Grand Rapids’ bike trails are growing bigger and faster than ever! Bike lanes, signage, and miles of new bike trails are being installed all over the city. Local businesses host cycling events year-round and bike racks are a storefront staple. Between construction projects and the downtown parking scene, biking is quickly becoming a fun alternative to getting around. Whether you’re looking for a bike trail to get downtown, a scenic riverside loop, or a 90-mile journey toward the great white north, Grand Rapids is where it’s at!

Lemery Park Trail

1.9 miles one way

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The city of Wyoming has some incredible green spaces tucked among its dense neighborhoods, and Lemery Park is one of these hidden gems. The park features a 1.9-mile bike trail along Buck Creek. It’s a great place to take in a quick ride along the water, but you can double the distance by biking throughPalmer Parkvia theBuck Creek Nature Preserve.

Buck Creek Trail

2.1 miles one way

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Just down the road, you’ll find theBuck Creek Trailwinding its way through Grandville. Never straying too far from the creek, this bike trail weaves through the southwest suburbs all the way out to the Grand River confluence. Parking is available at Wedgwood Park and downtown Grandville.

Plaster Creek Trail

2.8 miles one way

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The foliage is dazzling along the Plaster Creek Trail, which hugs the banks of its namesake creek fromKen-o-sha Parkto the Kroc Center. In addition to the paved trails, mountain bike trails are also interspersed throughout the greenway. You can get your fill of both styles on your ride!

Kentwood East-West Trail

3 miles one way

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The name is self-explanatory; it’s a bike trail that runs east-west through Kentwood. Starting at Kellogsville Park, theEast West Trailtraverses creeks, wetlands, and southside neighborhoods for three miles before joining the Thornapple Trail. More on that later.

Oxford Street Trail

3.1-mile loop

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South Dakota’s Black Hills might be famous for a different sort of bike scene, but this Grand Rapids neighborhood has a quality bike trail as well! Beginning on Oxford Street near Godfrey Avenue, theOxford Street Trailconnects the Black Hills to Millennium Park, the Kent Trails, and the rest of the downtown trail network. At 3.1 miles, it’s a scenic spot to train for 5Ks. The route includes views of the Grand River, the downtown skyline, and a restored urban prairie.

Interurban Trail

3.5 miles one-way

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TheInterurban Trailcuts a path through suburbia on the south side of Grand Rapids, connecting Godwin Heights to Kelloggsville. The simplest way to ride its length would be to start at Ideal Park in Wyoming, at the confluence of Buck and Pine Hill Creeks. After a short ride through the woods, the bike trail heads north over streams and through neighborhoods up to 36thStreet.

Cannon Township Trail

4.8 miles one way

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On Grand Rapids’ northeast side, theCannon Township Bike Trailoffers a beautiful ride past lakes, over wetlands, and through wooded valleys. This is an excellent place to take in fall colors in a natural setting. Parking is available at the Cannon Township Hall, Townsend Park, and the village of Cannonsburg.

Standale Trail

5.7 miles one way

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2018 marks the 40thanniversary ofthe capture of Big Sid, a circus python that escapes its cage and roamed the streets of Standale, Michigan for over a month. Some spent the summer searching for the snake, while others stayed inside out of fear. Ultimately, it was a young couple on bicycles who found and helped capture Big Sid.

Today, you can bike theStandale Trailthrough the very farms and fields that Sid called home for one infamous summer. The trail connects Walker City Hall with the Millennium Park bike trail network. It features boardwalks, hills, bike trails, and a pedestrian tunnel. Be sure to stop in town for some ice cream, smoothies, or someStandale-brewed craft beer!

Flat River Trail

7.2 mile loop

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It’s a bit of a hike to get out to Greenville, but theFlat River Trailis one of the best loop bike trails in West Michigan. This 7.2-mile route follows a long, C-shaped arc along the Flat River through downtown Greenville. A couple of lakes are thrown in for good measure. There is hardly a curve on this loop in which something scenic isn’t revealed around the bend. The trailhead is conveniently located on M-57, right next toCastle Brewing Co.

