Nature preserve
Arcadia Dunes: The C.S. Mott Nature Preserve
3,927 acres of dunes, forest and grassland on Lake Michigan, with more than 15 miles of trails and an accessible path to a lake overlook.
Several towns sit on paved trails that make it easy to leave the car parked. Each trail page here names the organization that manages it.
Places for biking
Attraction
Arch Rock
A natural limestone arch on Mackinac Island's east side, 146 feet above the water. You can see it from the shore road or from the bluff above.
Lighthouse
Big Sable Point Lighthouse
An 1867 lighthouse, 112 feet tall and banded black and white, on the Lake Michigan shore in Ludington State Park. You reach it on a 1.8-mile walk or ride.
Trail
Little Traverse Wheelway
A paved, non-motorized trail along Little Traverse Bay linking Charlevoix, Petoskey and Harbor Springs, much of it with open views of the water.
State park
Ludington State Park
A big dune park between Hamlin Lake and 7 miles of Lake Michigan shore, with three campgrounds, 21 miles of trails and the walk to Big Sable Point Lighthouse.
Scenic drive
M-119 Tunnel of Trees Scenic Heritage Route
A narrow, winding stretch of M-119 along the Lake Michigan shoreline north of Harbor Springs toward Cross Village, made for a slow drive.
State park
Mackinac Island State Park
Michigan's first state park covers more than 80 percent of Mackinac Island: forest, limestone formations, historic sites and 70-plus miles of roads and trails.
National park
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Dunes, high bluffs, beaches, inland lakes and two islands along 65 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in Benzie and Leelanau counties.
Trail
Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail
A mostly paved trail of about 22 miles through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, linking Empire, the Dune Climb, Glen Haven, Glen Arbor and Port Oneida.
Trail
TART Trails
Traverse City's trail network, built around the 10.5-mile paved TART along the bay and linked to the Leelanau Trail, Boardman Lake Loop and VASA Pathway.
Attraction
Beaver Island
Lake Michigan's largest island, a ferry ride of just over two hours from Charlevoix, with beaches, lighthouses and long trails. Plan to stay the night.
Trail
Betsie Valley Trail
A 22-mile rail trail from Frankfort past Crystal Lake and Beulah, paved at the west end and aggregate beyond, with snowmobiling on the east part in winter.
Trail
Big M Trail System
Groomed cross-country ski and winter fat-tire bike trails, and summer singletrack, in the Manistee National Forest near Wellston.
Ski area
Boyne Mountain
A big resort at Boyne Falls with 65 trails on 415 skiable acres, 35 km of cross-country trails, and SkyBridge Michigan and bike trails in the warm months.
Beach
Clinch Park
Traverse City's downtown beach on West Grand Traverse Bay, with a splash pad, playground, city marina and the TART trail running through.
Ski area
Crystal Mountain
A four-season resort in Thompsonville with 59 downhill runs, 25 km of Nordic trails and groomed winter bike trails, plus singletrack and golf in summer.
Trail
Fred Meijer White Pine Trail
A 92-mile paved rail trail whose northern end is in Cadillac, for long rides south through towns, farmland and woods toward Grand Rapids.
Trail
Hart-Montague Trail
A 22-mile rail trail state park between Montague and Hart, through woods, orchards, farms and the village of New Era.
Trail
Leelanau Trail
A paved, flat, 17-mile trail between Traverse City and Suttons Bay through farms and woods, groomed in part for skiing and fat biking in winter.
Attraction
Manistee National Forest
More than half a million acres of public forest, run from Cadillac, with backpacking and ski trails, campgrounds and two National Scenic Rivers.
Ski area
Mt. Holiday
A small community nonprofit ski hill in East Bay Township, east of Traverse City, with snow tubing in winter and zipline tours and trails in the warmer months.
Trail
Muskegon Lakeshore Trail
About 12 paved miles along Muskegon Lake from Pere Marquette Park to the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve, with views of the channel and South Pier light.
Trail
North Bank Trail
A paved rail-trail of about six miles east from Spring Lake to Nunica, linked to the Lakeside Trail loop through Spring Lake and Ferrysburg.
Ski area
The Highlands at Harbor Springs
A ski resort near Harbor Springs with 55 runs on 435 acres and 552 feet of vertical, plus Nordic trails, and a bike park, hiking and golf in summer.
Trail
Vasa Pathway
Traverse City's big woods trail for cross-country skiing, with loops from 3K to 25K, snowshoe loops, and singletrack for mountain and fat bikes.
State park
William Mitchell State Park
Cadillac's state park between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac, with a campground, the Clam Lake Canal and the start of the White Pine Trail.
On the map
Biking: places on the map
26 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Recommended towns for biking
Towns an independent source (such as the DNR, the National Park Service or Pure Michigan) singles out for this. Listed by town size, not ranked.
Charlevoix & Petoskey
Charlevoix
For boaters, beachgoers and first-timers: a harbor town where three lakes meet, with a summer drawbridge, a pier lighthouse and Earl Young's stone houses.
Benzie & Sleeping Bear
Frankfort
A beach-and-lighthouse harbor town: a Lake Michigan beach at the end of Main Street, a breakwater light off the sand and Point Betsie up the shore.
Ludington & Manistee
Ludington
A Lake Michigan harbor town for beach and lighthouse trips, with the S.S. Badger car ferry and a big dune state park just north of town.
Mackinac & Straits
Mackinac Island
A car-free island in the Straits of Mackinac. Bike or walk from a busy harbor town to an old fort and a state park that covers most of the island.
Charlevoix & Petoskey
Petoskey
A walkable bay town for stone hunting, shopping the Gaslight District and riding the Little Traverse Wheelway, with historic Bay View next door.
Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Traverse City
A bayfront city at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, with a walkable Front Street downtown, bay beaches, cherry orchards and two wine peninsulas close by.
Benzie & Sleeping Bear · Small town
Beulah
For an easy Crystal Lake day: Benzie County's small seat has a sandy village beach, a public launch and the Betsie Valley Trail running through.
Benzie & Sleeping Bear · Small town
Glen Arbor
Your base for northern Sleeping Bear Dunes: a small town between Lake Michigan and Glen Lake, about 4 miles from the Dune Climb by trail.
Also with biking nearby
Lakes
Lake · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Boardman Lake
Traverse City's in-town lake, open to all boating but built for a kayak, a cast or a walk around the 4-mile Boardman Lake Loop just south of downtown.
- All-sports
- Public launch
Bay · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Grand Traverse Bay
Traverse City's big water: a Lake Michigan bay with city beaches, five public harbors with slips, fuel at two, sailing, paddling and trout and salmon fishing.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Lake · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Lake Cadillac
Cadillac's in-town, all-sports lake: 1,150 acres and 28 feet deep, a canal to Lake Mitchell, a 7.5-mile path and winter ice fishing for perch and walleye.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Lake · Southern Gateway
Spring Lake
A bayou-lined lake by Grand Haven with marinas, a public beach and a river route to Lake Michigan. Boats 26 feet and up stay no-wake; kayak the coves.
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals