29 Best Hiking Trails in Metro Detroit
No matter what the weather is like outside, one of my favorite things to do is get outside and take a hike. I find that there is something refreshing and rejuvenating about hitting the trails for a hike. From riverfront trails to wooded trails, Metro Detroit is home to a vast array of day hiking trails. For those of you who like to get out, see nature and get some exercise all at the same time these trails these hikes and trails are sure to rejuvenate both your body and soul.
I have organized this list of hiking trails around Metro Detroit in alphabetical order by city. Have fun exploring, and remember there is no bad weather for hiking in Michigan – winter hikes are actually my favorite and are just as beautiful as spring, summer and fall! Some of these parks are free, others require special passes or a Michigan Recreational Passport.
Whether you’re super outdoorsy or a casual hiker looking to stretch your legs, you’re sure to find a trail in Southeast Michigan that meets your hiking needs. I encourage you to get out and try someplace new. Happy hiking!
Ann Arbor
Bird Hills Trail (4.8 miles)
Newport Rd and Bird Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Location notes: paved and natural trail
Free
Nichols Arboretum (2.6 miles)
1610 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Location notes: natural trail
Pro tip: Visit during peony season
Free – may need to pay for parking
Ann Arbor Ramble Trail
Gallup Park Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105(5.9 miles)
Location notes: paved and natural trail
1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
FREE. May need to pay for parking.
Location notes: paved and natural trail
Brighton
Brighton State Recreation Area (39 miles of trails)
6360 Chilson Rd, Howell, MI 48843
Michigan Recreation Passport required
Location notes: paved and natural trail
Island Lake State Recreation Area (6 miles)
6301 Kensington Rd, Brighton, MI 48116
Michigan Recreation Passport required.
Location notes: paved and natural trail
Huron Meadows Metropark Trail (11 miles)
8765 Hammel Road, Brighton, MI 48116
Metro Park Pass required
Location notes: natural trail, restrooms
Island Lake Trail (4 miles)
6301 Kensington Rd, Brighton MI, 48116
Location notes: paved trail
Detroit
Belle Isle Park (5.4 miles)
Michigan Recreation Passport required.
Location notes: paved trail
Dequindre Cut (2 miles)
1799 Wilkins St, Detroit, MI 48207
Free
Location notes: paved trail
Detroit Riverwalk (3.5 miles)
1801 Atwater St, Detroit, MI 48207
Location notes: paved trail
Farmington Hills
Heritage Park (5 miles)
24915 Farmington Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48336
Free
Location notes: paved and natural trails
Fenton
Deerfield Hills Nature Area (5 miles)
6519 Cohoctah Rd, Fenton, MI 48430
Free
Grand Ledge
The Ledges of Grand Ledge (3.7 miles)
100 Fitzgerald Park Dr, Grand Ledge, MI 48837
Vehicle pass may be required during certain times
Location notes: natural trails
Harrison Township
Lake St. Clair Metropark Trail (3 miles)
31300 Metro Parkway, Harrison Township MI 48045
Location notes: Paved, restrooms, Metropark has a nature center.
Highland
Highland State Recreation Area (2-7 mile trails)
5200 Highland Rd, White Lake Charter Township, MI 48383
Michigan Recreation Passport required
Location notes: paved and natural trails
Holly
Holly State Recreation Area (6 miles)
Michigan Recreation Passport required.
Location notes: paved and natural trails
Howell
Penosha Trail (5 miles)
6360 Chilson Rd, Howell, MI 48843
Location notes: nature trail, restrooms
Lake Orion
Bald Mountain State Recreation
1330 E Greenshield Rd, Orion Charter Township, MI 48360
Michigan Recreation passport required
Location notes: paved and natural trails.
Polly Ann Trail (14.2 miles)
1335 Joslyn Rd, Lake Orion, MI 48360
Free
Location notes: paved and natural trails
Milford
Kensington Metropark Trail (8.5 miles)
4570 Huron River Parkway, Milford, MI 48380
Huron-Clinton Metroparks Pass
Location notes: paved trails
New Boston
Oakwood (15 miles)
32911 Willow Road, New Boston, MI 48164
Huron-Clinton Metroparks Pass
Location notes: paved and natural trails
Northville
Bennett Arboretum (2 miles)
44155 Deep Hollow Cir, Northville, MI 48168
Free
Location notes: nature trail
Maybury State Park Trail (6 miles)
20145 Beck Road, Northville MI, 48167
Michigan Recreation Passport required
Location notes: nature trail
Rochester
Paint Creek Trail (8.9 miles)
400 Sixth Street, Rochester, Michigan, 48307 + multiple locations to hop on
Free
Location notes: surfaced with crushed limestone, Paint Creek Cider Mill is accessible halfway through the trail.
Clinton River Trail (16 miles)
Multiple locations to hop on
Free
Location notes: paved and natural surface
Macomb Orchard Trail (23 miles)
52999 Dequindre Rd, Rochester, MI 48307 + multiple locations to hop on
Free
Location Notes: paved
Shelby Township
Stony Creek Metropark Trail (6 miles)
4300 Main Park Road, Shelby Township, MI 48316
Huron-Clinton Metroparks pass required
Location notes: paved and natural trail (multiple routes), restrooms, Metropark has a nature center.
Waterford
Pontiac Lake Recreation Trail (8.8 miles)
7800 Gale Road, Waterford MI, 48327
Location notes: nature trail
12 Ways to Stay Entertained and Embrace Social Distancing
In light of the COVID-19 updates and social distancing\’s role in slowing the spread of the virus, introverts are excited, while us extroverts are less than thrilled. However, if we want this virus to slow down and those who are at high risk to have a fighting chance we need to participate in social distancing. I personally had a lot of events planned in March and April, and everything has been canceled. With that being said I am trying to find creative ways to keep myself sane while participating in social distancing. Here are some things I have come up with, please feel free to add onto the list in the comments or reach out to me via email.
Social distancing activities–things to do while you’re stuck at home
1. Spend time with your pet(s)
Jack is about to get extra spoiled with kisses, cuddles and me working from home until further notice. Pets are there for you to love, and make you feel loved. Take advantage of social distancing and give your furbaby some extra loving.
2. Workout
You don\’t need to go to the gym to workout, you can simply do it from the comfort of your own home. BeachBody and Tone It Up App are both offering FREE workouts for two weeks. If you\’re looking for something a little more personalized and tailored to your needs I highly recommend talking to one of my personal favorite trainers Anthony Warhurst. Anthony is one of the trainers at the gym I go to and is extremely kind, understanding and helpful. Check out his website Everybody Health and Fitness, and reach out to Anthony. He wants to make sure you\’re living your best and healthiest life during this time and will work with you to build a workout plan that fits your needs as well as your current situation and help guide you with nutrition.
3. Outside
Everything might be closed right now, but outside is always open. Go for a walk, bike ride, rollerblade or hike. Get outside and get fresh air, we could all use some more vitamin D in our lives.
4. Virtual tours
Do you wish you were on vacation right now? Why not take a virtual tour of museums around the world. Travel & Leisure just shared a list of 12 amazing museums you can take a virtual walkthrough of. First up on my list, Musée d\’Orsay in Paris, France.
5. Organize
Nothing to do? I am sure you can rearrange your closet, cabinets, pantry and other areas of your home.
6. DIY
Now is the perfect opportunity to work on those DIY projects that you never seem to have time for. Plus crafting is a fun way to put your hands to use instead of scrolling through social channels. I plan to start knitting and crocheting again.
7. Bake or Cook
Most of us always having baking ingredients laying around – obviously not in a food hoarding way, but in the I never know when I might want some cookies way. I don\’t know about you, but I am one of those people that bakes when she is stressed out. Since I am not wanting to go to stores right now, (and lets face it what do they actually have left?) I am getting more creative in the kitchen. Use FridgeToTable to help you come up with recipes using whatever you can find around your house.
8. Read
Don\’t get bogged down with the news, find a good book and let it be an escape for you from the everyday chaos going on. With plenty of online book options, you don\’t need to venture out to the bookstores to get a good book.
9. Libby
Connect your library card with this app and get access to your local library\’s audiobook and e-book selections.
10. Meditate
There is no better time than now to get your meditation on. Meditating is a great way to regain control over your mind and body, and it\’s only a 10-minute commitment a day when you use Headspace.
11. Learn a new language
Have you always wanted to learn a new language? Or maybe there’s a vacation you want to go on and want to know the basics of the language they speak. Duolingo offers a free service that will teach you the basics of any language. I am going to brush up on my French.
12. Plan a trip
Eventually, the uncertainty of Covid-19 will calm down, and travel will return. Why not spend some time planning your future dream vacation? I am currently planning out a road trip out west (hello mountains), a trip to Banff and one to Iceland.
Five Things: Friday the 13th Edition
There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. Schools are shutting down until further notice and Michigan released that any gathering of more than 200 people needs to be canceled. I went from having an absolutely packed schedule for March and April to a wide-open schedule in a matter of hours. I saw Dermot Kennedy at the Fillmore on Wednesday, and at the time little did I know that this would be the last event that I would be seeing for who knows all the time. While we all sit and wonder what will happen next, I thought I would share what I have been up to for the past week. From taking an Easter picture to a broadway show and trying out macarons this past week has been jam-packed with plenty of fun.
Five Things
Happy Friday the 13th! This has been the craziest week ever, not just in the number of events, but as of yesterday, everything is canceled. Let’s backtrack a little first.
FridayJackie and I headed to the Detroit Music Hall to catch the Naked Magician and let me tell you the show is absolutely hilarious, and I highly recommend checking it out. The Naked Magician makes for the perfect girls’ night out. After the show, we walked down the street and grabbed dinner at the Basement Burger Bar – which was delicious.
Sunday
Typically Jordan and I go grab food on the weekend so we headed to downtown Detroit to get some vegan food at The Old Shillelagh located in Greektown. We split a bunch of food and it was absolutely delicious. You can check out everything we ate here. We also stopped at For The Love of Sugar to get some dessert before we left Detroit. Jordan got some vegan cakes and of course, I had to try their macarons.
Monday
On Monday, my parents gave me an early birthday gift… a SHINOLA watch! I was so excited!
Tuesday
My dad and I headed to the Fisher Theater located in downtown Detroit to check out the Broadway show Fiddler on the Roof. Back in the day when my dad was in high school, he played the bartender in Fiddler on the Roof so he was super excited to attend the show. I have never seen it before, but someone managed to know all the songs, thanks dad haha.
Wednesday
Another trip to Detroit. This time to the Filmore for the Dermot Kennedy concert with Jordan. The show was amazing. If you haven’t heard of Dermot Kennedy before, I highly recommend checking out his music.
Thursday
Thursday arrived and things changed quickly. Everything was suddenly canceled. No more shows, concerts, sporting events, school…etc. Everything just kind of froze in time.
Bathroom Remodel Hacks
Is your bathtub an embarrassing part of your home? If so there\’s plenty of things you can do to upgrade it on a budget, and ripping out the tub isn’t one of them. Ripping out the entire tub and starting over means ripping out the flooring that surrounds it, which leads to more money gone. One of the simplest updates is getting a liner for it. Custom tub liners require exact measurements and can be a little more expensive than those liners that are pre-made and typically run less than $200 at Home Depot.
Pro Tip: If you have two bathrooms, give the second a Kohler Luxstone Shower upgrade. I am OBSESSED!Open up space
This super simple hack does not require you to move any walls but will make your bathroom feel larger than it is. Get rid of that shower curtain! Open or closed, the shower curtain adds a divide to a small space. Instead of a shower curtain go for modern glass sliding doors. Not only will it make the bathroom look bigger, but it will add a fresh new look.
Out with the old in with the new
If your bathroom has a vanity, I have a simple and easy hack for you. Most vanities involve a sink, and while you think this is about to get complicated it’s not – also if it’s not something you can do a handyman or plumber could easily help you. Shop around for a new vanity, once you have one disconnect the water supply or have a professional do it. Take out the old vanity and replace it with the new one. Your bathroom just got updated! You can also buy new hardware for the sink to give it an instant upgrade.
Cleanup after the remodel
A clean bathroom has a lot to do with it looking it’s best. Once your bathroom remodels is done, be sure to give the bathroom a good scrubbing. A clean bathroom makes a world of a difference. Also considering a fresh coat of paint to give the bathroom a whole new look. A couple coats of new paint color can transform your bathroom. Adding new rugs, towels and accessories will also change the aesthetic of the room. Reduce clutter, by putting toiletries away instead of leaving them out. Add storage where it is necessary to keep things clutter-free.
Fashion meets Food 