No matter your skill or fitness level, Jackson’s trails give you a hundred great excuses to get out and experience nature in its purest form. Walking, hiking, biking, and snowshoeing are only a few of the ways you can make use of the Falling Waters Trail. On Jackson’s 38 miles of paved paths, you can enjoy a brisk morning jog, a casual weekend bike ride, or cross-country skiing on an exhilarating ride among beautiful, snow-tipped pines.
Length: 38 miles
Surface: Asphalt and concrete
Uses: Biking, running, walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and rollerblading
E-bikes: No current regulations
History: Visitors to Jackson will enjoy touring the historical Jackson Prison, which began in 1838 as Michigan’s first state prison. What started as a temporary wooden structure evolved into the largest walled prison in the world by 1882. Experience the 25-feet high stone walls and original cell block that have been converted into the Armory Arts Village.
Connections: Martin Luther King Equality Trail and the Grand River Arts Walk
Website
The Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park, part of the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails Route #1, is a 34-mile multiuse trail located on the former Grand Trunk Railroad. The trail passes through vast woods, open pastures, and picturesque wetlands while offering views of the beautiful Huron River. Trail users will enjoy many small, unique towns providing ample opportunity for stops along the way.
Length: 34 miles
Surface: Crushed limestone from Henrietta Township in the west to Putnam Township in the east. From the east side of Putnam Township through Hamburg Township, the trail is paved asphalt.
Uses: Biking, hiking, running, horseback riding
E-bikes: Class 1 e-bikes allowed
History: Visitors to the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail will enjoy seeing a freight depot with renovated exterior along the trail in the village of
Pinckney. The depot was constructed in 1884.
Website
The Island Lake Pathway offers 4 miles of smooth asphalt trail that meanders through the Island Lake State Recreation Area, a 4,000-acre park in Livingston County that offers an “up north” experience without leaving southeast Michigan. The Island Lake Pathway connects the Huron Valley Trail to the Kensington Hike-Bike Trail, passing under Interstate 96 to Kent Lake through a mixture of open brushlands to mature hardwood forests with pretty pockets of open meadows.
Length: 4 miles
Surface: Asphalt
Uses: Biking, hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing
E-bikes: Class 1 e-bikes allowed
History: Visitors to the Island Lake Pathway will enjoy the natural history of Island Lake State Recreation Area, a designated Watchable Wildlife Site.
Connections: Kensington Metropark Shared-Use Trail
Website
