Southern Gateway · Small town
Whitehall and Montague
Twin towns on White Lake for a mix of lighthouse, beach and bike trail, with Duck Lake State Park nearby and the start of the Hart-Montague Trail.
About 20 miles away (straight line)
Trail · Southern Gateway
Hart-Montague Trail
A 22-mile rail trail state park between Montague and Hart, through woods, orchards, farms and the village of New Era.
The Hart-Montague Trail is a paved, 22-mile rail trail between Montague, on White Lake, and Hart, in Oceana County, a steady ride for cyclists who want a long day through farm country. Start at either end off US-31, and note that state-designated trailheads require a Recreation Passport on your vehicle. William Field converted the old railroad line in the 1980s, and the state park carries his name.
It is a country ride. You roll through forest and gentle hills, past farms, orchards and Christmas tree farms, and through the village of New Era, with the Clear Springs Nature Preserve along the way. At the Montague end, the world’s largest working weathervane is close to the trailhead.
Ride it out and back from either end, or arrange a pickup for a one-way day. In winter the DNR lists the trail for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, so expect to share it.
Practical information
- Managed by
- Michigan DNR (William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail State Park)
- Season
- Listed for biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and snowmobiling. Check the DNR page before you go.
- Towns along the way
- Trailheads are listed at Hart, Shelby, New Era, Rothbury and Montague.
- Official website
- michigan.gov
Location
Map of Hart-Montague Trail
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Nearby towns
Also nearby
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
State park
Charles Mears State Park
A small Lake Michigan beach park at the edge of Pentwater, with a buoyed swim beach by the harbor pier, a campground and a trail up Old Baldy.
About 7 miles away (straight line)
Attraction
S.S. Badger
A 1953 coal-fired steamship and National Historic Landmark that carries passengers and vehicles across Lake Michigan between Ludington and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
About 20 miles away (straight line)
Historic site
The Playhouse at White Lake (Howmet Playhouse)
Whitehall's 1916 theater, renovated and renamed the Playhouse at White Lake, with summer theater, Michigan music, films and youth theater.
About 20 miles away (straight line)