Explore the best rated trails in Mount Pleasant, MI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Chippewa Trail and Saginaw Valley Rail Trail. With more than 23 trails covering 390 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.
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...
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,...
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 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...
Beginning near downtown Midland, the Grand Curve Trail travels east for over 4 miles. The trail starts at the rotunda that hosts the Midland Area Farmers Market, near the Tridge, a three-way bridge...
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 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 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 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 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 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...
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 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 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 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 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 Portland Riverwalk ushers visitors around the charming town of Portland on 9 miles of paved trail. Also known as the Rivertrail Linear Park, the trail connects a handful of parks, scenic views...
The Big Rapids Riverwalk travels alongside the scenic Muskegon River and connects downtown Big Rapids with several recreational amenities, including Hemlock Park, Northend Riverside Park, and Swede...
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 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 Portland Riverwalk ushers visitors around the charming town of Portland on 9 miles of paved trail. Also known as the Rivertrail Linear Park, the trail connects a handful of parks, scenic views...
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 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...
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 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 Big Rapids Riverwalk travels alongside the scenic Muskegon River and connects downtown Big Rapids with several recreational amenities, including Hemlock Park, Northend Riverside Park, and Swede...
Beginning near downtown Midland, the Grand Curve Trail travels east for over 4 miles. The trail starts at the rotunda that hosts the Midland Area Farmers Market, near the Tridge, a three-way bridge...
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....
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 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 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 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 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 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 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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
Beginning near downtown Midland, the Grand Curve Trail travels east for over 4 miles. The trail starts at the rotunda that hosts the Midland Area Farmers Market, near the Tridge, a three-way bridge...
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 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 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 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 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 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 Big Rapids Riverwalk travels alongside the scenic Muskegon River and connects downtown Big Rapids with several recreational amenities, including Hemlock Park, Northend Riverside Park, and Swede...
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....
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 Portland Riverwalk ushers visitors around the charming town of Portland on 9 miles of paved trail. Also known as the Rivertrail Linear Park, the trail connects a handful of parks, scenic views...
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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,...
I ride my bike from Lowell to Greenville - this is one of the nicest trails in MI! The gravel is a special composite for biking and walking. It is well maintained and scenic with mostly flat rides through forest and farmlands.
My wife and I rode this trail in September of 2020. I totally enjoyed it! Perfect for a Gravel, Cross, or Mountain Bike. Rideable on a road bike... though probably not comfortable. The surface is still a little soft in some areas, so anything with larger tires would be ideal. It's straight as an arrow, but plenty to see on either side. The best scenery I thought was between St. Johns and Ionia. The trail is paved through the towns... where there's opportunity to stop for water/snacks/food. We had lunch in Ionia at a cafe downtown. We parked where the trail crosses Smith Road just outside of Owasso. There's a paved parking lot behind Budget Tire and the EMS building.
Beautiful October Sunday ride. Not a lot of people but not deserted either. Loved the views along the river and crossing bridges. The trail downtown is fun too
This is my favorite trail to walk in big rapids. The river and a constant change of scenery break up the walk and make it go by quickly. Also easier to bring the kids and always end up at a park!
My girlfriend and i longboarded/rollerskated this entire trail. Beautiful scenery with a lot of variety. Would definitely do again if it wasnt so far away!
Ran from Greenville. Towards Belding. First mile is paved. Then gravel. Great scenery. Definitely will do again.
Great trail.. from Clare to Sanford.. where trail is closed due the destruction from the Dam. First time on the trail and I love it.. people were riding across the barriers ..we opted to drive around.. then rode from Sanford to Midland. This part brought sadness for the devastation of those that lost so much. Great trail and I can’t wait to ride from Clare to Baldwin next time.
My favorite is the non paved section between Sand Lake and Big Rapids. Very unpopular section for most cyclist and families. That’s why it is very quiet. Don’t have to deal with walkers or bikers taking over the trail walking or biking multiple people across. I ride it few times a week.
I've been a user of the Fred Meijer M-21 trail since before it was restored to a trail. I've enjoyed walking, running, and biking it.
I would say for the most part, the route gets more and more intersting the further west you go. Though it's pretty neat running through the towns of Ovid, St. Johns, and Fowler, there isn't much inbetween other than cornfields. The west side of Ovid has some nice ponds and turns to the trail. However, you are a ways off the road M21, the paths surrounded by trees on both sides, and beyond that are more cornfields.
The scenery doesn't change much untill you hit Pewamo. From Pewamo to Saranac, the trail has numerous bridges over water and M21, some of which are very large and impressive. The trail is built above the river below, which makes for more to see and experience.
Unfortunatly, since many of these towns are distanced from each other, it's very likely you can go 7-8 miles without seeing anyone else on the trail. The only stretches paved are for a mile east and west out of each town. The soft gravel/sand is great for running, but will slow down mountain bikes, and be nearly impossible for bikes with skinny tires.
It would be great if it one day the whole thing was paved. I would love to see it exended further west to connect with trails in Ada and Grand Rapids. Another opportunity would be to extend it further east to Flint and those trails. Additionally, theres another opportunity to extend it north from St. Johns to Ithaca, to connect with the Highway 27 Trails.
Moved to Rockford because I wanted access to the White Pine Trail system. The trail is incredibly rough, especially for road bikes. The sections just north of Rockford after clearing the newly paved area are dangerous. I recently hit one bumpy series of ridges, and it instantly blew my front tire and I crashed. Additionally, the trail looks like a war zone with all the trees that have been uprooted and fallen across it from Rockford pretty much all the way up to Sand Lake. The windy conditions are not just a night time occurrence and it is just a matter of time before a tree falls and causes injury or worse to people during daytime hours when so many of us are on the trail. There needs to be a robust clearing of those trees that get uprooted so easily right on the trail. Finally, the ability to see at some of the road crossings is really limited and cyclists nearly have to get out into the roads before being able to see if cars are coming, and cars likely can't see the cyclists either because there is very little trimming of the heavy growth of vegetation. It's disappointing that a trail system that gets so much use, and that is one of the highlights that Rockford business people use as a selling point to attract residents, has not been maintained at a better level. I understand there are different townships the trail passes through, but the Rockford area (both north and south) is getting too rough and needs a great deal of work. There are rough spots all the way from 5/3 Stadium to Sand Lake that also need attention. What could be an outstanding trail has fallen into a state of disrepair in multiple places. Thank you.
I rode this very nice trail starting in Comstock Park going north. From there to Sand Lake, the trail is a very nice one to ride: gently uphill, some small towns, smooth asphalt, and spots to rest. However, north of Sand Lake, the trail turns from asphalt to a gravel two-track, and sometimes just a one-track. It is a rough ride that a road-biker would not enjoy. It's a shame that this part hasn't been improved since it is a Michigan State Park. That's why I only give it 3 stars.
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