Detroit, MI Running Trails and Maps

674 Reviews

Looking for the best Running trails around Detroit?

Find the top rated running trails in Detroit, whether you're looking for an easy short running trail or a long running trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a running trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

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Activities
Length
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Type
49 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Dequindre Cut Greenway

1.8 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Detroit RiverWalk

3.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Concrete

East-West Connector Trail

2.1 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Fieldcrest Pathway

3 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

ITC Corridor Trail (Canton)

2.97 mi
State: MI
Crushed Stone

ITC Corridor Trail (Novi)

4.66 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Boardwalk

Island Lake Trail Connector

0.8 mi
State: MI
Crushed Stone

Kensington Metropark Trail

9.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Lake Erie Metropark Trail

3 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Lohr-Textile Greenway

4.2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Boardwalk

Lower Rouge River Recreation Trail

3 mi
State: MI
Crushed Stone

Macomb Orchard Trail

23.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Concrete

Matthaei Botanical Gardens Trail

2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Michigan Air Line Trail

6.8 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park

38.2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone

Milford Trail

4.2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

North-South Connector Trail

3.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt
Accordion

Paint Creek Trail (MI)

8.9 mi
State: MI
Crushed Stone

Paint Creek to Polly Ann Trail Connector

3.1 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Concrete

Southwest Greenway

0.67 mi
State: MI
Concrete

Stony Creek Metropark Trail

6.2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Trenton Walking Path

2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Wayne County Metroparks Trail

16.3 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

West Bloomfield Trail

6.8 mi
State: MI
Crushed Stone

Border-to-Border Trail

33.13 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone

Bridge to Bay Trail

42.17 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Clinton River Spillway Bike Path

2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Clinton River Trail - Oakland County

16 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Grosse Ile Trail

6.2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Huron Valley Trail

13.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

I-275 Metro Trail

31.7 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Island Lake Pathway

4.3 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Lakes Community Trail

4.4 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Boardwalk

M-5 Metro Trail

2.2 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Metro Parkway Trail

10.7 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Concrete

Polly Ann Trail

36.7 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone

Chelsea Community Wellness Path

1.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Woodchips

Flat Rock Pathway

3.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

I-696 Trail

2.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Concrete

River Raisin Heritage Trail

7.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt, Concrete

Brownstown Township Trail

2.4 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Gale Road Trail

2.3 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Metro Connector Trail

2.5 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Michigan Avenue Connector

