North Western State Trail, Michigan, United States
4.5 (19 reviews) Spent < 1 hour Ranking #19 in Emmet County Biking Trails • Jogging Paths & Tracks
Brand New Trail
Just rode this trail yesterday the 15 miles RT from Petoskey to Alanson. It connects nicely to the Wheelway in Petoskey at the Spring Lake Park with lots of shaded parking, modern restrooms and a bike repair kiosk. Petoskey State Park and downtown Petoskey are nearby. The trail is all asphalt and is flat all the way. There is a cute lending library just outside Petoskey before you get to the lake viewing area. See the attached photo. It goes right by the Oden Fish Hatchery where you can purchase food for 25 cents to feed the trout. There are restrooms and a little gift shop. The tour is great as well. The only thing I did not like was the closeness to 31 just before you get to Alanson. It was pretty noisy and not as scenic as other parts of the trail. Definitely worth a ride.
Address
, Michigan, United States, Postal Code: 49770.
Website
http://www.emmetcounty.org/parks-recreation/parks-throughout-emmet-county/
Current local date and time now
Monday, May 13, 2024, 17:47
User Ratings
4.5 based on (19 reviews)
Reviews
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5Kate S 5:00 PM Jun 7, 2020
Fun in the sun & shade
Flat trail with few intersections, mix of shade and sun. Beware of some soft spots on the crushed limestone along with chipmunk dens that form holes in the trail. Well maintained and sparsely utilized.
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4bill c 5:00 PM Oct 5, 2016
Beautiful, Mixed Surface Trail in Good Condition
We rode the entirety of the trail from Spring Lake to Mackinaw City and back. It is asphalt from Spring Lake to Alanson, crushed limestone until Mackinaw City. I have found surfaces described as “crushed limestone” to range from coarse, gray dust to pea gravel; think of this trail surface as a 75/25 mix of lentils and peas. For most of the non-paved section, the crushed limestone is applied as an ideally thin layer, although it is a little thicker in Alanson and Pellston. Nothing to whine about, but traction is diminished and you’ll pedal just a little bit harder in those areas (until traffic and winter compact the surface). I used 700 x 42 mm tires, my riding companion used 700 x 38 tires. That size range seemed just about right for the non-paved areas. The trail is very close to completely flat and grades are barely perceptible. As of October 2016, the trail is very well-groomed for its entirety. You’ll get views of some nice lakes and ponds at the southern end of the trail. Portions to the north are almost completely tree-lined, even though you are just off the highway. Trail facilities (water, restrooms) are non-existent, but the trail is so close to the highway that there is no problem. Very nice scenery overall. I recommend this trip.
