Michigan Trails Magazine 2020 • www.MiTrails.org • ©2020 Rockford Advertising. All rights reserved. Fred Meijer Grand River Valley and Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee (CIS) Rail Trails West Michigan Trails Fred Meijer Grand River Valley and Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee (CIS) Rail Trails Maple River S h i a w a s s e e R v r P r a i r i e C r e e k G r a n d R i v e r G r a n d R i v e r F l a t R i v e r Gr a n d Ri v e r S t o n e y C r e e k G ra n d R i v e r Morrison Lake Sessions Lake Murray Lake Prat Lake M a pl e Ri v er Sleepy Hollow State Park Fred Meijer CIS Rail Trail Fred Meijer Flat River Valley Rail Trail Fallasburg Park Ionia State Recreation Area Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Rail Trail Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Rail Trail C I S R ail T rail F r e d M eije r Fred Meijer CIS Rail Trail 21 21 21 21 66 21 543 505 69 96 96 66 66 21 127 127 127 127 BUS 21 52 52 52 21 96 96 4 5 6 7 8 3 2 1 Clinton Taft Centerline Howe Jason Pratt Lehman Price Cutler Cutler Main St Chadwick David Hwy Maple Goodwin Peck Lake Rd Marsalle Pratt Lehman Jones Wright Main Wright Grange Hinman Bauer Wacousta Forest Hills Francis Essex Center Lowell Airport Dewitt Krepps Lansing Chandler Watson St Clair Shepardsville Holister Meridian Main Carland Baldwin Sherman Smith Delaney Hickory Vandecarr Morrice Ruess Priest Vincent Warren Scott State Hubbardston Spaulding Clintonia Nickleplate Kinley Kinley Kinley Wright Morrice Kelsey Hwy Wildcat Walker Portland Goodemoot Knox Harwood Krouse Wildcat Walker Mason McBride Simpson Dewey Leland Williams Walker Prarie Divine Hwy Staley Murphy Wagner Wagner Hayes Olmstead Stage Howe Tuttle Townsend Walker Williams Williams Parks Stone Kimball Townsend Dexter Trail Taft Parmeter Jefferson Kellogg State Walker Steel Mason South Hibbard Bennington Hibbard Garrison Alward Miller Britton Winegar Cutler Simpson Main St Mason Wilkinson 4 Mile 3 Mile Burroughs Beckwith Sayles Hudson Sayles Sayles Centerline Riverside Dr David Hwy Main Weeks Bennet Peck Lake Rd Riverside Dr Riverside 28th Main St 36th 52nd St Portland Grand River Grand River Ave Potters Main St Rector Alden Nash Alden Nash Segwun Segwun Lincoln Lake Biggs Biggs Fallasburg Park Fallasburg Park Kyser Montcalm Hastings Ivan Nash Hwy Darby Jordan Lkae Lee Hawley Cleveland Quarry Haynor Bridge Jackson Johnson Riverside Somers Keefer Hwy Grand River Clinton Round Lk Lincoln Grand Ri ver Centerline Muir Pewamo Fowler Ovid Portland Westphalia Laingsburg Perry Morrice Dewitt Ionia Lyons St Johns Owosso Lowell Saranac 2 3 1 Trails Legend Paved Trail Limestone Trail Connector Route Under Development Highways Roads 0 2 4 6 8 1 Miles Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee (CIS) Rail Trail The 42-mile Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Rail Trail was completed in the spring of 2015. It gets its name from the three counties it spans on the former Central Michigan Railroad. The abandoned rail corridor was acquired by the state of Michigan in 2007 and developed by the DNR through a broad coalition of federal, state and local organizations. Perfect for day rides of just about any distance, the trail goes through the center of several quaint farming towns where you will find easy access to local stores, eateries and ice cream shops. It also runs parallel to highway M-21, offering convenient access. The trail was developed with a new trailway design concept, where the “Town & Village Zones” are paved with asphalt and the “Rural and Natural Zones” are surfaced with finely screened and compacted limestone. The trail officially begins at the Prairie Creek bridge east of Ionia and crosses over the Maple River east of Muir. It then travels through the heart of Michigan farm country before it crosses the headwaters of the Maple River in Ovid on its way to Owosso. A thick hedge of trees shelter the trail most of the way. At Smith Road, west of Owosso, a signed, designated bike route guides you into downtown Owosso. Trail planners envision future rail trail extensions to downtown Owosso and east to Durand. ©2020 Rockford Advertising. All rights reserved. Access Site Parking Restrooms Water 4 Muir Railroad Park Yes Yes No 5 Pewamo Depot Yes Yes Yes 6 Fowler Depot Yes Yes Yes 7 St. Johns Rotary Park Yes No No 8 Downtown Ovid Yes No No Fred Meijer CIS Rail Trail Access Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Rail Trail The 17-mile Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Rail Trail is getting closer to completion. Ionia County recently received state funding to complete the 7-mile section connecting Saranac with the city of Lowell. It should be finished by fall 2020 or spring 2021. In 2015, 1.75 miles of paved trail was extended east from downtown Ionia to the Prairie Creek bridge, connecting with the Fred Meijer Clinton- Ionia-Shiawassee (CIS) Rail Trail. The project included construction of a pedestrian bridge providing safe passage over busy M-66 in downtown Ionia. The first 8.25 miles of trail from Saranac to Ionia was completed in 2013. This exceptionally scenic section of trail travels along the edge of the Grand River and through the Ionia State Recreation Area, with no road crossings, for a peaceful, serene commune with nature. It also includes an amazing five restored railroad bridges, including one towering bridge spanning 466 feet across the mighty Grand River. Trail users have reported a lot of wildlife sightings along this stretch of trail, including whitetail deer, turkey, great horned owls, eagles, a wide range of waterfowl, and even the rare pine marten. The trail surface consists of about one mile of asphalt pavement through Saranac, and about 3.75 miles of pavement through the city of Ionia, with the rest of the trail in between surfaced with finely screened and compacted crushed limestone. A new trailhead in Saranac was completed last summer next to the river, across the street from the Saranac depot and historical museum. In downtown Ionia, public parking is available on Adams Street, one block east of the new M-66 bridge. Saranac and Ionia offer plenty of stores and eating establishments. 1 Saranac Trailhead Yes Yes Yes 2 Ionia State Rec Area Yes Yes Yes 3 Adams St. Parking Yes No No Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Rail Trail Access Access Site Parking Restrooms Water See It In Shiawee! Let us help you plan your visit! 989-723-1199 www.shiawassee.org Owosso Bike Fest 2nd Sunday in August WWW.MICHIGANSTEAMTRAIN.COM Located next to the Sam & Opal Voight River Walk along the Shiawassee River Downtown Owosso. 405 S. Washington St., Owosso, MI 48867 • (989) 725-9464 HOME OF THE PERE MARQUETTE 1225! 2 Location on map. 350 W MAIN ST. IONIA, MI 48846 616-527-0471 DansBikeShop.org 3 Location on map. 1 Location on map. We build trails to connect people and communities for a stronger Michigan michigantrails.org Join us! Cross this bridge over the Maple River east of Muir. One of America’s Best Bike Shops 814 W. Main St • Westown Owosso Open: M-F 9:30am - 6pm Sat 9:30am to 3pm (989) 725-8373 Welcome to Downtown PEWAMO Start your Adventure at the Pewamo Trailhead RIDE. RELAX. EAT. ENJOY. FREE WIFI. Photo by David Rivett