M6 Trail

9.6 miles one way

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When M6 was installed as a way to get around Grand Rapids’ sprawling south side, planners of the highway had the good graces to include abike path. You’ll find surprisingly lofty vantage points along this 9.6-mile corridor, high above the road where you can see the profile of 92ndStreet Hill, some of the highest elevation in Kent County.

Thornapple Trail

10 miles one way to Caledonia

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If you start at 44thand Kalamazoo, it’ll be a 10-mile ride down thePaul Henry Thornapple Trailto get to Caledonia Lakeside Park. The plans are much bigger than that, however. Local municipalities are working on paving their own segments of this former railroad corridor, and soon you’ll be able to ride a bike trail all the way out to Vermontville, 42 miles away!

Kent Trails

15-mile network

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The pioneer of the Grand Rapids bike scene, we owe a lot of credit to theKent Trailssystem. It was ahead of its time and still serves as the central hub to which future bike paths aim to connect. From the trailhead near John Ball Zoo, you can enjoy this unabridged bike trail network through Millennium Park all the way to Jenison, Grandville, Wyoming, or Byron Center.  Trail highlights include the Grand River, Buck Creek, the Sand Mines, and theHopewell Indian Mounds.

Ada Township Trails

16-mile loop

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Another great loop option, theAda Township Trailsrun a hilly course around the northeast side of Grand Rapids. Beginning in downtown Ada, the loop offers wide panoramas of the Grand River, boardwalks over wetlands, and an endless array of fall foliage.  

Millennium Park

18-mile network

Recent transplants to Grand Rapids likely won’t remember whenMillennium Parkwas just a 1400-acre sand mine, but today it is one of the finest parks in all of Michigan. Kent County Parks has invested deeply in Millennium Park, which now plays host to numerous bike races, running events, concerts, and even the X-Games.

The 18-mile network of bike trails is one of Millennium’s best assets. Frequent intersections allow for loops of any distance to be made. This makes Millennium an excellent destination for beginners through experts, and the varied terrain means there’s something new around every bend.

Musketawa Trail/Pioneer Trail

33.6 miles one way

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TheMusketawais another trail that’s been around for some time. This 22-mile linear bike trail runs from Marne all the way to Muskegon, stopping through small towns and bucolic farmlands along the way.

Recently, Kent County Parks built a connector route through Walker called thePioneer Trail. This greenway provides a vital link between the Musketawa and the White Pine Trail, extending the route to Muskegon by eleven miles. It also gives Northwest-siders a convenient way to bike downtown.

Grand River Greenway

40 miles one way

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The project has been in the works for decades, as Ottawa County Parks quietly acquired riverfront parcel after parcel. The objective was announced just two years ago: theGrand River Greenway, a 40-mile swath of preserved natural areas along the southern shore of the Grand River. In addition to a water trail for paddlers and a habitat corridor for wildlife, the Greenway also includes plans for theIdema Explorers Trail, a bike trail path that will connect downtown Grand Rapids to Grand Haven’s lakeshore. Segments are still under construction, but keep an eye on this project. They’re making strides every day.

White Pine Bike Trail

92 miles one way

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Some state parks are 92 miles long and only 20 feet wide. Such is the case ofWhite Pine Trail State Park, West Michigan’s premier long-distance bike path. Many area bikers are familiar with the picturesque stretch that runs from downtown Grand Rapids up to Rockford, but few have attempted the daunting century ride to its terminus in Cadillac. The White Pine Trail crosses six major rivers, seventeen towns, and countless creeks and farms through Northern Michigan.

Nick Meekhof graduated from Calvin College with a major in writing and a minor in geography. A farmer for the first twenty-three years of his life, Nick currently works for the Michigan Department of Agriculture. When he’s not traversing the state conducting orchard inspections, he can be found exploring the rivers, forests, and small towns all throughout the Great Lakes State. His current goals include kayaking one hundred Michigan rivers, swimming in Lake Michigan during every month of the year, and visiting as many Michigan breweries as possible. Follow Nick’s adventures on Instagram: @puremichiganguy.