Explore the best rated trails in Lansing, MI, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Saginaw Valley Rail Trail and Fred Meijer Flat River Trail . With more than 43 trails covering 425 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
In its day, you may have been able to ride a road bike on this rail trail. Unfortunately, it is primarily loose, broken asphalt. It would be a great ride if you have a mountain, fat tire, or e-bike with wider tires.
Wanting to ride only on the paved section, we hopped on in Hamburg and headed toward Pinckney. There is plenty of parking for the trail just kitty-corner from the Hamburg Pub. There is a lot of intermittent shade which helped on this 86 degree day. The trail is extremely well- maintained and we were on the paved section for about 8 1/2 miles till we started going through Pinckney. Then it turned to gravel so we turned around and headed back. We planned to eat at the Hamburg Pub but the Trump 2024 lawn sign at the pub was a turn-off so we instead headed a couple miles down the road to Zukey Lake Tavern. It was beautiful up on the deck. The food was OK and the cold draft beer was perfect.
The longest single connected trail I've ridden in Michigan so far. If you ride it all the way from Jackson to Brighton it's about 40 miles, but there's plenty of places to stop by in-between that show up about every 6 miles. Gregory is about halfway through and offers some good food options for anyone looking to make the full trek.
The trail from Hamburg MI going into Brighton is completely paved and beautiful. Everything from Hamburg going into Jackson is unpaved crushed limestone, and while there's beautiful wildlife around every corner the path can wear you out do the crushed limestone path. Still gives you a beautiful look at different Michigan biomes along the way and is in the middle of nature and away from the busy cityscape for most of the ride.
Went here with the family. A few small challenging grades. There are some pretty views of the lake and a lot of shade. We saw deer, sandhill cranes, rabbits, swans, wild turkeys and a pilliated woodpecker.
Started in Jackson and went west to Concord (against the wind). In Concord continue west on the street when trail terminates. Ate lunch in Concord Tavern downtown which is to your left as you dead-end into Main Street... fantastic pizza.
Then rode back to Jackson (with the wind). Saw deer, birds, and lots of little critters. Very enjoyable outing of 22 miles round-trip.
I rode this trail from Pinkney to Stockbridge and back. It was a pleasant ride with varying scenery-sometimes open fields and sometimes heavily wooded. Another thing I liked about this trail is that is not endlessly flat. Instead there are some easy hills and downhill
We enjoyed this ride, all 45 miles, from Creekside Park in Lowell to Greenville and back. The surface wasn't nice asphalt, but kinda rough. Some areas were worn smoothish from use - so not terrible. But we will were able to keep a good pace. The bathrooms in Belding were locked on the Saturday morning of Memorial weekend, but there was a lovely porta potty we could use. What's the point of bathrooms if we can't use them? (Side note, the bathrooms at Creekside Park in Lowell were unlocked and very nice. The sign on the bathrooms said they opened at 10 am, but we were there earlier than that and they were open. Thanks, Lowell.)
We saw several turtles, including a few snappers that appeared to be laying eggs on the edge of the path, but we didn't too close to verify that because we like to keep our fingers. Also saw some deer, a quail, birds, and a bunny.
Beware, southbound once you get around Smyrna there is a long uphill section. Not steep because trains are wimpier than I am, but it was a long section.
We rode this trail from Concord to Jackson. The trail began crossing the Kalamazoo River. The ride was not really that exciting, except as we got to Jackson, there were several sculptures on display and even for sale! The wind from Jackson back to Concord was brutal. All in all, it was a nice ride and the weather was spectacular!
Nice paved path from Pettysville Road and M 36 marshaling area through Pinckney. The path turns to fine crushed stone near Anderson and was quite a chore to ride on due to wet, low light areas which had not dried out. Not great in this area for bikes on a leisurely ride. Nice dry, sunny day of 50 degrees. The path will probably not dry out here all winter.
I've been running a couple different out and back stretches between McPherson Ave and Greenville about three times a week from spring to fall for about 4 years now.
I can see how the surface might not be good for skinny wheel bikes in areas, but for runners. the surface is pretty great. Not only is it a softer impact surface than asphalt, even better, no crown in the path is needed to shed water. No crown means a perfect flat surface across the path. I can run on the sides, out of biker's way, and not have one leg travelling farther than the other to make up for the drop in the crown, screwing up my hips and back.
Sounds amazing underfoot, too.
Not to mention the nature and surroundings.
I ran by a fawn sleeping right in the middle of the path a couple days ago. Eagles, Sand Hill Cranes, Fox, all kinds of water birds. It's amazing.
Please never pave this path. Touch it up here and there, but no asphalt.
One of my favorite trails to longboard on. The segment by Spring Arbor that perfectly cuts through the lake is especially beautiful in the summer. Some bikers can be going fast so just be mindful of your surroundings, but it's a great trail beginning to end.
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