Grand Rapids Area Trails

Hike, bike, walk, run, jog, rollerblade, skateboard, cross-country ski, snowshoe and more on 60+ multi-use trails in and around Grand Rapids and Kent County. We have paved and natural-surface trails, trails built for mountain biking, trails groomed for winter fatbiking, trails that accommodate wheelchairs and adaptive bikes, trails that welcome dogs and trails open to horseback riders. There are trails shorter than one mile and trails longer than 90 miles. There’s even a segment of the 4,800-mile North Country National Scenic Trail.

You’ll see some amazing scenery on your journey: our trails wind along lakes and rivers, through forests and meadows, across parks and nature preserves, over highways and under city bridges. We also have 100+ miles of water trails dotted with canoe and kayak launches, so you can see the landscape from a different perspective.

All of our trails are just minutes from the big-city excitement of downtown Grand Rapids. Spend your days on the trail and your nights on the town!  

Grand Rapids Trails

Grand Rapids has a robust network of paved and natural-surface non-motorized trails running through 19 (and counting) different parks around the city. Many of these trails are connected together through bike lanes, sidewalks and streets in a network informally  known as the “Grand Loop.” The Grand Loop takes users past cultural institutions, restaurants, breweries and the Grand River for a uniquely Grand Rapids experienced.

Additional City trails of note include:

• Grand River Edges Trail, which runs in loops on the east and west banks of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids.
• Blandford Nature Center, featuring 8+ miles of forested and meadowed trails 10 minutes from downtown, and the Calvin Ecosystem Preserve & Native Gardens, offering over a mile of trails lined with native flora and fauna. Both are walking trails only.
• Ken-O-Sha Trail, Richmond Park and The Underground Loop, multi-use trails optimized for mountain biking.
• Indian Trails, a golf course with winter trails for fatbiking, snowshoeing and fatbiking.

Kent County Trails

Kent County Parks manages more than 100 miles of trails ranging from simple hiking paths to regional trails stretching between parks and communities. Millennium Park, one of the nation’s largest urban parks, features 18 miles of paved trails through a variety of forests, meadows, wetlands and waterfronts, just five minutes from downtown GR. Kent Trails is a 15-mike paved path that travels through Millennium Park on its way from John Ball Zoo to GR’s southwest suburbs. Luton Park, Provin Trails Park and Seidman Park are among the local destinations offering natural-surface trails through scenic terrain. Cooper Creek Park/Spencer Forest has a network of equestrian trails through pine stands, deciduous forests and fields.

Other County trails of note:

• Fred Meijer M-6 Trail, which stretches across southern Kent County, linking Kent Trails in the west to the Paul Henry Thornapple Trail in the east.
• Fred Meijer Pioneer Trail, which links the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail, Michigan’s second-longest rail-to-trail route, to the Musketawa Trail leading to the lakeshore community of Muskegon.
• Paul Henry Thornapple Trail, a work in progress that will eventually span 42 miles through three counties.

Kent County communities outside Grand Rapids – including Ada, Byron Center, Cedar Springs, Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Lowell, Kentwood, Rockford and Wyoming – also boast a variety of trails. Click on the links to explore outdoor adventures in each city.

Long-Distance Trails

There are plenty of places to hike and bike the day – or several days – away, beginning with the paved Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park. Stretching 92 miles from Comstock Park north to Cadillac, MI, it traverses 15 towns and cities as well as rural farmland, offering scenic overlooks, picnic areas and abundant wildlife viewing opportunities along the way. The Grand River Greenway is a work in progress that is connecting parks and trails along the Grand River in an 80+-mile stretch from downtown GR west to Lake Michigan and east to neighboring Ionia County. The Dragon Trail is a 45-mile multi-use trail beloved by mountain bikers, roughly 45 minutes from Grand Rapids. Just five minutes from downtown GR, Millennium Park offers 18 miles of trails and Kent Trails is a 15-mile trail network.

Twenty minutes from Grand Rapids, you’ll find the Lowell trailhead for the North Country National Scenic Trail, a 4,800-mile route that extends from North Dakota to Vermont. Lowell is home to the North Country Trail Association Headquarters along with an 8-mile segment of the trail – part of Michigan’s nearly 1,200-mile portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail. 

Mountain Biking Trails

The West Michigan Mountain Biking Alliance (WMMBA) maintains 16 different mountain-bike trail systems covering more than 120 trails miles. A 17^th trail is coming to Johnson Park in summer 2026, with 8 miles of professionally installed trails that include segments optimized for adaptive bike users. Check out for more on local mountain biking.

Fatbiking Trails

The West Michigan Mountain Biking Alliance (WMMBA) grooms 16 – soon to be 17 – local trails for winter fatbiking (or fat tire biking, if you prefer). Cannonsburg Ski Area and Indian Trails Golf Course also offer groomed routes. There are a number of ungroomed trails ideal for winter adventure, as well. Check out for more on fatbiking.

Water Trails

A water trail is any route along a river, lake, or bay that is specifically designed for the use of small boats such as kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. The Lower Grand River Water Trail, an official State of Michigan Water Trail, flows 96 miles from Portland, MI (44 miles east of GR) to Grand Haven (on the shores of Lake Michigan). There are numerous public access points along the route, including an accessible kayak launch in GR’s Riverside Park, which makes it easier for people of all abilities to safely and independently enter and exit watercraft. Another universal kayak launch opens in downtown GR’s Canal Street Park in summer 2026.

The Grand River Greenway is an in-progress project to connect existing land and water trails along the Grand River. When finished, the Greenway Water Trail will run through downtown GR on its way west to Lake Michigan and east to neighboring Ionia County – a span of more than 80 miles.

Snowmobile

There are two snowmobile trailheads with designated parking in Kent County. Be sure to purchase a snowmobile trail permit before you head out. Consult the interactive map of DNR-designated snowmobile trails for routes throughout Michigan.

Search Area Trails

Our trail search (below) makes it easy to find a trail that suits your preferences. Locate a trail near you by clicking on your desired Region. Click on the Narrow Your Search criteria to define the kind of trail you’re looking for.

Thank You for Practicing Good Trail Etiquette

Knowing how to share trails with other users and protect trail environments from damage helps ensure a safe, enjoyable and sustainable experience for all. Check the Michigan DNR Courtesy on the Trail guidelines before you venture out. Explore more trails with the Michigan DNR.