1.1 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Platt Road Greenway

2.25 mi
State: MI
Asphalt

Rockwood Pathway

1.6 mi
State: MI
Asphalt
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
Overview The Clinton River Park Trail winds 10.2 miles along the east bank of its namesake river connecting three northern suburbs of Detroit: Shelby Township, Utica, and Sterling Heights. About...
MI 10.2 mi Asphalt
Overview The Dequindre Cut Greenway is a paved path nearly 2 miles long in downtown Detroit. The trail has separate lanes for bicyclists and pedestrians. Entrance ramps for the trail can be found...
MI 1.8 mi Asphalt
Overview Along its 3.5-mile paved route, the RiverWalk offers breathtaking views of the Detroit River and city skyline. About the Route Recreational opportunities abound as the trail links...
MI 3.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The East-West Connector Trail is true to its name, providing an important off-road connection between several trails in the Downriver Linked Greenways network, which enables cyclists and pedestrians...
MI 2.1 mi Asphalt
The Fieldcrest Pathway stretches 3 miles in the Green Oak Township, a suburb of Detroit. The trail follows Fieldcrest Drive from Lee Road south to Silver Lake Road. The paved recreational trail...
MI 3 mi Asphalt
This trail is actually composed of two trails: the 2-mile Rouge River Gateway Greenway and the 17.5-mile Hines Park Trail, which create a seamless 19.5-mile connection between Dearborn and...
MI 19.5 mi Asphalt
Canton's ITC Corridor Trail makes use of a power-line utility corridor, converting this space that previously served as a barrier between neighborhoods into a means of connecting various parts of the...
MI 2.97 mi Crushed Stone
Clocking in at over four and a half miles, the ITC Corridor Trail in Novi is a fantastic recreational asset for the community, providing a paved pathway that connects neighborhoods and recreation...
MI 4.66 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk
The Island Lake Connector Trail allows cyclists, pedestrians, and other residents of Green Oak Township to connect to the Island Lake Recreation Area. The trail sits on a converted railroad bed, and...
MI 0.8 mi Crushed Stone
Overview The Kensington Metropark Trail forms a paved loop around Kent Lake in western Oakland County.  About the Route Kensington Metropark, which features 4,481 acres of hilly terrain...
MI 9.5 mi Asphalt
A popular destination year-round for residents across the Detroit area, the Lake Erie Metropark offers a wide variety of activities and recreation sites across its 1600-plus acres. Nestled along the...
MI 3 mi Asphalt
Lohr-Textile Greenway is an asphalt sidepath stretching more than 4 miles. The path has two segments—one north-south along Lohr Road between West Ellsworth and Textile Roads. The segment continues...
MI 4.2 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk
Overview The Lower Rouge River Recreation Trail closely follows the river for 4 miles through the town of Canton, located between the urban centers of Ann Arbor and Detroit. The compacted crushed...
MI 3 mi Crushed Stone
Overview The automotive industry has the most impact on Macomb County’s economy, but it’s the freshly picked apples and squeezed cider that leave lasting impressions on visitors to the Macomb...
MI 23.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
This trail runs from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens two miles south to Parker Mill Park. It was conceived in response to the need for a safer alternative for non-motorized travelers. Dixboro Road only...
MI 2 mi Asphalt
Overview The Michigan Air Line Trail stretches nearly 7 miles across the communities of Wixom, Walled Lake and Commerce Township in Oakland County. About the Route At its western end, the...
MI 6.8 mi Asphalt
Overview The Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park is a 38-mile trail that runs through forests, fields, and wetlands between the community of Whitmore Lake and the city of Jackson. About the...
MI 38.2 mi Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone
The Milford Trail connects the Village of Milford with the popular Kensington Metropark in Oakland County. The winding trail offers plenty of scenery as it travels through woodlands and...
MI 4.2 mi Asphalt
The aptly-named North-South Connector Trail provides a paved trail connection between the communities of Gibraltar and Trenton, in the area south of Detroit known as the Downriver. Part of a...
MI 3.5 mi Asphalt
An extension of the paved paths that connect the Oakwoods, Willow, and Lower Huron Metroparks, the Oakwoods Metropark to Flat Rock Trail allows you to continue your trail experience into the small...
MI 2 mi Asphalt
Accordion
Overview Even though the Paint Creek Trail is Michigan’s oldest nonmotorized rail-trail, the occasional face-lifts and renovations keep it looking as young as ever. Established in 1983, the...
MI 8.9 mi Crushed Stone
Also known as the Amber's Heart Orion Township Connector Trail, this paved trail provides an important link between the Polly Ann Trail and the Paint Creek Trail (MI). Following Clarkson Road for the...
MI 3.1 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Despite being less than a mile long, the Southwest Greenway provides important community connections to the riverfront and several city parks. Located in southwest Detroit, the greenway follows a...
MI 0.67 mi Concrete
With 4,461 acres of prime recreational lands, this top-rated park's scenic, hilly terrain surrounds beautiful 500-acre Stony Creek Lake. Park features include a nature center, a hike-bike trail,...
MI 6.2 mi Asphalt
