Find the top rated walking trails in Big Rapids, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Grand River Edges Trail runs in loops on the east and west banks of the Grand River near downtown Grand Rapids. At the south end, the trail crosses back and forth over the river via pedestrian...
Remoteness and solitude describe a trip along the 22-mile Betsie Valley Trail in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. Starting at the old logging town of Thompsonville, the trail slopes gently...
The Musketawa Trail is one of the best places to get away from it all if you live and work in the western Michigan population centers of Muskegon or Grand Rapids. The 25-mile paved rail-trail rolls...
The Medbery Bike Trail runs from a junction with the Hart-Montague Trail State Park and White Lake Pathway in Montague, Michigan, to an industrial park west of town. The rail-trail passes primarily...
The White Lake Pathway provides an important connection between two neighboring towns that face each other across the beautiful White Lake. The trail traces a former railroad bed for just over 3...
The Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail is the last trail of a dozen trails in western Michigan to be named after philanthropist and Rail-Trail Champion Fred Meijer. When complete, the trail will be an...
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 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 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 Fred Meijer Berry Junction Trail is situated between two natural treasures: Lake Michigan to the west and the Manistee National Forest to the east. The pathway, built on an inactive section of 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...
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 Clam River Greenway represents a citizen-led effort to create a safe and beautiful recreational asset in what had been a neglected space. Today, the trail connects Bob Meyer Jr. Park in the north...
The Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park connects a bustling Grand Rapids community to the forests, farmlands, and friendly towns of Northern Lower Michigan. At nearly 93 miles, it is the state’s...
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 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...
Muskegon's Lakeshore Trail provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, while also passing among beautiful sand dunes, lively parks and the city of Muskegon itself. Small sections of the...
The name tells the tale of the William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park. Rolling for 22 paved miles through the farms, orchards, and forests of western Michigan between Hart and Montague,...
The Laketon Trail offers an important connection between the Muskegon Lakeshore Trail and the Musketawa Trail in the City of Muskegon. The paved pathway largely parallels Laketon Avenue, along the...
Remoteness and solitude describe a trip along the 22-mile Betsie Valley Trail in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. Starting at the old logging town of Thompsonville, the trail slopes gently...
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 Grand River Edges Trail runs in loops on the east and west banks of the Grand River near downtown Grand Rapids. At the south end, the trail crosses back and forth over the river via pedestrian...
The Irons Area Tourist Association maintains 60 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiles and ATVs in the Manistee National Forest. For more information, contact the tourist association or the national...
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...
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 Medbery Bike Trail runs from a junction with the Hart-Montague Trail State Park and White Lake Pathway in Montague, Michigan, to an industrial park west of town. The rail-trail passes primarily...
Muskegon's Lakeshore Trail provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, while also passing among beautiful sand dunes, lively parks and the city of Muskegon itself. Small sections of the...
The Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park connects a bustling Grand Rapids community to the forests, farmlands, and friendly towns of Northern Lower Michigan. At nearly 93 miles, it is the state’s...
The Big M Trail in Manistee National Forest is suitable for cross-country skiing, trail mountain biking, and hiking. There are actually four segments, each with varying levels of difficulty, from...
The Laketon Trail offers an important connection between the Muskegon Lakeshore Trail and the Musketawa Trail in the City of Muskegon. The paved pathway largely parallels Laketon Avenue, along the...
The Clam River Greenway represents a citizen-led effort to create a safe and beautiful recreational asset in what had been a neglected space. Today, the trail connects Bob Meyer Jr. Park in the north...
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 Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail is the last trail of a dozen trails in western Michigan to be named after philanthropist and Rail-Trail Champion Fred Meijer. When complete, the trail will be an...
The Wellston Area Tourist Association maintains about 64 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling in the ManisteeHuron National Forest. For more information and maps, contact the Tourist...
The Musketawa Trail is one of the best places to get away from it all if you live and work in the western Michigan population centers of Muskegon or Grand Rapids. The 25-mile paved rail-trail rolls...
The Fred Meijer Berry Junction Trail is situated between two natural treasures: Lake Michigan to the west and the Manistee National Forest to the east. The pathway, built on an inactive section of the...
