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Over its 8.2 mile course, the Republic/Champion Grade Trail crosses 11 small bridges, skirts a couple of lakes and ponds, passes by bogs and beaver huts, and flows by and across creeks and rivers. Stop and enjoy the open water with grasses, cattails and water lilies. Watch the turtles sunning themselves and listen to the ducks splashing in the water.
At the trail’s southern end in Republic, pick up the 47-mile Iron Ore Heritage Trail to trek east to Marquette.
Although the trail starts behind the mini-mart in Champion, there is no formal parking. Your best bet is to start at Van Riper State Park and travel just more than a mile east along US 41/State Route 28 to the trailhead.
Full disclosure, I haven't ridden this yet but plan to this summer. The reason for my review is that from Google Street and satellite view it appears there is a nice new paved path (so you can avoid riding on US 41) from Van Riper SP to Champion. This new trail (which just for fun I think they should name the Van Riper State Park/Greater Metropolitan Champion Intergalactic Intermodal Corridor because when typed out is nearly longer than the new trail itself) ends at Daliba Street which you can then take to where the R/CG trail begins behind the what now appears to be abandoned Mini-mart. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and 4 stars and update post ride. There also appears to be trailhead parking on the north of US 41 just to the west of the Van Riper SP entrance although for bathrooms and water you would have to go to the state park. Happy Trails.
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