6 Southeast Michigan Bike Trails

Get a ride in at these local spots.
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James Studinge, pictured riding above, is the founder of Tour Da Yoop, the U.P. bike event that travels up to 120 miles a day. If you're looking to get in a ride closer to home, there's plenty of local trails to check out. // Photograph by Jacob Lewkow

Itching for a summer bike tour? You’re in luck. Southeast Michigan is blessed with an abundance of trails that can challenge riders — and still be tackled in a single day. Here are six worth riding this summer and beyond. 

River Raisin Heritage Trail (7.5 miles)

A short route that connects two parks in Monroe, linking up with the downtown Riverwalk and passing beside the Raisin River National Battlefield along the way.

Kiwanis Trail (13 miles)

Another shorter trail, running between Tecumseh and Adrian, that is concentrated in woods and fields rather than a city center, though bikers who are in the zone can easily extend the ride through Adrian, a picturesque college town in miniature. 

Border-to-Border Trail (35 miles)

The B2B trail features 35 miles of the planned 55 miles of uninterrupted trail connecting Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Dexter along the Huron River. Additional goals include eventually growing the trail into a 70-mile artery of the statewide Iron Belle Trail, which is intended to connect Detroit to the U.P. by bike path. For now, riders can can enter the trail through nine different parks across Washtenaw County.

Lake Erie Metropark to Lower Huron Metropark (20 miles)

This path is technically a series of loosely linked separate trails, but they easily blend into a seamless ride. The trail originates in marshy shores of Lake Erie Metropark, and crosses an urban environment

Bridge to Bay Trail (50 miles)

This diverse trail system offers 50 miles of “picturesque views, charming towns, freighter watching, and more.” Going north to south, riders can take a mostly intact trail from New Baltimore in Macomb County all the way up to Lakeport State Park in Sanilac, hugging the St. Clair River the entire way. 

Check out traillink.com for more information about these and other bike trails around Michigan, and if you’re more of a hiker than a biker, check out these hiking trails in Michigan


This story is featured in the July 2021 issue of Hour Detroit magazine and has been updated for 2024.