Explore the best rated trails in Sterling Heights, MI. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Chevy Commons Trail and Genesee Valley Trail. With more than 56 trails covering 432 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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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...
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...
Clocking in at just under a mile long, the Chevy Commons Trail provides a vital connection between the Genesee Valley Trail and the Flint River Trail, allowing trail users unfettered access to the...
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,...
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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, a popular county park that...
The East-West Connector Trail is true to its name, providing an important off-road connection between several trails in the Downriver Linked Greenways network, which enables cyclists and pedestrians...
Running from the city of Monroe's popular Munson Park, through the city's charming historic downtown, and out to Sterling State Park - one of the most-frequented of Michigan's state parks - the River...
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...
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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...
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 Applewood Trail connects Mott Community College and several city parks with the lengthy Flint River Trail, the backbone of the Flint area's trail network. The trail runs along the roadway through...
The hard surface trail runs from Creasey Bicentennial Park to the Western edge of Grand Blanc Township. Beginning at the park on Grand Blanc Road, the trail takes you past a dog park and athletic...
Jewett Trail is both the name of the road, as well as the off-street bike-ped path, circling the Grand Blanc Community High School complex. The pathway, which sits on the southern edge of the 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...
A popular destination year-round for residents across the Detroit area, the Lake Erie Metropark offers a wide variety of activities and recreation sites across its 1600-plus acres. Nestled along the...
The LAFF Pathway is a proposed recreational trail project connecting the communities of Linden, Argentine Township, Fenton, and Fenton Township in Genesee County. The first phase of the LAFF...
Providing nearly two and a half miles of paved trail through a mixture of suburban and industrial land, the Brownstown Township Trail may not be much of a destination trail, but it is a great resource...
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Canton's ITC Corridor Trail makes use of a power-line utility corridor, converting this space that previously served as a barrier between neighborhoods into a means of connecting various parts of the...
The automotive industry has the most impact on Macomb County’s economy, but it’s the freshly picked apples and squeezed cider that leave lasting impressions on visitors to the Macomb Orchard Trail....
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 Genesse Road Trail sits on the western side of Genessee Road in Grand Blanc. The neighborhood trail extends for just over 3/4-mile, from Perry Road in the South to Kings Fairway Lane at the north...
The Clinton River Park Trail winds along the east bank of its namesake river connecting three northern suburbs of Detroit: Shelby Township, Utica, and Sterling Heights. The paved pathway runs through...
Canton's ITC Corridor Trail makes use of a power-line utility corridor, converting this space that previously served as a barrier between neighborhoods into a means of connecting various parts of the...
Tradition says that Michigan has 11,000 lakes. The eastern section of the Lakelands Trail State Park passes through a chain of them as it rolls from the town of Hamburg and Lakeland to Munith some 26...
Running from the city of Monroe's popular Munson Park, through the city's charming historic downtown, and out to Sterling State Park - one of the most-frequented of Michigan's state parks - the River...
The East-West Connector Trail is true to its name, providing an important off-road connection between several trails in the Downriver Linked Greenways network, which enables cyclists and pedestrians...
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 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...
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...
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 Lower Rouge River Recreation Trail closely follows the river for 4 miles through the town of Canton, located between the urban centers of Ann Arbor and Detroit. The compacted crushed stone pathway...
Closure Notice: Parts of the Milford Trail will be closed from June to October 2020 for the Saginaw Trail Pipeline project. A map of the affected area can be found on the project website. The...
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 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...
The Black Creek Nature Trail begins at the Davison Township Municipal Center and winds its way to the trail system in the City of Davison’s Jack Abernathy Regional Park. Travelers on the trail will...
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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...
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,...
A paved path, suitable for walking and cycling, the Trenton Walking Path follows the small but tranquil Frank and Poet Creek through a series of parks and green space that cuts right through the heart...
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...
Providing nearly two and a half miles of paved trail through a mixture of suburban and industrial land, the Brownstown Township Trail may not be much of a destination trail, but it is a great resource...
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 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 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...
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 Lower Rouge River Recreation Trail closely follows the river for 4 miles through the town of Canton, located between the urban centers of Ann Arbor and Detroit. The compacted crushed stone pathway...
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...
The Wadhams to Avoca Trail passes through 12 miles of woods and farmland in southeastern Michigan, but it’s the historic railroad bridge over Mill Creek that’s the big draw. Everyone from solo...
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 Genesse Road Trail sits on the western side of Genessee Road in Grand Blanc. The neighborhood trail extends for just over 3/4-mile, from Perry Road in the South to Kings Fairway Lane at the north...
A paved path, suitable for walking and cycling, the Trenton Walking Path follows the small but tranquil Frank and Poet Creek through a series of parks and green space that cuts right through the heart...
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...
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...
Lapeer’s Linear Park Pathway courses through the city, connecting several parks with residences and businesses. A portion of the trail runs on a former railroad corridor; the same one now home to the...
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...
The automotive industry has the most impact on Macomb County’s economy, but it’s the freshly picked apples and squeezed cider that leave lasting impressions on visitors to the Macomb Orchard Trail....
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 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 hard surface trail runs from Creasey Bicentennial Park to the Western edge of Grand Blanc Township. Beginning at the park on Grand Blanc Road, the trail takes you past a dog park and athletic...
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...
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 north part of this trail is quite nice, but the south half is very rough. The south end has many driveways cut through the older trail surface which makes for a rough ride. I rode this trail with my recumbent trike and will not do it again.
