Find the top rated walking trails in Sterling Heights, 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.
_189619_st.jpg)
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 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 Bridge to Bay Trail extends from the village of Lake Port on Lake Huron south to Algonac on the St. Clair River; however, only about 37.5 miles of the 54 planned miles are completed as of early...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
This unassuming recreational path in Goodrich, Genesee County is actually a part of the Iron Belle Trail, Michigan's state-spanning multiuse trail system. The Gale Road Trail starts near Perry Road...
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 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...
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 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...
_170519_sc.jpg)
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...
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...
The M-5 Metro Trail runs for 2 miles between Commerce Township and the city of Novi in southeastern Michigan. The paved trail parallels the west side of its namesake roadway (also known as the...
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...
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...
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...
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 M-5 Metro Trail runs for 2 miles between Commerce Township and the city of Novi in southeastern Michigan. The paved trail parallels the west side of its namesake roadway (also known as the...
The Metro Connector Trail works as its name suggests, closing the gap between two local favorites in Novi: the M-5 Metro Trail and the I-275 Metro Trail. The trail begins on 13 Mile Road and then...
The aptly-named North-South Connector Trail provides a paved trail connection between the communities of Gibraltar and Trenton, in the area south of Detroit known as the Downriver. Part of a...
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...
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 Grosse Ile Trail is a smooth, paved route running nearly the entire north–south length of Grosse Ile, which rests in the Detroit River between mainland Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The trail...
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...
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 Clinton River Trail is a 16-mile recreational trail on an abandoned rail line through the heart of Oakland County, including the cities of Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills and...
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 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 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...
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...
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,...
The Michigan Air Line Trail stretches nearly 6 miles across the communities of Wixom, Walled Lake and Commerce Township in Oakland County. The trail begins on Wixom Road and travels east in the former...
_176494_sc.jpg)
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 Bridge to Bay Trail extends from the village of Lake Port on Lake Huron south to Algonac on the St. Clair River; however, only about 37.5 miles of the 54 planned miles are completed as of early...
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...
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,...
This unassuming recreational path in Goodrich, Genesee County is actually a part of the Iron Belle Trail, Michigan's state-spanning multiuse trail system. The Gale Road Trail starts near Perry Road...
The Grosse Ile Trail is a smooth, paved route running nearly the entire north–south length of Grosse Ile, which rests in the Detroit River between mainland Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The trail...
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...
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 aptly-named North-South Connector Trail provides a paved trail connection between the communities of Gibraltar and Trenton, in the area south of Detroit known as the Downriver. Part of a...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
_184051_sc.jpg)
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...
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 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 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...
We have come back to this one many times because of the mostly flat, paved trail. It’s lovely with its tree-covered tunnels along most of the trail.
This is a very nice trail for walkers and scenery, 4 miles one-way, and includes nice beach access with a large grassy area and wide beach, plenty of parking.
The trail connects to Kensington Metropark's paved trail (9 mile circle) so one can have an extended ride - however - Island Lake's trail is much like Michigan roads: bumpy, hole-y, poor condition. Recently a small section was repaved through the pine trees (beautiful portion of ride, nice smells!) but the rest of the trail just beats up the bike (IMO).
Lots of road bikers just ride the main road instead which is much, much smoother than the trail and most of the cars are respectful of bikers. (put lights on your bike!)
There is a dirt path off the paved trail that goes down to Trout Lake (not the main lake at the beach) which is rather sandy but a nice challenge to ride around the lake. This lake is where a lot of beachgoers walk to for more privacy in little beaches scattered around the lake. Plus, the water is very clear.
There are plans for the trail to be extended through the entire park to meet up with the Lakeland Trail, which current ends at US23/M36 but will be extended along US 23 (under the bridge at Silver Lake) to meet up with the paved trail on the east side of US23 that goes to the Green Oak Mall behind JCPenny where many bikers park and ride into Island Lake.
When the connection is made, the entire Lakeland Trail (western end at Munith) will then connect to all the trail that go all the way to Port Huron.
I haven’t had a problem with this trail. This is the trail that I have been on my hole life and it’s the best one
This has become a decidedly favorite weekend trail of mine. We see a wide range of bikers on this trail -- from families biking with kids, to hand cyclists and recumbent bikers, and to even a full on peloton. This trail offers a little something for cyclists of any age and level. We also see lots of runners/walkers as well as a handful of roller skaters. The trails are nice and wide and there's ample space to pass.
We start near the eastern terminus of the trail in a lot in Hamburg. The trail starts off paved -- there's some bumps and ruts in the asphalt, but for the most part it's nice and smooth. The path does cross roads a bit -- but other than these crossings there is no having to deal with cars or traffic. After some point the path does turn into crushed limestone -- here is where you'll run into horses on the trail. Just make sure to know how to pass/approach them before hand and you'll be all set. The trail goes right by the Pinckney equestrian trail entrance, so on nice days there can be quite a few riders out there. My favorite part is when the path turns into the crushed limestone -- this is where it starts to get a bit more secluded and the scenery is oh so nice (lots of farmland and animals to see off the trail).
This trail goes through several towns, so if you need to stop for bathroom breaks (there's port-a-potties or vault restrooms at each of the main trail parking lots), or grab a snack or drink from a local gas station, you're all set. Most of the main trailhead parking lots along this trail also have picnic tables, so you can sit down to eat.
In Pinckney there's an ice cream place right off the trail -- Cap'n Frosty Ice Cream -- perfect for either a mid-ride or post-ride ice cream. There's also a restaurant also right off the trail with bike parking -- Zukey Lake Tavern.
Overall I give this trail a solid 5 stars. Nicely maintained, great mileage, nice scenery and fun stops along the way to make an adventure out of it.
Paved, free from debris and very scenic...definitely one of my favorite trails¿¿¿¿¿
For those heading east from Ann Arbor, this map and local b2b marker for the area around ypsi and emu is poorly mapped and labeled. When you pass the emu stadium, map to frog island park and go through the emu camps.
I rode this trail in late April, catching it at Dequindre and riding west. It was a mess. Ruts everywhere, and, worse, broken (not crushed) asphalt was placed everywhere. It made for a very difficult ride. Instead of enjoying the lovely scenery, I was forced to watch every inch of the path to avoid crashing.
I enjoyed my walk along the trail and had a chance to see 3 deers.
Asphalt is mostly smooth. The trail is also refreshingly free of pesky pedestrians.
The walking trail is very beautiful. I would like to go more times to this park.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_176494_st.jpg)
_184051_st.jpg)
_170519_st.jpg)
