Find the top rated bike trails in Alma, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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...
In just 4 miles, visitors to the Cannon Township Trail are able to experience a variety of landscapes. The greenway begins in the Cannon Township Center, and travels through pine forests, grassy...
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 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 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 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...
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...
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 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 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 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...
_138798_sc.jpg)
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...
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 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 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 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 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 Sycamore Trail, which opened in October 2014, provides an important connection between two other trails in Delhi Charter Township, on the south end of Lansing. At the trail’s northern end, 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...
The Granger Meadows Park Trail forms a loop around the 76-acre park in DeWitt Township, just north of Lansing. The park was built and donated by Granger III and Associates, a local trash and recycling...
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....
In just 4 miles, visitors to the Cannon Township Trail are able to experience a variety of landscapes. The greenway begins in the Cannon Township Center, and travels through pine forests, grassy...
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 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 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 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 Sycamore Trail, which opened in October 2014, provides an important connection between two other trails in Delhi Charter Township, on the south end of Lansing. At the trail’s northern end, it...
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Northern Tier Trail winds through East Lansing on the outskirts of Michigan's capital, offering miles of paved pathway through tree-lined areas and wetlands. The 10-foot-wide trail connects...
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 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 Northern Tier Trail winds through East Lansing on the outskirts of Michigan's capital, offering miles of paved pathway through tree-lined areas and wetlands. The 10-foot-wide trail connects...
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 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 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...
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Lansing River Trail traces the course of three waterways for more than 25 miles across Michigan’s capital city. Visiting all four main points of the compass in Lansing, the trail provides a route...
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 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...
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...
Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park makes tracks from a bustling Grand Rapids community to the forests, farmlands, and friendly towns of Northern Lower Michigan. At nearly 93 miles, it is the...
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 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,...
Lots of benches and spots to stop and relax.
The trail is very good shape, new coating of asphalt on most of it.
St Charles is charming with any needed food/supplies available.
Go Ride, enjoy!
Parked behind the Wendy’s just past fifth third ball park, rode to downtown Rockford! Gradual uphill most of the way, so it was hard on this very humid day!! Little town of Rockford is nice and lots of little shops and places to eat. The dam and the rogue river are right on the trail. We had a round trip of 17 miles, next time we will start in Rockford and go to cedar springs
I was ready to abandon gravel-surfaced trails after riding from Ovid through St. Johns to Fowler. In this section it is all farmland (although picturesque farmhouses and fields), very little tree canopy, the surface is sometimes rough, you rarely see another rider, and you can hear M21 the whole way.
And THEN I discovered what happens once you hit Pewamo and west to Saranac. The trail completely changes into wooded forest/wetland/river views, lots of bridges over rivers and streams, and even the gravel surface gets more uniform, perhaps because of higher traffic.
I WILL say that St. Johns, Fowler, and Pewamo, have newly-restored depots with beautiful facilities. Someone has spent a lot of money, and I couldn't help but think how much more they'd be used if these trails were paved. It would increase usage twenty fold. Even tiny Muir has a lovely park along the trail, as did Saranac and Ionia.
Sad that I can’t give this a higher rating, as I use to run on it for many years. Now as a cyclist I see it from a different aspect and it it not a great biking trail . For being such an urban gem, parts of it are just horrible to ride. A shame that with this being the capital city and where many associations are located that there is so little improvement and expansion of this trail.
The trail starting from Foreman Street in Lowell is still a rocky rough ride. The rails are gone, but that's about as far as it has progressed.
Starting from M-10 intersection north for about 3 miles, the trail has been paved with asphalt. As of yesterday (8/5/2018) it is still closed, but it's certainly ride-able, so I would think it will be open soon.
The section between Reed City and Baldwin has been ruined by horse traffic. I have 32c tires on my hybrid bike and was hoping to ride that section yesterday, but turned around almost immediately due to the rough condition. If you have a mountain bike, it might be doable, but I don't imagine it would be very pleasant.
Also, be forewarned that there are no restrooms on the trail itself on the Clare to Reed City segment. There are a few options in town of Evart.
Overall, the Farwell to Baldwin section is decent. The older section between Evart and Reed City is starting to show it's age with cracks the have gone unsealed so have vegetation growing from them.
The Midland to Clare section is very well maintained and offers two permanent bathroom facilities, one each at about 12 miles from each trailhead.
As part of my Seattle to Savannah cross-country ride I used these rails-to-trail paths to get from Baldwin to Midland. The first 17 miles from Baldwin to Reed City is crushed limestone. I rode about 100 yards of the trail in Baldwin and decided that this crushed limestone was too loose to ride. I jumped on Route 10 and found a reasonable shoulder to ride. I checked the trail about 10 miles from Baldwin, the stone was more packed and could support a ride, but Route 10 was still considered the best ride option.
Just to the east of Reed City on Route 10 signage appeared for the Pere Marquette State Trail. I jumped on the trail here and rode to the old Reed City Depot Station. The trail was a bit rough with grass growing in open seams. The same was true for about 8 miles east of Reed City. The trail was still a pretty good ride. The rest of the trail to Midland was mostly smooth with only small sections with rough seams.
Since the trail runs close to Route 10, there were options to dart into small towns for water and food.
Just east of Clare the State Trail ends. I was required to ride about 4 miles on the highway and through Clare to rejoin the trail system. I used Google Maps for Bikes to find my way.
Thank you Michigan for such a nice ride.
We rode from Alma to Greenville. It took about 7 hours going on average 11-12 mph and stopping a few times. The trail was in great condition and very quiet. A few low hanging branches that added to the fun. In Greenville we stayed the night at The Winter Inn which was very interesting, different and nostalgic. The rooms were very clean and the beds were comfortable. We also had drinks and dinner there. There’s s beautiful outdoor patio which unfortunately we couldn’t enjoy because of the rain. The Winter Inn is a short,easy, safe distance from the trail. The next morning we started our ride home by doing the heartland River Trsil that goes around Baldwin Lake. I would highly recommend that.
I rode my Recumbent Terra Trike from the parking lot in Belmont to Sand Lake, round trip just under 35 miles. I have rheumatoid arthritis, so biking is a thing of the past. Parts of the trail are in desperate need of repair, as the tree roots are making some of the trail not so pleasant. I also like to inline skate, and many portions of this trail are making inline skating less of an option.
I was riding from Alma to Greenville (FM Heartland), Greenville to Lowell (FM Flat River), Lowell to Ionia (FM Grand River), Ionia to Fowler (FM Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee), then roads back to Alma.
On the FM Flat River segment I made it about 5 miles from Greenville, almost to Belding, before bailing and using roads to cut over to Ionia and skipping the Grand River segment.
FM Flat River between Greenville and Belding is not recommended or fun on any bike I can think of, due to occasional pockets of deep loose basalt that cause tires to dig in and fishtail/skid suddenly. Anti-truck and ATV barriers are missing and surface has loose areas from vehicle traffic. As of 7/3/18 the cover photo blocking tree is still across the trail too, though enough branches are trimmed off to climb through with a bike.
Disappointing as I wanted to do the whole loop, but the potential for this to be epic in the future is high.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
_138798_st.jpg)
