Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park |
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 Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Lower Peninsula, Kent County, Mecosta County, Montcalm County, Osceola County, Wexford County, Michigan USA |
| Nearest city | Big Rapids, Michigan |
| Governing body |
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
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| Length | 92 mi (148 km) |
| Trailheads | Comstock Park, Michigan Cadillac, Michigan |
| Use | Cycling, Hiking, Snow-mobiling, XC skiing |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Season | All |
| Website | Official site: http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=508&type=SPRK |
The Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park is a super long park in Michigan, USA. It stretches for about 92-mile (148 km), which is like riding your bike for hours! This special park is called a "linear park" because it's a long, narrow strip of land. It's also a "rail trail," meaning it used to be a railroad track.
The trail goes all the way from northern Grand Rapids up to Cadillac. It follows the old path of the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. The park was named after Fred Meijer, who helped make it happen with a generous donation.
Contents
Trail History
From Railroad to Park
The railroad stopped using this path in the mid-1980s. After that, the land became owned by the Michigan Department of Transportation. But by 1994, the property was given to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR then started turning the old railroad tracks into a fun trail for everyone to enjoy.
Exploring the Trail
What the Trail is Like Now
The Fred Meijer White Pine Trail starts in Grand Rapids and goes north to Cadillac. Parts of the trail are paved, which is great for biking or rollerblading. There's a paved section of about 22 miles (35 km) between Comstock Park and Sand Lake. Another paved part is 13-mile (21 km) long, connecting Big Rapids and Reed City. Plus, there's a 16-mile paved stretch between Leroy and Cadillac.
In 2007, the Michigan DNR paved another 7.6 miles (12.2 km) of the trail near Cedar Springs. The parts of the trail that aren't paved are usually covered with packed gravel or cinders.
Activities on the Trail
You can do many things on the White Pine Trail! It's perfect for cycling and hiking. In the winter, you can even go snow-mobiling on most of the trail, from Russell Road near Cedar Springs up to Cadillac. You can also enjoy cross-country skiing. Just remember, regular motorized vehicles (like cars or motorcycles) are not allowed, except for special devices that help people with disabilities.
Keeping the Trail Great
Keeping a long park like this in good shape takes a lot of work! Because there isn't as much government money for state parks in Michigan, volunteers play a huge role. Groups like the Friends of the White Pine Trail help take care of the trail. They organize clean-ups and other projects to make sure everyone can keep enjoying it. You can learn more about them at their website.
Towns Along the Trail
The trail passes through many different towns and communities. It's a great way to see different parts of Michigan! Here are some of the places you'll go through:
- Comstock Park, Michigan
- Belmont, Michigan
- Rockford, Michigan
- Cedar Springs, Michigan
- Sand Lake, Michigan
- Pierson, Michigan
- Howard City, Michigan
- Morley, Michigan
- Stanwood, Michigan
- Big Rapids, Michigan
- Paris, Michigan
- Reed City, Michigan
- Ashton, Michigan
- Le Roy, Michigan
- Tustin, Michigan
- Cadillac, Michigan
Future Plans
Connecting More Trails
The Friends of the White Pine Trail have exciting plans for the future! They want to pave even more parts of the trail. There are also plans to connect the White Pine Trail to other trail systems in Michigan. For example, it's already connected to the Pere Marquette State Trail in Reed City. They hope to connect it to the Kent Trails system in Grand Rapids and the Musketawa Trail too. This would create a huge network of trails for people to explore!
