Explore the best rated trails in Saint Johns, 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 42 trails covering 427 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.
Today’s ride from Pewamo to Ionia was quite nice. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of trail in the shade, riding next to the Maple and Grand Rivers. The trail (both asphalt sections and crushed/compacted stone) were in good condition and pretty much straight and flat. In Ionia we enjoyed an ice cream cone at Cooks
I went for an amazing bike ride on the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail on August 8th, 2025, starting early in the morning. I parked at the Village Trailhead since the far east end was under construction for a new roundabout. Once I was set up and ready to go, I headed west and rode almost all the way to Pinckney.
The trail is absolutely beautiful — smooth, peaceful, and full of variety. One of the best parts is how it weaves between so many lakes, giving you gorgeous views on either side as you ride. The scenery was incredible that morning, with blue skies and scattered clouds creating a perfect backdrop for the ride.
I can’t wait to come back and explore further west on my next trip. Whether you’re a casual rider or looking to put in some miles, this trail offers a perfect mix of nature, calm, and beauty. Highly recommended!
This nice and open trail is a pleasant but quick experience for locals wanting a fast ride.
Just an FYI that there is no parking at 84th Street and Patterson. The parking icon on the map is erroneous.
You get a nice workout with both with some slight hills and a good round trip distance, good scenery, although signage is pretty bad by the Baldwin Lake Beach section until you get past Greenville High School.
A nice, peaceful path to walk or run. Genesee Rd here is pretty quiet. Mostly surrounded by open fields of the former Jewel golf course. Bridge over Thread Creek gives you a view of the creek down below. I frequently see deer along here. Would be five stars if it was somehow longer
The trail is closed in sections through the end of November. It is being resurfaced, bridges are being replaced, and mile markers are being added. They just got done cutting down A LOT of trees so it’s a mess out there and it looks terrible…
It's got a mix of sun and shade, a good round trip, this is definitely worth a visit.
It's completely open to the sun & wind, but with such a short distance and nothing to see, make to travel the Genesse Valley trail as well.
It's a great round trip, and it can open up to the sun & wind and other times plant life closes in for some shade.
While smooth, most of the trail is ballast & crushed stone, which for me made it very hard to keep my speed up.
I might consider skipping this one and looking elsewhere.
On Saturday, May 24th, I was cycling 50 miles on the trail between Elwell and Stanton. I was on an out-and-back trip. On the trip back I saw a golden-tawny animal sitting on the trail. I stopped riding quite a distance away from it, maybe 400-500 feet away. The cougar was sitting on the trail and then leaped into the woods and away from me. I knew it was a cougar when I saw its long tail and sleek movement back into the woods. My gut said to turn around. I was far enough away on my bike to turn around and book it out of there. My goal was to get a 1 1/2 miles away and closer to Edmore where I could have help if needed. So, I decided to go around the area it was located. I took a paved road to a dirt road to loop around the woods it was in. I ended up back on the trail and had a longer ride than expected but was safe. The cougar was seen between Deja and Cedar Lake Road. Through research I've found there have been cougar sightings in Montcalm County over the years. I've reported this to the DNR and emailed the Freinds of the Heartland Trail. Overall, great ride and I was safe. The trail is fairly bumpy and root filled between Elwell and Vestaburg. Smoother sailing between Edmore and Stanton. Loved the tree canopy as it was very low and beautiful in some parts. Also, seeing the landscape change from a flatter Central Michigan to the beautiful rolling hills of Western Michigan was stunning. Road crossings became sandier as there is more sand in West Michigan. I would say this compares to the rural nature of the White Pine Trail that runs between Big Rapids and Cadillac. Road crossings between Elwell and Stanton were a breeze, quite calm, and peaceful. Now for some signage on cougars would that keep riders, walkers, and runners, safer and more aware. Just be aware, be prepared, and have protection such as bear spray, pepper spray, noise makers, etc.
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