Very nice ride with some natural areas. Subdivision contractor should be fined for disrupting the trail for so long. Apparently, it’s been going on for over a year. The biggest issue is the contractor has cut off the asphalt where they are working and there’s a drop off of nearly a foot that you don’t notice when going south until you’re right at the end of end. You have to go around on mud/grass (if you see it in time)!
The trail is nice, clean and beautiful. Further, it is not too crowded. We really enjoyed the hiking .
As a disclaimer, the Border-to-Border Trail isn't technically complete yet. There are still connecting pieces of it being worked on and created, but once this trail is complete you will be able to ride from Ypsilanti all the way to Chelsea without once having to turn onto any roads.
I rode this trail a lot in summer 2020, starting in Ypsi and making my way to either Ann Arbor or Dexter. It is a shared trail and goes through some very popular parks, so expect to see more leisurely bikers, runners/walkers and families on parts of this trail. Unless you're heading out very early or very late, this is not the trail to smash PRs or sprint on. It is a wonderful trail for scenic routes, has plenty of places to stop for a snack break (tables available in parks) and has access to restrooms (also available in the parks). There are a couple water fountains in certain sections on the trail for refilling any water bottles and there are also bike stations with air pumps for any needed bike repairs while on the trail.
There are sections that definitely need some TLC - hence the 4 star rating - mainly the section right after the Gallup Park wooden bridge (when heading west). The path here is rough - the pavement is rutted, not smooth and often I have to ride in the middle of the path since the edges are worn and broken. The going is very slow here -- but hopefully that will be repaired sometime in the future.
The Ann Arbor "terminus" is at Bandemeer Park. There currently isn't a connection to the Dexter portion of the B2B trail (currently being worked on and not slated for completion until 2022, I believe), so if you wish to continue your journey to Dexter some road riding is needed. You can either ride through the Barton Hills neighborhood (the first left outside of Bandemeer Park) to Huron River Drive, or take a shorter route through the Barton Nature Area to connect to Huron River Drive. The route through Barton Nature Area is short while the ride through Barton Hills is longer and has some steep hills (especially near the Barton Hills Golf Course). Still a pretty ride, though. Once you get to Huron River Drive -- there's no bike lanes but it's a popular road cycling route so drivers are usually familiar with seeing cyclists there. It's about 6 miles of curvy road riding on Huron River Drive before you can connect to the Dexter portion of the B2B trail. Ypsilanti to downtown Dexter is the longest section of the trail I've ridden so far, so I can't comment on the Dexter to Chelsea route.
Overall I highly recommend this trail, and I really commend the cities of Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Dexter and Chelsea for creating and managing it. You can ride select parts of the trail or all of the trail -- since the B2B goes through main parks it's easy to drive and park at different spots to start. And since the trails also pass through or near each of the cities' downtown areas, you can also easily hop off to check out any restaurants, events or sites in town. My favorite stops are the Argo Cascades in Ann Arbor (you can pull to the side of the trail and watch the kayakers and tubers go down the river -- and even take a dip in the river if it's a particularly hot day), the local Dairy Queen in Dexter during the summer, the Dexter Cider Mill in the fall, and Go! Ice Cream in Ypsilanti any time of the year. When I'm doing shorter, leisurely rides with others I like to pack a lunch and bike from the east end of Gallup Park (off N Dixboro Road) to the Argo Cascades and stop to have lunch on the river bank and bike back, or bike from Ypsilanti to Gallup Park, have a picnic at Gallup Park and then bike back to Ypsilanti.
As one last head's up there is a local bike shop near the Ann Arbor B2B trail if you have any major bike issues during your trip - Sic Transit Cycles - only about 200 feet from the trail, right by the Argo Cascades.
This is a nice, paved trail that is perfect for biking, running, or walking. The signs made the trail easy to follow. I’m glad I found this trail for a nice run while I was in town for the weekend. I felt safe on this trail, though it was bright and clear out.
The path is well maintained even in winter. The views at Kensington are truly spectacular, especially in fall on the I-96 side looking across Kent Lake. 4-stars because... COVID has brought out A LOT of foot traffic and it’s fairly clear many don’t know trail etiquette. It’s hard to get into any rhythm on a weekend because you’re dodging pedestrians. And many of them will move for you but some just stay in your way causing you to ditch into the grass. If you want a nice ride, go on a weeknight after work to avoid the COVID crowds.
I live a couple miles away and I ride this trail often. Only a couple miles long but you get a nice mix of forest, marsh, and lakeside views! Path is smooth and cleared very quickly after snowfall, highly recommend!
I have a recumbent trike and this is one of my favorite trails to ride on. The path is all paved and well maintained so I never have no worry about going off road. I even ride in and going fishing in the lake at the park.
To to the proximity we Love to spend quality time on this trail with family and friends. It was a blessing during Covid time to spend outdoors and keep us healthy. Kudos to Novi city and ITC for bringing it to our community and to help make Novi better place to live.
Nice paved path between Bicentennial Park and a neighborhood. Freeway nearby- can be heard but not seen.
The trail north of Carpenter Rd is very nice and well maintained. It appears that this part of the trail is very popular as it goes through Stepping Stone Falls (which is very pretty). The trail south of Carpenter Rd is not very well maintained: broken pavement, lots of debris, many fallen limbs. All in all, had a great time. Beautiful 72 degree weather in November.
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