A paved path, suitable for walking and cycling, the Trenton Walking Path follows the small but tranquil Frank and Poet Creek through a series of parks and green space that cuts right through the heart...
MI 2 mi Asphalt
You won’t find this trail’s name on the ground: the continuous stretch is actually made up of the scenic trails within Oakwoods Metropark, Willow Metropark and Lower Huron Metropark, as well as a...
MI 16.3 mi Asphalt
Overview The West Bloomfield Trail sails along for nearly 7 miles through a municipality that claims to be one of the wettest in the nation—not from rainfall but from the sheer number of lakes...
MI 6.8 mi Crushed Stone
Overview The Border-to-Border Trail is a work in progress, which when complete, will stretch across Washtenaw County from its border with Livingston County in the northwest to Wayne County in the...
MI 33.13 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone
The Bridge to Bay Trail is a diverse trail system of boardwalks, river walks, rail trails and bike paths that extends along 50+ miles of shoreline across St Clair County, Michigan. Heading north, the...
MI 42.17 mi Asphalt
The Clinton River Spillway Trail passes through a mostly wooded corridor above and parallel to the spillway between Velger Boat Harbor on Lake St. Clair and Shady Side Park in Mt. Clemens. At the east...
MI 2 mi Asphalt
The Clinton River Trail is a 16-mile recreational trail on an abandoned rail line through the heart of Oakland County, including the cities of Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills and...
MI 16 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Grosse Ile Trail is a smooth, paved route running nearly the entire north–south length of Grosse Ile, which rests in the Detroit River between mainland Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The trail...
MI 6.2 mi Asphalt
Overview Paved and mostly flat, the 13.5-mile Huron Valley Trail links several suburban communities, parks, and a large recreation area while providing connections to a growing network of...
MI 13.5 mi Asphalt
The I-275 Metro Trail began back in the 1970s as the Michigan Department of Transportation's response to the then-fuel crisis. The original trail linked Wayne, Oakland and Monroe counties along a...
MI 31.7 mi Asphalt
The Island Lake Pathway runs east–west through the densely-wooded landscape of the Island Lake Recreation Area southeast of Brighton. Although relatively short, the paved trail may prove a challenge...
MI 4.3 mi Asphalt
The Lakes Community Trail is a multi-use pathway in southwest Oakland County. The walking-and-biking path stretches four miles and links to parks within four adjacent communities; the City of Wixom,...
MI 4.4 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk
The M-5 Metro Trail runs for 2 miles between Commerce Township and the city of Novi in southeastern Michigan. The paved trail parallels the west side of its namesake roadway (also known as the...
MI 2.2 mi Asphalt
The Metro Parkway Trail—also known as the Freedom Trail—parallels the busy Metropolitan Parkway (16 Mile Road) through urban Macomb County. You'll find many street crossings throughout a mix of...
MI 10.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Overview The Polly Ann Trail is a 36.7-mile long, non-motorized trail extending north from suburban Detroit on a former Pontiac, Oxford & Northern Railroad corridor. The trail is managed separately...
MI 36.7 mi Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone
The Chelsea Community Wellness Path weaves through a large campus home to many of Chelsea’s amenities. Although the total length of the trail is less than 2 miles, it is divided into three separate...
MI 1.5 mi Asphalt, Woodchips
The Flat Rock Pathway is a paved asphalt path in the small, industrial community of Flat Rock, located on the banks of the Huron River not far from where it empties into Lake Erie. Part of the...
MI 3.5 mi Asphalt
Located atop Interstate 696 as it cuts through the Detroit suburbs of Oak Park and Southfield are the three parks. Back in the 1980s, the Orthodox Jewish community opposed the construction of this...
MI 2.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Running from the city of Monroe's popular Munson Park, through the city's charming historic downtown, and out to Sterling State Park - one of the most-frequented of Michigan's state parks - the River...
MI 7.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Providing nearly two and a half miles of paved trail through a mixture of suburban and industrial land, the Brownstown Township Trail may not be much of a destination trail, but it is a great resource...
MI 2.4 mi Asphalt
This unassuming recreational path in Goodrich, Genesee County is actually a part of the Iron Belle Trail, Michigan's state-spanning multiuse trail system. The Gale Road Trail starts near Perry Road...
MI 2.3 mi Asphalt
The Metro Connector Trail works as its name suggests, closing the gap between two local favorites in Novi: the M-5 Metro Trail and the I-275 Metro Trail. The trail begins on 13 Mile Road and then...
MI 2.5 mi Asphalt
A shared-use path parallels Michigan Avenue between Warner Road and Platt Road. The path connects to local government offices, the Pittsfield Township Farmer's Market as well as Prairie Park. It also...
MI 1.1 mi Asphalt
The Platt Road Trail is located on the east side of Platt Road and connects users to Lillie Park, where they can relax by the pond, picnic in a pavilion or take a stroll along its woodchip and...
MI 2.25 mi Asphalt
Stretching from the small riverside community of Rockwood to the East-West Connector Trail north of the city, the Rockwood Pathway provides a great way for cyclists and pedestrians to get around town...
MI 1.6 mi Asphalt

