Eastern Region
In the Eastern Region, the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails Route #1 traverses Oakland, Macomb, and St. Clair Counties Counties as it travels through the towns and townships of Lyon, Whitmore Lake, Wixom, Walled Lake, West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Pontiac, Rochester Hills, Rochester, Washington, Romeo, Armada, Richmond, Marysville, and Port Huron. The Eastern Region includes the trails and trail towns in Oakland, Macomb, and St. Clair Counties.
Segments
The following trails make up the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails Route #1 in the Western Region. Click on the name of each trail segment to discover its character, including its length, surface, uses, and history.
Huron Valley Trail
The Huron Valley Trail is a 12-mile paved trail that extends along the former Grand Trunk Railroad from the city of South Lyon, through Lyon Township, and into Milford Township, then east to Wixom. The trail provides direct access to five county and township parks and to one state park – Island Lake State Recreation Area. The Huron Valley Trail is relatively flat, with some challenging hills near Island Lake, where it crosses under I-96 and connects to the trail system in Kensington Metropark.
Length: 12 miles
Surface: Asphalt
Uses: Hiking, walking, biking, cross-country skiing
E-bikes: No regulations yet
History: Visitors will enjoy the unique James F. Atchison Memorial Park along the Huron Valley Trail, a 130-acre park built atop a landfill in Lyon Township.
Connections: Kensington Metropark Shared-Use Trail
Website
Michigan Air Line Trail
The Michigan Air Line Trail, part of the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails Route #1, is a 7.2-mile multiuse trail connecting the West Bloomfield, Huron Valley, and M-5 Metro Trails. It provides an essential link between these trails and links the communities of Wixom, Walled Lake, and Commerce Township. A new bridge over state highway M-5 is an innovative highlight of the trail.
Length: 7.2 miles (7.7 when completed)
Surface: Natural surface with asphalt surface planned for 2019
Uses: Hiking, biking, cross-country skiing
eBikes: Class 1 E-Bikes allowed
History: Visitors to the Michigan Airline Trail will enjoy a historic, unrestored railway depot along the trail.
Website
West Bloomfield Trail
The West Bloomfield Trail is a 54-acre linear park that meanders for nearly 7 miles through West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor, and Sylvan Lake. The trail connects to Sylvan Manor Park and West Bloomfield Woods Nature Preserve and includes scenic overlooks with benches along with convenient bike racks and picnic areas.
Length: 6.8 miles
Surface: Crushed limestone
Uses: Walking, biking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing
E-bikes: No regulations yet
History: Visitors to the West Bloomfield Trail will enjoy hiking the 162-acre West Bloomfield Nature Preserve. The first in Michigan to receive recognition as an Urban Wildlife Sanctuary, the preserve is frequented by over 100 bird species as well as deer, foxes, coyotes, weasels and salamanders. Great carpets of white trillium and yellow trout lilies adorn the preserve each spring.
Website
Clinton River Trail
The Clinton River Trail is a picturesque rail trail that parallels the Clinton River through the heart of Oakland County. Gently graded, the trail traverses the cities of Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, and Rochester. Trail users will experience unique and diverse environments as the trail changes from quaint downtowns to more wooded areas with an ‘Up-North’ feel. Nearby amenities include parks, scenic overlooks, ice cream shops, lodging, mountain biking trails, a velodrome track, and kayak launches.
Length: 15.6 miles
Surface: Crushed limestone and recycled asphalt
Uses: Hiking, walking, running, biking, cross-country skiing, nature viewing, geocaching, and fishing
E-bikes: No regulations yet
History: Visitors to the Clinton River Trail will enjoy the historical Grand Trunk Depot sites in both Rochester and Auburn Hills, as well as the Phizer property where the polio vaccine was developed, a mastodon site in Rochester Hills, and a log cabin and railroad interpretive site in Auburn Hills.
Website
Macomb Orchard Trail
The Macomb Orchard Trail travels from Shelby Township to Richmond over 23 miles of paved asphalt in southeast Michigan. The trail is named for the orchards it traverses while meandering through a variety of suburban, agricultural, small-town, and wooded landscapes.
Length: 23.5 miles
Surface: Asphalt
Uses: Hiking, walking, biking, cross-country skiing
E-bikes: Not yet allowed
History: The villages along the Macomb Orchard Trail have points of historical interest, including a covered bridge over M-53.
Website
Bridge to Bay Trail
The Bridge to Bay Trail will be a 54-mile paved pedestrian/bike path that extends from St. Clair County’s northern border under the Blue Water Bridge, continuing through Richmond, Marysville, and Port Huron. The trail showcases more than 50 miles of beautiful shoreline along the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, and Lake Huron as it passes state and municipal parks, museums, gazebos, and lighthouses. Walkers, joggers, and bicyclists of all ages enjoy The Bridge to Bay Trail.
Length: 54 miles, ongoing construction
Surface: Asphalt
Uses: Hiking, walking, biking, cross-country skiing
E-bikes: No regulations yet
History: Much of the Bridge to Bay Trail is built on former paths that bordered the waterways used by native inhabitants and early European explorers during their exploration of St. Clair County. Native Americans and early settlers canoed, fished, and trapped along the area’s rivers and creeks.
Website