Bike rides in Michigan

Explore 8 rail-trail, greenway and park ride options in Michigan, with route lengths, surfaces, access notes and starting locations. These are selected recreational outings, not an exhaustive trail inventory. Read each guide’s scope and access cautions before choosing a ride.

8 ride guides · alphabetical order

• Fruit Belt Rail Trail — Flesher Field: short bicycle return

  Oshtemo

  Up to 2 miles return · Out-and-back

  Ten-foot crushed-limestone rail-trail; paved trailhead lots do not mean a paved trail

  Follow the signed main path west on the signed Fruit Belt rail-trail toward Sixth Street. Turn after 1 outward mile or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• Houghton west waterfront: lift bridge to Kestner Park

  Houghton

  1 mi · Out and back

  Paved waterfront path

  A short, approximately one-mile return ride along Houghton’s paved western waterfront. Start at the public waterfront parking beneath the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, follow the waterfront path west to Ray Kestner Waterfront Park, then return the same way. It is a useful short outing for riders who prefer a flat waterfront path and an easy turnaround rather than the nearby hills or mountain-bike trails.

• Mackinac Island: M-185 car-free perimeter loop

  Mackinac Island

  About 8.2 miles · Loop

  Paved car-free perimeter road

  From the signed mile-zero area, follow M-185 around the island and back to the same point. Stay on the perimeter road rather than climbing interior trails or Arch Rock stairs. Walk through congested downtown areas.

• Musketawa — Marne public trailhead: short bicycle return

  Marne

  Up to 4 miles return · Out-and-back

  Paved main rail-trail

  Follow the signed main path west toward Conklin. Turn after 2 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• North Central State Trail — Topinabee Park: short bicycle return

  Topinabee

  Up to 4 miles return · Out-and-back

  Packed crushed limestone main trail

  Follow the signed main path north toward Cheboygan. Turn after 2 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• North Western State Trail — Spring Lake Park: short bicycle return

  Petoskey

  Up to 2 miles return · Out-and-back

  Asphalt on this southern main; northern packed limestone is a separate scope

  Follow the signed main path north on the paved main toward Conway. Turn after 1 outward mile or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• Pere Marquette — Loomis staging area: short bicycle return

  Loomis / Clare

  Up to 4 miles return · Out-and-back

  Paved main rail-trail

  Follow the signed main path east toward Coleman. Turn after 2 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• Wadhams to Avoca — Imlay Road trestle return: short bicycle return

  Avoca area

  Up to 1.5 miles return · Out-and-back

  Crushed limestone with wooden trestle deck; not the southern asphalt reach

  Walk from the public Imlay City Road lot on the north side of the road to the northbound limestone main. Ride toward the Mill Creek Trestle. Turn at its far end or after 0.75 outward mile, or before any earlier barrier, road crossing or uncomfortable deck; retrace. No Imlay/Beard road crossing, private detour or complete 12.5-mile network is part of this outing.