The White Lake Pathway provides an important connection between two neighboring towns that face each other across the beautiful White Lake. The trail traces a former railroad bed for just over 3...
The name tells the tale of the William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park. Rolling for 22 paved miles through the farms, orchards, and forests of western Michigan between Hart and Montague,...
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 Grand River Edges Trail runs in loops on the east and west banks of the Grand River near downtown Grand Rapids. At the south end, the trail crosses back and forth over the river via pedestrian...
The Irons Area Tourist Association maintains 60 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiles and ATVs in the Manistee National Forest. For more information, contact the tourist association or the national...
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...
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 Musketawa Trail is one of the best places to get away from it all if you live and work in the western Michigan population centers of Muskegon or Grand Rapids. The 25-mile paved rail-trail rolls...
The Fred Meijer Berry Junction Trail is situated between two natural treasures: Lake Michigan to the west and the Manistee National Forest to the east. The pathway, built on an inactive section of the...
Remoteness and solitude describe a trip along the 22-mile Betsie Valley Trail in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. Starting at the old logging town of Thompsonville, the trail slopes gently...
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 Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park connects a bustling Grand Rapids community to the forests, farmlands, and friendly towns of Northern Lower Michigan. At nearly 93 miles, it is the state’s...
The Big M Trail in Manistee National Forest is suitable for cross-country skiing, trail mountain biking, and hiking. There are actually four segments, each with varying levels of difficulty, from...
The Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail is the last trail of a dozen trails in western Michigan to be named after philanthropist and Rail-Trail Champion Fred Meijer. When complete, the trail will be an...
The White Lake Pathway provides an important connection between two neighboring towns that face each other across the beautiful White Lake. The trail traces a former railroad bed for just over 3...
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 Wellston Area Tourist Association maintains about 64 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling in the ManisteeHuron National Forest. For more information and maps, contact the Tourist...
The Medbery Bike Trail runs from a junction with the Hart-Montague Trail State Park and White Lake Pathway in Montague, Michigan, to an industrial park west of town. The rail-trail passes primarily...
Muskegon's Lakeshore Trail provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, while also passing among beautiful sand dunes, lively parks and the city of Muskegon itself. Small sections of the...
The Clam River Greenway represents a citizen-led effort to create a safe and beautiful recreational asset in what had been a neglected space. Today, the trail connects Bob Meyer Jr. Park in the north...
The name tells the tale of the William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park. Rolling for 22 paved miles through the farms, orchards, and forests of western Michigan between Hart and Montague,...
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...
Road the entire trail and back on Sunday. It was awesome and well worth the 2 hour drive to get there. We will be back!
Road bike (15mph) from Jackson Landing to Stanton. Trail in good condition with some cracks at regular intervals. Leaves covering some of those cracks made it interesting at times. Peaceful setting.
We parked at the Jackson's Landing Trailhead in Greenville. Biked a few miles North on the Heartland Trail. This was after we biked on the Flat River Trail.
The Heartland Trail is newly paved and in very good condtion.
In Greenville there are places to eat and other services.
Hope to do more of this trail in the future.
We parked at Jackson's Landing trailhead. Large paved lot and portable restroom.
Trail is asphalt paved and plastic decking. The plastic decking sections are extensive and very rough and bouncy if traveling at a decent speed.
The trail goes along the Flat River. Coming out of Greenville the trail is more of a paved sidewalk, up near the High School.
Trail services include eateries nearby since most of this trail is within the city limits.
You can also access the Heartland Trail from Jackson's Landing trailhead.
