Explore the best rated trails in Southgate, MI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the University/Parks Trail and Clinton River Park Trail. With more than 46 trails covering 393 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 Dr. Richard D. Ruppert Rotary Trail circles International Park along the east bank of the Maumee River in East Toledo. The trail runs between the Main Street bridge and Navarre Avenue, where it...
The aptly-named North-South Connector Trail provides a paved trail connection between the communities of Gibraltar and Trenton, in the area south of Detroit known as the Downriver. Part of a...
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...
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...
An extension of the paved paths that connect the Oakwoods, Willow, and Lower Huron Metroparks, the Oakwoods Metropark to Flat Rock Trail allows you to continue your trail experience into the small...
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 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...
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,...
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Clocking in at over four and a half miles, the ITC Corridor Trail in Novi is a fantastic recreational asset for the community, providing a paved pathway that connects neighborhoods and recreation...
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...
Along its 3.5-mile route, the RiverWalk offers breathtaking views of the Detroit River and city skyline. Recreational opportunities abound as the trail links Milliken State Park and numerous plazas...
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...
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...
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 Grosse Ile Trail is a smooth, paved route running nearly the entire north–south length of Grosse Ile, which rests in the Detroit River between mainland Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The trail...
The Flat Rock Pathway is a paved asphalt path in the small, industrial community of Flat Rock, located on the banks of the Huron River not far from where it empties into Lake Erie. Part of the...
The University/Parks Trail is a wide, paved trail that extends from Toledo into its western suburbs along a former railroad corridor. More than half the trail also parallels an active freight...
The Bridge to Bay Trail extends from the village of Lake Port on Lake Huron south to Algonac on the St. Clair River; however, only about 37.5 miles of the 54 planned miles are completed as of early...
The Island Lake Connector Trail allows cyclists, pedestrians, and other residents of Green Oak Township to connect to the Island Lake Recreation Area. The trail sits on a converted railroad bed, and...
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...
Stretching from the small riverside community of Rockwood to the East-West Connector Trail north of the city, the Rockwood Pathway provides a great way for cyclists and pedestrians to get around town...
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...
This trail runs from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens two miles south to Parker Mill Park. It was conceived in response to the need for a safer alternative for non-motorized travelers. Dixboro Road only...
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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 Bridge to Bay Trail extends from the village of Lake Port on Lake Huron south to Algonac on the St. Clair River; however, only about 37.5 miles of the 54 planned miles are completed as of early...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 Island Lake Connector Trail allows cyclists, pedestrians, and other residents of Green Oak Township to connect to the Island Lake Recreation Area. The trail sits on a converted railroad bed, and...
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...
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 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 Sylvania River Trail follows the Ottawa River as it flows through the heart of town. The trail is a pathway for residents to get closer to the river and enjoy nature's scenic beauty just steps...
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 Grosse Ile Trail is a smooth, paved route running nearly the entire north–south length of Grosse Ile, which rests in the Detroit River between mainland Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The trail...
The Dr. Richard D. Ruppert Rotary Trail circles International Park along the east bank of the Maumee River in East Toledo. The trail runs between the Main Street bridge and Navarre Avenue, where it...
The Fieldcrest Pathway stretches 3 miles in the Green Oak Township, a suburb of Detroit. The trail follows Fieldcrest Drive from Lee Road south to Silver Lake Road. The paved recreational trail...
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 Kiwanis Trail occupies an old railroad bed between Adrian and the southern edge of Tecumseh. The trail is currently the only open component of a much longer proposed regional greenway trail. In...
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...
Along its 3.5-mile route, the RiverWalk offers breathtaking views of the Detroit River and city skyline. Recreational opportunities abound as the trail links Milliken State Park and numerous plazas...
The Chessie Circle Trail (formerly Westside Corridor Rail-to-Trail) provides a paved (and compacted stone), 11-mile north-south route through western Toledo built along the former Toledo Terminal...
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 Dr. Richard D. Ruppert Rotary Trail circles International Park along the east bank of the Maumee River in East Toledo. The trail runs between the Main Street bridge and Navarre Avenue, where it...
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 Grosse Ile Trail is a smooth, paved route running nearly the entire north–south length of Grosse Ile, which rests in the Detroit River between mainland Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The trail...
