SE Michigan Bike Trail “Century”

 

The most recent issue of Michigan Trails Magazine shows, on the East Michigan Trail Guide page, that it seems possible to ride from Richmond all the way to Jackson on bike trails.  I get interested when I find a long connection of existing trails.  I wanted to see if it could be done and then actually ride from Richmond to Jackson.  The total distance is approximately 110 miles.

 

This ride covers

1.    Macomb Orchard Trail (24 miles) - paved

2.    Clinton River Trail (15 miles) - unpaved

3.    West Bloomfield Trail (7 miles) - unpaved

4.    Michigan Airlines Trail (7 miles) - paved

5.    Huron Valley Trail (about 3 miles) - paved

6.    I96 connector trail (3 miles) - paved

7.    Island Lake State Park Bike Trail and road (7 miles) - paved

8.    US 23 Connector Trail (4 miles) - paved

9.    Whitmore Lake Road (2 miles) - paved

10. Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park (42 miles) – 40% paved

 

My home is not far off the Clinton River Trail and it was most convenient to break the ride into two trips.  My wife drove me to Richmond and I rode back to my home in Birmingham.  This covered the entire 24-mile Macomb Orchard Trail which is wonderfully paved, and the first 6.5 miles of the Clinton River Trail.  

This summer, 2025, there is a detour near the natural connection of the trails.  If you are continuing on to the Clinton River Trail, it will be advantageous to follow the sidewalk on the North Side of 24 Mile Road.  There is a serious CRT washout which will not be resolved for months or perhaps years.  As of August 2025 no work has begun.

 Stay on the north side.  The sidewalk on the south side ends in the middle of a block.  The detour is marked as you progress west along 24 Mile Road/Parkdale Rd. and then south on Letica Dr.  The detour adds approximately one-half mile, and a few short, but steep hills.  Taking this detour avoids one busy crossing and a short hill at the end of the MOT. Going West to East the detour is very well marked with excellent maps.

 

I did the remainder of the “century” in two consecutive days, spending the night at an Airbnb.  I rode from my home and rejoined the Clinton Valley Trail at mile 6.5, completed the trails listed above through Island Lake State Park.  

I96 Underpass

I96 Connector goes off to the right just south of the underpass.

The State Park has a bike trail from the Kent Lake Road crossing (east end of the park) for about 3.5 miles.  One should leave the bike trail at that point. It continues but just loops around the parking area.  

 

Cross the grass to ride on the road.

Join the road for the remainder of the State Park.  The posted speed limit is 25 mph and traffic was light even though it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  The drivers were courteous to cyclists.

 The Airbnb was amazingly handy (.6 mi) from the state park off the north parking area for the Dodge Picnic Shelter which is at the far western end of the park.  This is about 48 miles from Jackson, and was a perfect location for me to spend the night.  You can find it by going to Airbnb and inquiring for a property in Brighton. Select Lakeside Hilltop.  Pia offers a super clean upstairs apartment with two bedrooms, a hot plate, refrigerator, and amazing collection of TV options.  It is a 10 minute walk to the end of Academy Street to a grocery store or the Cozy Inn for dinner.

 

The next morning, I rode the US 23 Connector, ducked under US23 at Silver Lake Road and then rode the two miles of Whitmore Lake Road, which is quite smooth and has a 24-inch shoulder.  Since it was early Sunday morning, there was very little traffic.  I did not feel endangered by the few cars that passed me. 

 

Beginning of the US23 Connector, leaving the state park.

When you reach the M36 interchange, you have also reached the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail.  Cross M36, look to your right.  After the first few miles, there are no helpful mile markers.  I believe the following

 

Gregory – 18 miles

Stockbridge – 23 miles

Hawkins Road Trailhead – 38 miles

Cooper Street end of the trail – 42 miles

 

Google was useful for Gregory and Stockbridge but for some reason it did not believe I could just stay on the trail all the way to Cooper Street.  It wanted to route me onto roads, so it did not give accurate distances as I approached Jackson.  The trail is paved at the very end and goes all the way to Cooper Street.  Unfortunately, there is not any parking at the end of the trail.  The prison complex and the State Police Post dominate the area.  There is a nice trail head with parking at the Portage River Railroad Bridge on Hawkins Road about 4 miles northeast.

 

The easternmost 12 miles are paved.  Most of the rest of the trail is firm but unpaved.  Much of the trail passes through wetland, and marshes.  There is plenty of nature.  Much of the trail is shaded by large trees.  From Gregory west, there are plowed fields.  Beyond Stockbridge the farms seem to be of a larger scale and there are more segments of the trail which are unshaded.

 

Huron River Crossing near Hamburg

 

Zukey Lake

Of course the Paint Creek Trail joins the Clinton River Trail, and there is a connector between the Polly Ann Trail and the Paint Creek Trail, so similar trips could originate in Leonard, Oxford, Lake Orion or for the more adventuresome, from Dryden.  In September, I started in Dryden and rode south to South Lyon.  This trip involved the Polly Ann, Paint Creek Connector, Paint Creek, Clinton River, West Bloomfield, Airline, and the full length of the Huron Valley Trail.  This ride was 70 miles.  The web site for the Polly Ann Trail in Lapeer county indicates that it goes another 16 miles north from Dryden.  This is no doubt true for horseback or hiking but it is just mown grass and would not be suitable even for mountain bikes.

The 110 mile of trails comprises most of the eastern end of the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails #1 envisioned to connect South Haven to Port Huron.  Segments of the Great Lake-to-Lake Trails #1 are missing, and would require highway riding as of this writing.  See https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48969156  for a map.