Find the top rated bike trails in East Lansing, 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.
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Planners in Jackson Michigan had originally wanted to build a rail with trail, but when they face resistance from the local railroad, they took a different route, one which gave us the Grand River...
The Genesee Valley Trail is a paved, multi-use pathway that helps to link suburban areas in Flint Township with the downtown core of the city of Flint, giving cyclists and pedestrians a convenient...
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 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...
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...
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 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 Ram Trail is a close to 2-mile trail beginning at Holt High School where there is access to tennis courts, soccer fields, softball and baseball diamonds and playgrounds. The trail runs eastward...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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 pleasant little Albion River Trail runs along the south bank of the Kalamazoo River through the town of Albion. The trail runs between McClure Riverfront Park on the west end and Victory Park on...
Jackson County's Falling Waters Trail serves as an important community connector, linking the outskirts of the vibrant City of Jackson to the picturesque Village of Concord, which brims with Victorian...
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...
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 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 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 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 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...
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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...
If you’re looking for a rustic escape form the din of everyday life, consider the Calhoun County Trailway. The Trailway weaves through three of the county’s four parks. The 5.3-mile trail kicks off in...
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...
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...
A short paved trail that runs from the city of Flint's Kellar Park to the newly refurbished Chevy Commons park along the Flint River, the Kettering Gateway Trail provides a useful link in the city's...
The Valhalla Trail runs for just over a mile in Delhi Charter Township, a southern suburb of Lansing. Its northern half is wooded and winds through Valhalla Park, which offers a swimming beach,...
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 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 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...
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 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...
While not the most scenic of trails, the M-21 Non-Motorized Path provides a useful ten-foot wide asphalt path through a suburban stretch of Flint Township, connecting at its eastern end to the Genesee...
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 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 Genesee Valley Trail is a paved, multi-use pathway that helps to link suburban areas in Flint Township with the downtown core of the city of Flint, giving cyclists and pedestrians a convenient...
The Battle Creek Linear Park trail encompasses nearly 26 miles of connected trails in Battle Creek. Residents use the loop trails to put some snap, crackle, and pop in their exercise routines, while...
Planners in Jackson Michigan had originally wanted to build a rail with trail, but when they face resistance from the local railroad, they took a different route, one which gave us the Grand River...
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...
The Valhalla Trail runs for just over a mile in Delhi Charter Township, a southern suburb of Lansing. Its northern half is wooded and winds through Valhalla Park, which offers a swimming beach,...
The Genesee Valley Trail is a paved, multi-use pathway that helps to link suburban areas in Flint Township with the downtown core of the city of Flint, giving cyclists and pedestrians a convenient...
Jackson County's Falling Waters Trail serves as an important community connector, linking the outskirts of the vibrant City of Jackson to the picturesque Village of Concord, which brims with Victorian...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
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....
A short paved trail that runs from the city of Flint's Kellar Park to the newly refurbished Chevy Commons park along the Flint River, the Kettering Gateway Trail provides a useful link in the city's...
If you’re looking for a rustic escape form the din of everyday life, consider the Calhoun County Trailway. The Trailway weaves through three of the county’s four parks. The 5.3-mile trail kicks off in...
Planners in Jackson Michigan had originally wanted to build a rail with trail, but when they face resistance from the local railroad, they took a different route, one which gave us the Grand River...
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 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...
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 Martin Luther King Equality Trail, formerly called the Jackson Intercity Trail, follows the old rail bed of what was once the Michigan Central Railroad for 3.4 miles through the southwest section...
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 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...
While not the most scenic of trails, the M-21 Non-Motorized Path provides a useful ten-foot wide asphalt path through a suburban stretch of Flint Township, connecting at its eastern end to the Genesee...
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...
I used to ride this trail several times a week about 20 years ago. I rode the section from Jackson Street to Fort Custer State Park on Sunday. The trail is in such bad shape. Very disappointed.
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.
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.
Have been walking those every weekend for the past month and must say that it is my favorite local trail. You will see a little bit of everything on this trail, which keeps it refreshing and new.
Nice paved path between Bicentennial Park and a neighborhood. Freeway nearby- can be heard but not seen.
This trail is incredibly well maintained and could be ridden with a road bike however gravel tires are best.
Only one busy intersection at Lincoln Lake Road, most others are gravel roads with good sight lines making it safe to see approaching car traffic.
I sincerely hope this doesn't get paved as the gravel experience is unlike cement or asphalt AND it moves moisture away nicely...
Recently (late November 2020) the trail was swept and loose spots at several intersections were addressed making it literally the best gravel trail I've ridden yet..
The Ram Trail links three Holt Public School buildings to “downtown” Holt along a very busy high seed road. There is monomial parking at the east trailhead and large school parking lots at the west trailhead. For the intended use it works.
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.
We rode this yesterday. It is just gorgeous and very well maintained. In regard to some of the recent reviews regarding crowds - although we saw a good number of people riding or walking, it was totally fine since we were there on a Thursday. Weekends are much busier. There are a lot of curves on the trail, so that's something to look out for if it's crowded and some are trying to pass when they shouldn't. Side note - on the south end of Kent Lake, there's a short connecter bike path that goes under I-96 to Island Lake. The Island Lake trails aren't nearly as well maintained and are very bumpy.
I ride my bike from Lowell to Greenville - this is one of the nicest trails in MI! The gravel is a special composite for biking and walking. It is well maintained and scenic with mostly flat rides through forest and farmlands.
My wife and I rode this trail in September of 2020. I totally enjoyed it! Perfect for a Gravel, Cross, or Mountain Bike. Rideable on a road bike... though probably not comfortable. The surface is still a little soft in some areas, so anything with larger tires would be ideal. It's straight as an arrow, but plenty to see on either side. The best scenery I thought was between St. Johns and Ionia. The trail is paved through the towns... where there's opportunity to stop for water/snacks/food. We had lunch in Ionia at a cafe downtown. We parked where the trail crosses Smith Road just outside of Owasso. There's a paved parking lot behind Budget Tire and the EMS building.
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