As I am still a beginning cyclist with this being only my 3rd trail, I have come to appreciate the signage and directions each trail posts to help you stay on the right path. We parked at the Chippewa Nature Center & rode into Midland where the Tridge begins. As we came up to town, even though there was a slight detour due to construction on M20, it was well labeled. We rode to Sanford and found some special treats along the way. Looking like a scene from "Bridges of Madison County", I loved the different bridges along the way. At the Veteran's Memorial if you look closely, draped around the boot statue are the dog tags with a solider's picture on it which was such a nice tribute. We stopped at The Cottage Creamery which is accessible from the trail or Saginaw Rd. and tried the Apple Crisp ice cream. We got another treat as we sat on the back deck when the cute little chipmunks playfully ran around waiting for me to drop my ice cream. It is a pretty straight trail, but there is a lot to appreciate on this trail, and it's very bike friendly. I would like to finish the trail and head to Clare from Sanford. Walking or riding, people passing by are very friendly, and if you take a few breaks, there's definitely some awesome photo opportunities. Great Job Pere Marquette!! We'll be back for sure.
Parked in the town of Frankfort. There is a trailhead and lot one block from town, near the Police Station.
Yes there is a less than quarter of a mile section of the trail closed at Betsie Lake but you can go around the closed section. It is clearly marked and orange cones are out. Or you can just park at the lot in Elberta, which is across the road from Betsie Lake.
We biked from Frankfort to just beyond Beulah towards Thompsonville and back. Trail goes through wooded areas and open areas and wetlands. Gorgeous scenery.
The first 6 miles are flat and fast asphalt paved. Beyond M-115 it turns to gravel. Then the trail goes along Crystal Lake, which is beautiful. So the scenery makes up for the bumpy gravel section.
Just before Beulah you will come to Railroad Crossing Nature Area. Take the new wooden steps up to the overlook for a stunning view of Crystal Lake. On a sunny say, it's so clear the water looks blue.
In Beulah there are several places to eat. We parked our bikes in front of the restaurant and went inside and no one bothered them.
Beulah is biker friendly, there are bike lanes on the streets.
Heading out of Beulah towards Thompsonville the trail is gravel and bumpy. We didn't venture too far that way.
Well marked trail and trailheads and friendly people.
When in Frankfort, the trail ends 1/4 mile from the beach so take the trek to the beach and Lighthouse. Enjoy a gorgeous sunset.
In Frankfort there are several eateries and we left our bikes in front and no one bothered them.
All in all, a great trail offers nice stops. From Frankfort to just beyond Beulah and back was a 25 mile round trip.
Perfect for the family! Take bug spray if you’re walking.
We arrived late in the day just as storm clouds were rolling in, but we managed a ride to Riverdale and returned to Alma just after sunset (17.5 miles). The trail appeared to have been recently re-sealed and, except for a 100 yard section west of Warner Road, it was buttery smooth. The only hazards encountered were the numerous bunnies running across the trail in front of us.
Planned and completed the entire trail starting from Grand Rapids Comstock Park to downtown Cadillac and back, last weekend. Was riding a gravel bike and can say that the gravel sections including the paved were so much fun to ride on. That being said, there are some deeper gravel and sand sections, mainly in the smaller cities at the crosswalks, so beware. Not bad, but you’d want to keep your eyes out for it. A fair amount of restroom stops, if you plan them. Highly recommend stopping in Rockford for a brew. Abundant campgrounds in Cadillac. Very much a friend and family group area though, so a little clustered. Stayed the second night at the Young’s Lake Campground and I could not recommend more! Very friendly owners greet you at the front and it’s not too big. It has its own little beach right in front of a lake. Some winding roads to get there, but super worth it. The stars were amazing. Great trail throughout, but when they do get to paving the entire trail, I’m sure it’d make the distance a lot easier and more accessible (although I personally liked the silence with no one else around but nature) FYI saw some Blue Racer snakes on the trail near Cadillac. Nonpoisonous, but you’ll be surprised. Recommend friendsofthewhitepinetrail.com for more details along the trail.
We rode from Alma to Erdmore and back.
The first 5 miles (or so) headed westward are smooth, but after that the trail deteriorates with frequent hard bumps (much repair is needed). The entire trail is over-grown and we were constantly dodging branches and thick weeds (again, attention needed). Few restrooms. No mile markers.
A high spot - 3D ice cream and pizza in Vestaburg. Great food, especially the ice cream, at reasonable prices.
We easily found this trail on Waterfront in downtown Frankfort, but sadly the trail was closed due to flooding. On to Sleeping Bear Dunes Heritage trail.
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