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...
This trail runs from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens two miles south to Parker Mill Park. It was conceived in response to the need for a safer alternative for non-motorized travelers. Dixboro Road only...
The Fieldcrest Pathway stretches 3 miles in the Green Oak Township, a suburb of Detroit. The trail follows Fieldcrest Drive from Lee Road south to Silver Lake Road. The paved recreational trail...
An extension of the paved paths that connect the Oakwoods, Willow, and Lower Huron Metroparks, the Oakwoods Metropark to Flat Rock Trail allows you to continue your trail experience into the small...
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...
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...
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...
Stretching from the small riverside community of Rockwood to the East-West Connector Trail north of the city, the Rockwood Pathway provides a great way for cyclists and pedestrians to get around town...
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...
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...
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...
For all of the lakes in SE Michigan, there aren't many trails that actually go near them. This one runs through wetlands and across several creeks and rivers plus a stretch along Zukey Lake. The pavement is in good shape with only a few bumps. There are nice touches like a mirror near a sharp turn in the path. The crowds were minimal, even on a nice day. Rode from the parking lot in Hamburg to the zero mile marker in Pinkney.
Love riding this trail! You can ride as little or as far as you want. Well maintained, scenic route!
This one is really nice. Not fit for road bikes, but good for all others. Within a short distance, one can see hills and woods, wetlands and open fields. There are a couple of areas with offshoots that are solely for mountain bikes. The end at Haggerty had no opportunity to go further west last time I rode it.
This is a popular trail, starting from downtown Auburn Hills or closer to Adams at the Mammoth site beside the road. It is almost entirely gravel, so not a great choice for road bikes. However, other bikes can easily traverse the path. There are often pedestrians and all kinds of other forms of exercise going on, but getting through isn't hard. The road crossings are moderately busy, but do-able. The total change in height is about 600ft.
If you are looking for a ride that is flat, straight and in good condition, this is the one for you. The street crossings are a little hairy in places, but this is otherwise a great route for road bikes. It can get crowded with a mix of pedestrians and bicycles, but there is generally room to get through. My only qualm with it is that it runs straight as an arrow through most parts and is bordered mostly by open fields or small businesses. I've only gone as far as 29 Mile (entering from Yates Cider Mill), but I can't imagine it gets much more scenic as you go north.
We joined this trail a little short of the mid-point when we connected from the Metro Parkway Trail. To continue on the Metro Parkway after I-94, I think we should have gone to the left. However, the ride to the right took us through a tree-lined path at the river's edge. The end of it was a short hop across the road to see where the Clinton River meets Lake Saint Clair.
We started this ride at the Freedom Hill parking lot. The route starts right near the north part of the lot. The ride is straight along Metro Parkway, which means that there isn't much scenery. The pavement is well maintained with only minor bumps. The road crossings, especially the bridge, are slow and not much fun. The payoff comes at the end when the trail connects into the Clinton River Spillway Trail. To continue on the Metro Parkway after I-94, I think we should have gone to the left. However, the ride to the right took us through a tree-lined path at the river's edge. The end of it was a short hop across the road to see where the Clinton River meets Lake Saint Clair.
Rode from Lyon Oaks golf course lot. The beginning was bumpy and crossed several businesses' driveways with gravel. A left turn about 1/2 a mile north of Pontiac Trail put us onto a stretch with some nice trees lining the route. That was in the best shape of the ride. As we got past I-96, we kept to the left, taking the south part of the trail. The stretch from about 12 Mile to 10 Mile was the bumpiest with many seams in the asphalt. It was fine on a flat bar fitness bike, but my kid was jolted around a lot on his road bike. There are some pretty stretches that are forested and a couple that are wetlands. The stretch going towards Island Lake looks to run right along the expressway.
Love this trail! They clear snow off quickly and there is hardly ever any type of debris on the trail. The ability to ride from the University of Toledo to Wildwood Metropark is awesome!
Rode this trail from South Lyon to (almost) Wixom round trip today. It is very bumping and in need of resurfacing.
Great views, well maintained sidewalk. Be aware that pedestrians and bikers share the sidewalk so don’t go too fast.
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