Connections > Trail Information
Your Trail Adventure Begins in Reed City, Crossroads of the White Pine and Pere Marquette Trails.
Two major highways intersect at Reed City: US-131 which runs north and south, and US-10 which runs east and west. Before the highways were built, Reed City was the crossroads for two railroad lines that bisected Michigan. The Pere Marquette Pennsylvania Central Railroad ran from Ludington to Midland, while the Grand Rapids and Indiana (GR&I) Railroad ran from Rockford to Cadillac. Those railroads transported supplies to the thriving logging industry that existed throughout mid-Michigan during the eighteen and nineteen hundreds.
Today, Reed City is at the Rails-to-Trails crossroads with the intersection of two popular rail-trails: The White Pine Trail and the Pere Marquette Trail, constructed along the original paths of the old north-south and east-west railroad lines. The trails intersect at the Depot, a reconstructed replica of Reed City's historic downtown railroad depot.
The White Pine Trail is the longest rail trail system in the state, connecting the 92 miles between Grand Rapids and Cadillac. The White Pine Trail is one of the Top 100 Rails-to-Trails in the US as determined by the national Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Paved surfaces consist of Grand Rapids north to Howard City (28 miles) and Big Rapids north to Cadillac (42 miles). The Pere Marquette State Trail is 55 miles long through the Clare, Lake, and Osceola counties. Paved surfaces of the Pere Marquette State Trail consist of Reed City east to Farwell (38 miles). Reed City serves as the rail trail capitol of Michigan. Whether you're driving, walking, running, biking, or even snowmobiling, Reed City is your crossroads destination!
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway into a multi-use path, typically for walking and cycling. Although both the White Pine and Pere Marquette are not entirely paved, plans are in the works to both pave and expand these rail trail systems.
For outdoor and camping lovers, Reed City hosts both local and surrounding parks in scenic locations. We also have many rivers, lakes, and streams to fish, canoe, kayak, tube, and swim. Reed City maintains three beautiful parks: Rambadt, Westerburg, and the Linear, which is the trail alongside the Hersey River that connects Rambadt and Westerburg. These parks offer a variety of recreational opportunities to both residents and tourists of the City and surrounding communities.
Rambadt Park offers a nature trail through the surrounding wooded area to the Old Rugged Cross Historical Museum. This park also offers 12 campsites, restrooms and showers, a playground area, horseshoe area, as well as band and picnic pavilions. Westerburg Park is home to baseball/softball diamonds, the Rotary Picnic Pavilion, an obstacle course, a playground area, as well as tennis, volleyball, and shuffleboard courts. This park is just a few steps away from the Pere Marquette Trail. Linear Park memorial walkway runs along the river and links Rambadt Park to Westerburg Park. There is an open-air gazebo and seating, as well as the Little Mac Bridge and a tribute to the Boy Scouts.
227 East Lincoln - Map
Reed City, Michigan 49677
Phone (231) 832-2245