Find the top rated birding trails in Battle Creek, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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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.
Good condition for cycling and flat. The lakes make for a scenic ride and you can increase the distance easily with a few detours.
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.
We road from Middleville to Hastings & back. Trail was paved with beautiful scenery for a few miles south of Middleville. Then turned into grass ( abandonned railway bed), then dead ended
Parts of the trail were very nice, like the river and some of the trail going north around town. Some of the trail need to be reset faced pretty badly. The far west start is a best- no parking and trail in neglect.
I have not been on trail since 2014. It is still perfect from the 2014 resurfacing of new asphalt. I went from KCC circled around college down through CO Brown Stadium down along Wagner Drive which has had a lot work done, great breeze off the river, and waterfall, new Kayak launch area , new fishing pier, picnic tables, passed several port a johns, etc all the way downtown, circle around Under Ground Railroad and Dr. Kellogg’s house.
Best access to this short trail is from Victory Park. The new hilly section up southeast from the park to the cemetery and through this park is the most shaded and scenic. The western portion is very peaceful but somewhat hard to find unless you follow the signs from downtown which has been a real mess due to repeated repaving of main street requiring M 99 detour. The trail is paved and in fairly good condition except through the cemetery (gravel) but easily manageable on a mountain bike. YOU CAN CONNECT TO THE FALLING WATERS TRAIL IN CONCORD VIA ALBION RD, WHICH HAS DECENT PAVED SHOULDER FOR PART OF THE WAY AND DOES NOT HAVE VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC.
Rode the entire trail from Concord to Weatherwax Rd trail head plus the beautiful new 1 mile paved spur to Falling Waters Park. Surface is in excellent condition, suitable for inline skating. Unlike a lot of rails-to-trails locations it has gentle curves to keep it interesting and outstanding detailed signage. It is completely rural and peaceful, very few houses even visible from trail, with vistas of several lakes and lots of wooded sections. Trail is mostly shaded, except where it runs on the causeway through Lime Lake.
One major downside: No access to drinking water directly on the trail. I found outdoor drinking fountain at the Middle School on West Street once the trail enters Jackson and the name changes to MLK Trail and surface is much less smooth past Weatherwax Road. Another worthwhile 1.5 mile detour is about 3-4 miles from Concord north on a small paved country road to the original historic site of the Spring Arbor settlement and college. Entrance is free, several markers explain the history and there is an old-fashioned hand pump which produces fresh cold water, what a delight on a very hot day.
Loved the trail. Beautiful scenery. There was a short distance on roads but all in all one of the best trails I’ve been on. Also, the Amish people riding along the route were so nice, always a smile and a wave.
Was in town for a MX race in Michigan. Had never been on this trail, we stopped in Goshen Friday and started there. Trail was nice, a few slight hills along the way. Many rest stops and bathrooms as well. The Krider Gardens along the way are very pretty. Trail was quite busy with bikers, many Amish were riding back and forth as well. Would like to do the whole trail from Elkhart to the end, another time.
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