Take a Hike in Metro Detroit on these Nature Trails
Story by Max White
Warm weather is finally here, and after months of cold and indoors, it’s time to get out, stretch your legs and take a hike in metro Detroit. Whether you’re looking for flat walking paths or hilly rustic trails, metro Detroit has all different kinds of hiking trails. Below are some of the best.
Belle Isle
Head over to Belle Isle, the island state park in Detroit, for a variety of hikes. The trail along the loop of the island stretches nearly 5.5 miles for a full circle around the island. There are also shorter hikes available to the Belle Isle Lighthouse and Blue Heron Lagoon, and a trail through the center of the island.
Detroit Riverfront and Dequindre Cut
Another paved pathway that runs along the Detroit River and then north just east of the city, the Detroit Riverfront and Dequindre Cut are two combined hikes that provide great views and an easy walk. The Dequindre Cut runs two miles from the Riverfront up to Mack Ave. through Eastern Market and near Lafayette Park. There are paths for walking and running and paths for biking.
The Riverfront is a 3.5-mile stretch of path from the former Joe Louis Arena site to Gabriel Richard Park. The plan is to develop a total 5.5 miles with the addition of the West Riverfront toward the Ambassador Bridge and a portion of the east from Gabriel Richard Park to the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle.
Paint Creek Trail
About 45 minutes north of Detroit, the Paint Creek Trail in northeast Oakland County is nearly nine miles long and runs through five different cities and townships. It was a former railroad and there are eight different places for you to park along the trail. It also connects with the Clinton River Trail and Macomb Orchard Trail.
Clinton River Trail
Also in Oakland County, the Clinton River Trail offers 16 miles worth of hiking running through Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills and Rochester. As mentioned, it also connects with the Macomb Orchard Trail and Paint Creek Trail.
There is different terrain along the trail including crushed limestone and pavement, and most of it is unpaved.
Macomb Orchard Trail
The Macomb Orchard Trail is a hiking and biking path that is 24 miles running from Shelby Township northeast through Macomb County and ending in Richmond. It goes through towns and also different tunnels of trees, orchards, farms and more in Macomb County.
Bald Mountain Recreation Area
Bald Mountain has more than 15 mile sof trails going through “steep hills and rugged terrain.” The north part of the park has eight miles of trails across three different loops, and the south part has seven miles of trails ranging from .2 miles to 3.4 miles.
Stony Creek Metropark
On the border of Macomb and Oakland counties, Stony Creek Metropark has several different options for trails. There’s a 6.2-mile paved trail through the park for hiking and biking that shows off the lake.
There are also four different nature trails that are either compact gravel, soil or grass with different elevation. They cross over wooden bridges and a wooden plank bridge.
Those nature trails are 3.5 miles of East Lake trails – which are four connected trails, a .5-mile reflection trail, 1-mile landscape trail and 2.5 miles of habitat trails.
Stony Creek also has a rustic trail and a 1.75-mile fitness trail that has exercise stations located along the route.
Lake Erie Metropark
About 45 minutes south of Downtown Detroit, Lake Erie Metropark sits along one of the five Great Lakes and has three different hiking trails. The main is a 3-mile hiking and biking trail that runst through the park and is paved.
The 1.25-mile Cherry Island Trail goes through a coastal marsh and the Detroit River/Lake Erie shore. It’s made up of gravel and some sections of boardwalk and paved trail.
The Trapper’s Run trail is a mile long and leads from the museum. It includes four overlooks to look at the surrounding marsh.
Lower Huron Metropark
Lower Huron Metropark is close to Detroit Metro Airport and has rustic trails, nature trails and a regular paved trail.
The hike-bike trail is 4.1 miles and can also go all the way to Lake Erie Metropark, about 24 miles away. The Bob White Trail is a one-mile trail going through dense woodlands.
Then, the rustic trails are where you strap on your hiking boots. The Woods Creek Trail is 2.5 miles long and follows the Huron River through woodlands, and there’s also the Tawata Trace Trail which is only .5 miles long.
Kensington Metropark
There are six different trails inside Kensington Metropark, the main one being an 8.5-mile hike-bike trail that circles Kent Lake. It also includes an additional 3.4-mile trail that connects to Milford.
Kensington has four nature trails that go through 700 acres of forest. They are the Chickaee Trail, a 2-mile trail of gravel and wooden boardwalks; the Deer Run Trail is 1.5 miles with gravel and wooden boardwalks and is mostly shaded; Aspen Trail is 1.5 miles of gravel, boardwalk and bridges and is relatively flat, and the Wildwing Trail is 1.75 miles.
