decent tasting apples! The Midland area R.C. club is just behind the fields in this area and on nice days it's not unusual to see r.c. planes flying about in the open fields just beyond the trail.
Continuing down the trail, in about another 1/4 mile is an abundance of wild raspberry and blackberry vines on your right , just before a road crossing. The trail continues into a more wooded area and over the 2nd bridge you will encounter, eventually passing a parking lot for a Chippewa Natural area. After crossing another road, you enter a marshy area. Look for the turtles sunning themselves on logs on your right. On the left, a footpath takes you around a large marshy area if you want a break from your bikes. ( you can walk them on the trail or ditch them in the woods)
The trail continues past another large pond that has a elevated viewing platform on the far end, accessible by a footpath for those interested. After a quick jot through more woods, the trail crosses another road and enters the Chippewa Nature center area. Here you will find a bike repair station under a pavilion and a heated/cooled building open year around with bathrooms and a water fountain. Visit the center for some great exhibits or walk the beautiful trails in the area. I love this trail, its my local favorite:)
We rode from Greenville to Sidney in early fall, 2018. We were planning to go to Stanton that day but it was rainy and cold so cut it short. It's a nice/easy ride, for the part we did. We're planning on doing it again in the spring and going much further.
I’ve walked, ran and rode this trail since mid nineties, and before it was widened, grated and crushed limestone base added. Never had a problem with adjacent property owners until recently. There’s a “home caretaker “ about a quarter mile east of Lowell road, south side (pond berm butts up against rail trail, windmill clearly visible) that likes to stand out there at his “post” and ensure neither you nor your dogs land a foot off the limestone and onto “his land”. I’m aware that this same kid has had run-ins with DNR and deer hunters exercising their right to hunt on buffers. Other than that, I’ve had no problems, and enjoy my time out there.
Had a lovely overnight trip on this trail-something we had wanted to do since getting new bikes. Started at Midland trailhead-parked the car behind the courthouse. Pleasant ride to Clare-lots of side attractions to explore, several small towns to grab a bite to eat and no lack of bathroom facilities ! Rode to Clare to spend the night . Main Street is only one block from trail’s end. Doherty Hotel has a special hike/bike package that offered free breakfast, munchies/drinks for the trail and dining credits.I did not want to leave my bike outside and management was kind to lock it in storage area in hotel. Lots of cute shops, bars to explore as well as the famous “ Cops and Doughnuts “ bakery!
The 60 mile round trip was just the right length for a first time weekend trip. Trail was flat, well maintained . We loved it!
This trail connects Clio's downtown park and continues to the older George Atkin Jr. Trail. The entire length runs along the railroad through the rural area north of Clio with very light traffic crossings. Being a very flat and straight trail, it makes it very easy for a beginner inline skater but also would appeal to a seasoned speed skater.
This trail is mostly in the open fields so there is hardly any shade on a hot day. There are benches periodically placed along the trail though.
I have ridden this trail several times on a bike a couple of times on inline skates. It is very easy to continue your ride on a bike into the rural roads.
If you are a beginner inline skater and want to head South into the Clio Park, there is a tricky downhill South of Field Road. This hill has very limited grass on the sides to fall onto if you loose control, so just make sure you have a decent slow-down technique. This downhill segment is technically part of the George Atkins Jr. Trail.
I would give this 5 Stars for everything north of Dort Highway! Definitely would recommend the northern segments traveling through the Genesee Recreational Area.
I tackled most of this trail entirely on inline skates starting from Kettering University to where it splits at Stepping Stone Falls. From the Falls, the trail links to Bluebell Beach and then back around through the Bluegill Boat Launch park. From Bluegill, the trail continues East as part of the huge ongoing Michigan Iron Belle Trail project! I have not yet skated on the two short branches that end at McLaren Hospital and Mott Community College.
The northern segment past Dort Hwy. winds through the woods surrounding Mott Lake with plenty of gradual slopes. The very twisty segment through Bluegill is a blast on inline skates!
The urban segments of the trail start by McLaren Hospital and Kettering University and then passes Atwood Stadium and Carriage Town into downtown Flint. In the downtown segment you can pass through UofM's campus and branch over to Mott CC. This urban section is pretty fun on skates and is a nice change of pace from my usual skate through wooded areas!
Now I would caution users traveling between 5th Ave and Dort Highway that this segment passes through a rougher residential area and is not very well maintained. As it currently is, I would consider this the skippable segment which knocked one star off of my rating. Now maybe this segment has a brighter future since it is part of the ongoing MI Iron Belle Trail project, but I am unaware if there are any current plans for renovation.
With that being said, there are several volunteer organizations in addition to the police that patrol the trail to keep it safe for all users. The Genesee Rec. Area definitely feels very safe throughout and again I highly recommend the northern portions of trail.
Rode this trail on inline skates with ease! This is a nice trail that manages to escape the commercial sections of Flint.
I parked at Kettering University which has video surveillance and rode all the way to where the trail currently ends at the Genesee Valley Mall. From Kettering, the trail passes through some residential areas before briefly traveling along the busy Corunna Road stretch. But then the trail makes a turn into a quiet wooded area where it would not seem like a mall is nearby! I saw quite a few people were biking and running the trail including several Crim Fitness groups.
The busy crossings at Court St. and Corunna Rd. both have push-to-cross buttons to stop cars for trail users. The other relatively busy crossings at Ballenger Hwy. and Lennon Rd. have "buffer curbs" so trail users can cross half of the road and safely stand in the middle before crossing the second half.
This trail connects to the Flint River Trail and the ongoing huge MI Iron Belle trail. If you head North East on the Flint River trail, you can get to downtown flint including the University of Michigan and then continue all the way into the Genesee Recreational Area.
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