Recent Trail Reviews

Paint Creek Trail (MI)

Great trail

September, 2024 by lrcb40

I used to ride this trail back in 1996 and have returned to cycling at 70! On my new cf Trek FX4 this is a great ride. Next time, I’ll spend some time in Lake Orion and maybe get lunch at one of the bar/restaurants in Rochester!

Huron Valley Trail

Well-paved

September, 2024 by mlasp32

Would give it a 3 1/2 stars. It’s flat, well-paved, clearly marked. Drawbacks - it runs along several roadways; many you have to drive over ( well-marked crossings). So the noise is there. But there were some really lovely spots that almost gave you the feel of Up North. We stopped at Applebees for lunch which was not too far off trail. Would like to ride it next time to Milford. We road it on a Friday so maybe weekend ride would be a more peaceful.

Lake Erie Metropark Trail

Trail surface is rough

August, 2024 by chaspenny

My wife and I have been riding this trail for a few years. Previous to this year the path was a great ride with only a few root bumps on the path. we rode this path last week and it is bad as many of the bumps are fully across the path and unavoidable. At 7 miles per hour on hybrid bikes our wrists and bottoms were sore when we finished. Hopefully it will receive some much needed TLC because it is a great park to ride.

Accordion

Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park

I love this trail

August, 2024 by valkay09

So well maintained! Even not paved portions are excellent. The trail is beautiful, it offers a lot of shade, and has great trail heads with dining options along the way. There was plenty of restrooms too.

Paint Creek Trail (MI)

Paint Creek Trail

August, 2024 by khamel2_tl

This is my favorite trail ever to ride! We drive to downtown Rochester and get on it by the park. A little crowded to start - bikers and walkers share - but then thins out the further you ride. It is a slight uphill in this direction to Lake Orion but then all downhill when you turn around. There is a cider mill you can stop at, little free libraries (2), and multiple benches you can rest on if needed. Surface is crushed stone and well kept up. This trail is a must ride!

Clinton River Trail - Oakland County

Portion of trail is CLOSED.

August, 2024 by 2022lukew

Bloomer park to beginning of Macomb, Orchard Trail, completely washed out and closed. google for details. still a great trail regardless.

Kensington Metropark Trail

There’s Everything!!!

August, 2024 by bears64

I wish I could give it 20 stars!! This beautiful park has summer and winter sports, gorgeous scenery year around. I encourage everyone to come and enjoy, even if aren’t able to walk, take a drive, have a picnic. You can sit and read, lay in a hammock, walk, run, bike, fish, play on a beach, walk through wooded areas and paved trails. There’s a nature center, a farm area, horse back riding, golf, canoeing, kayaking, boating, water park, beaches, picnic shelters and bathrooms everywhere, there is so many. A golf course, disc golf? ( not sure if that’s what it’s called!! I can’t list it all but I can say i absolutely find solace, peace and happiness here!!!!

Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park

One of the best rides this summer!!!

August, 2024 by loraleecanfield

Wanting to ride only on the paved section, we hopped on in Hamburg and headed toward Pinckney. There is plenty of parking for the trail just kitty-corner from the Hamburg Pub. There is a lot of intermittent shade which helped on this 86 degree day. The trail is extremely well- maintained and we were on the paved section for about 8 1/2 miles till we started going through Pinckney. Then it turned to gravel so we turned around and headed back. We planned to eat at the Hamburg Pub but the Trump 2024 lawn sign at the pub was a turn-off so we instead headed a couple miles down the road to Zukey Lake Tavern. It was beautiful up on the deck. The food was OK and the cold draft beer was perfect.

Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park

The longest Connected Trail I've ridden in Michigan

July, 2024 by joelbradley93

The longest single connected trail I've ridden in Michigan so far. If you ride it all the way from Jackson to Brighton it's about 40 miles, but there's plenty of places to stop by in-between that show up about every 6 miles. Gregory is about halfway through and offers some good food options for anyone looking to make the full trek.

The trail from Hamburg MI going into Brighton is completely paved and beautiful. Everything from Hamburg going into Jackson is unpaved crushed limestone, and while there's beautiful wildlife around every corner the path can wear you out do the crushed limestone path. Still gives you a beautiful look at different Michigan biomes along the way and is in the middle of nature and away from the busy cityscape for most of the ride.

Paint Creek Trail (MI)

I live in Lake Orion and ride this trail often. It is well maintained and very scenic.It does get a little crowded on the weekend. La pumas is a get stop to power for the ride back to Lake Orion.

July, 2024 by jimhege522

I live in Lake Orion and ride this trail often. It is well maintained and very scenic.It does get a little crowded on the weekend. La pumas is a get stop to power for the ride back to Lake Orion.

Polly Ann Trail

I ride the trail often. I live in Lake Orion and ride it through Leonard to the Oakland Lapeer County line. It is well maintained and is very scenic. I will see lots of wildlife.

July, 2024 by jimhege522

I ride the trail often. I live in Lake Orion and ride it through Leonard to the Oakland Lapeer County line. It is well maintained and is very scenic. I will see lots of wildlife.

Macomb Orchard Trail

Very scenic paved trail. Well maintained

July, 2024 by jimhege522

Very scenic paved trail. Well maintained

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