The Fred Meijer Millennium Trail courses through the 1,500-acre Millennium Park in Walker, a community southwest of Grand Rapids. The trail network has both paved and crushed stone trails, allowing for a variety of experiences through rolling hills and wetlands. A beach, boating center and splashpad make the park a favorite in the summer months.
At both the southern and eastern edges of the park, the Fred Meijer Millennium Trail connects to the Kent Trails system, allowing trail users to continue throughout Grand Rapids and its southern suburbs. In the north, the trail leads to the Fred Meijer Standale Trail, which links Millennium Park with the Standale area of Walker.
Parking for the Fred Meijer Millennium Trail is available in Millennium Park at several large parking lots off Maynard Avenue. Additional parking can be found at the Kent Trails North Trailhead at Butterworth Street and O’Brien Road.
We road this trail in October for the leaf viewing. Wonderful! MI trails never disappoint It was a cool day, with people on the trail. The trails are within a park system so I could see it being very busy during the summer season We found the section at Johnson Park (where we parked) to be exciting with its hills and dense woods. As seniors, we bit the bullet and went e-bikes this year, wouldn’t have enjoyed those hills as much if hadn’t.
God, it was AWFUL. Just bad. Too many complaints. DEFINITELY not a place for beginners, and certainly not a place to get away from people. I hated it. There are SO MANY trails to rollerblade/skate, and this place gets a 0/10!
I have to agree with the rest; if it were not for the great chance you'll never find your way out, this would be a five star trail.
Rode there today, but due to the lateness of my start, I was concerned about going too far. Ended up cutting the ride short and giving up at least another hour of sunlight. The trailside maps are not oriented in the correct direction. Think about reading a roadmap upside down, looking at three or four intersecting streets, none of which are marked.
This is a diamond in the rough. The ride is a diamond. Getting around with confidence is rough.
Excellent maps behind glass have been placed at many intersections so I have upgraded my rating to five stars. What a great place to ride, especially if you prefer circuit routes instead of up and back. With a little creativity, you can go several times and never ride the same route, especially if you use the unpaved trails as well. Millennium Park is linked to five other trails (Fred Meijer Standale, Butterworth, Kent, Buck Creek, Grand River Pathway)so you can access it from many Grand Rapids metro areas with minimal or no road riding.
Love this trail but would have been lost if I had not had someone with me who knew the way around. A few maps on the trail but they don't even have the traditional "You are Here" identification! Need better signage and maps or make sure you or someone in your party is sure of where you are going!
While the trails along the Grand River are delightfully shady and at times beautiful, there are next to no signs making it nearly impossible to find your way unless you are a local resident. Very disappointed.
I really enjoy riding these trails. In the center of the park is a beach house that includes concessions although I am not sure if you can access them without paying the beach entry fee. There are also rowboat and kayak rentals if you want to add an upper body work-out to your day. But most of the trails stay clear of the "developed" areas of the park. The trails intertwine so you can mix and match to make a different route each time you go. The scenery is varied, with woodlands, wetlands, open fields, lakes, and the river flood plain. I think a couple of short stretches may have followed rail beds but most of the trails are interesting rides with lots of curves and a few challenging hills. Also, most are paved but there are a few crushed limestone which are enjoyable with the right bike. Keep in mind that this has been an oil field for many years and there are still a few operating wells. For some this may be an interesting attraction, for others a distraction. But I must agree with the previous review. Signage is woefully lacking. I struggled to find my way out one evening as the sun was rapidly sinking below the horizon. But you can download an excellent map at the Kent County website that will allow you to navigate and find your way back. http://www.accesskent.com/CultureLeisureAndTransit/MillenniumPark/maps.htm . I would give these trails 5 stars were it not for the oil wells that I consider a distraction from the natural areas and for the lack of signage.
I went today for the 1st time. I was ready for a 30 mile ride and was not able to do more than 15 miles. Not because it was hot or my condition- the trails are not marked or where they used to be marked the signs are missing. The area is nice with wide paved trails, lots of water to ride around, nice shady trail along the Grand River, but easy to get lost in the maze of all the places where the trail tees off and no way to know where you are headed. If I had any wish it would be to color code the trail. There needs to be a better way to find your way to all the great places this area connects to but for now I won't be back without an experienced person that knows how to get around this location. I'll go back to my local trails.
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