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You can access the Portage Bikeway from many places throught the city. For more information, contact the city of Portage Parks & Recreation Department.
The Portage Creek trail is the hub to a great system of trails.
We started on the south end of the trails at the Eliason Nature Reserve Pavilion where there's a parking lot with a full service restroom. The trail took us north through the Reserve to connect with the Shaver Road Bikeway. We took this to E Centre Ave where we crossed the street and biked the walking trail around Portage City Hall. This took us to the Veterans Memorial Park and east to the Portage Creek Bicentennial trail. On our return journey we explored the Central Cemetery.
At Celery Flats we stopped to take photos and read up on the historic Feed Mill and other buildings. There are full service bath rooms at Celery Flats. We detoured west from Celery flats to do the Millennium and Northwest Passage trails. Returning to Celery Flats we continued north on the on the Portage Creek trail to Milham Park. Just before the park there's another full service restroom at the Kilgore Trailhead. Milham Park is not really designed for bikes but it was fun to explore anyway.
On our return we took the Shaver Road trail east to Bishop's Bog Preserve. There are trails through the bog that you can walk but not ride. If you do the bog, expect to get wet. The floating pontoon trail is designed to squirt water up your shorts at every step.
We did not do the Romence or Lovers Lane trails as they appeared to just follow the roads. What we did ride was mostly wooded with plenty of shade. We did 24 miles total so i imagine you could squeek out 30 miles if you did all the trails.
All the trails were paved and in good condition (not including Milham Park which isn't really part of the trail). It was really an enjoyable ride and a nice way to spend a half day.
Drove down from Grand Rapids, Mi to experience the Bicentennial Trail. The trail is short ( 3.6) but a comfortable 8 miles (we added a half mile by going beyond the park on paved side walk at south end) by going out and back. Trail was older but black top surface was very usable and kept in repair. For a short trail it had lots of nice surprises in twist, turns, slight hills and surrounded by nature in the middle of a city environment. Parking was plentiful with several trail lots at both ends and in the middle. It was a 77 degree, sunny November 6th which added to the enjoyment. Trail was quite busy but everyone knew and followed trail etiquette. Highly recommend this trail.
Now that the portage bike way, north of Milham, has been redesigned, it's an even better ride north to Kilgore. Riding by the old cider mill dam site, brings back many memories. I was hoping that Portage would do something there. Clean it up, or rebuild parts of the old dam. My dad and I would fish the mill pond back in the mid 50's for Trout and Chain Pickerel. Beautiful ride through that area.
I can literally walk to this trail from my house (which I do quite often). It's beautifully kept and I see deer nearly every time I walk/run here. I feel safe walking this trail and it's the perfect length! And it has a great balance of sunny/shady, and lots of curves to keep it interesting. I love it so much!!
The southern portion psst the Portage Library has been extended past the end of the Shaver Road Bikeway all the way to Oosterhout Road. I rode the brand-new paved trail of about 2 miles length through the Eliason Nature Preserve this morning and it is amazingly scenic, smooth and undulating through mature forest, a roller bladers and bicyclist's dream. The connection to the Portage Creek Trail is not marked. Pick your way from the library past the Fire Station and City Hall across Centre Road to the side walk along the train tracks and strip mall to reach the Shaver Road section.
Love this trail. Even on "busy" days it's not really that crowded. Lots of nature. Expect to see deer, red squirrels, and birds.
Loved seeing the wild life on this trail. It did not even seem to bother them that we stopped to watch. The only thing that might be better is somewhere to use a clean restroom. The trial was pretty smooth surface, liked the winding of some of the areas.
The pavement is nice and smooth. You get lots of beautiful scenery. Also near all the shopping of Portage. I only have two problems with the trail system itself.
1) I wish the trails were better connected
2) I wish there were more of them!
Overall, I really like this trail :)
Wonderful trail with some small side trails that are worth exploring.
Our favorite visit to Portage Bicentennial Trail is to park at its main entrance on Milham Road and bike south to the trail's end at Portage Library, where we ride a short distance along a local street to a Dairy Queen. After a break with a cone, we turn around and head back. Its pleasant, popular, well cared for and safe trail.
This trail offers a wonderful mix of experiences, from views of natural areas and a winding stream to stops at several playgrounds and a special events / historical area called Celery Flats. You have to cross only one street the full 8-mile length. All other intersections are crossed using tunnels or a bridge. There are a couple of foot paths off the main trail and one evening we saw a small herd of deer.
The trail goes by a canoe livery which in recent years has been closed due to city budget cuts. Hopefully it will reopen. The only other negative is to be alert to poison ivy. There often are vines growing up trees that are within an arm's reach of the trail.
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