Van Buren Trail State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Van Buren Trail State Park |
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|---|---|
| Length | 14 miles (23 km) |
| Location | Lower Peninsula, Van Buren County, Michigan |
| Established | 1994 |
| Designation | Michigan state park |
| Trailheads | South Haven (42°24′07″N 86°16′33″W / 42.40191095°N 86.27582721°W) Hartford (42°12′41″N 86°10′16″W / 42.211410°N 86.171065°W) |
| Use | Hiking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Season | All |
| Sights | Farmland, blueberry fields, wooded areas. |
| Surface | Dirt and gravel |
| Maintained by | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Van Buren Trail State Park |
Van Buren Trail State Park, also known as Trail State Park, is an unimproved rail trail running along a former railroad right-of-way between Hartford, Michigan to South Haven, Michigan in Van Buren County. It is 14 miles (23 km) long and mostly used by horse trail riders in the summer and snowmobilers in the winter. Terrain is flat with farmland and trees.
In 2004, Van Buren County took over operation of the state-owned trail after state budget problems. There is a trail pass system to pay for maintenance.
In 2015, The Michigan Department of Natural Resources paved the 4.5-mile stretch which connects Van Buren State Park to the South Haven Trail system The pavement is a 10-foot-wide asphalt surface. South Haven maintains the marked route that connects to a downtown trailhead, city businesses, beaches and Kal-Haven Trail State Park.
Its northern terminus is South Haven near Lake Michigan. The Kal-Haven Trail starts in South Haven northeast of downtown. The trail pass is valid for both trails.
