White Pine Trail State Park

Address: 43.71775,-85.4859
Countie(s) trail is located in: Kent <> Wexford <> Mecosta <> Montmilm <> Osceola
Trail Type(s): Cross Country Skiing <> Hiking <> Road Biking <> Snowmobile <> Inline Skating
Trail Measurement: 92 Miles
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Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park is a 92-mile (148 km) long linear state park in the U.S. state of Michigan.

The trail extends from northern Grand Rapids to Cadillac, and it lies on the path graded for the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. The White Pine Trail is a rail trail park. It was named the “Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park” after a donation by grocery store executive Fred Meijer.

History

As the railroad ceased operation in the mid-1980s, the Michigan Department of Transportation came to own the rail bed. By 1994 the property was transferred to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which began replacing the rails with a trail for public recreational use.

Current Condition

The trail extends from Ann Street in Grand Rapids north to Cadillac. The trail has three paved sections: one extending 22 miles (35 km) between Comstock Park and Sand Lake, another 13-mile (21 km) stretch between Big Rapids and Reed City, and a 16-mile stretch between Leroy and Cadillac. The Michigan DNR paved 7.6 miles (12.2 km) of the trail from Russel Road near Cedar Springs to Sand Lake during the summer of 2007. Unpaved sections of the trail are surfaced with packed gravel or cinders.

Snowmobiles are permitted on most of the trail, between Russell Road (near Cedar Springs) and South Street in Cadillac. Motorized wheel vehicles (other than personal accessibility devices) are not permitted.

Due to reduced public funding for state parks in Michigan, the trail’s upkeep depends largely on volunteers, organized by Friends of the White Pine Trail.

Communities Along Trail

The trail passes through the following communities:

• 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

Waypoints for the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park.

↑ in the Distance, column points to the other waypoint that the distance in between.

Plans

According to the Friends of the White Pine Trail, there are plans to extend the paved areas of the trail. The trail may also be connected to other trail systems in the state, including the Kent Trails system in Grand Rapids and the Musketawa Trail, much as the White Pine Trail already connects with the Pere Marquette State Trail in Reed City.

This linear trail state park is 92 miles long. A 92-mile section is open from Cadillac to Comstock Park. The trail surface is natural ballast and hard-packed gravel, with 13 miles of asphalt pavement from Reed City to Big Rapids and 7 miles of asphalt pavement from just north of Rockford to Belmont.

The DNR currently provides only emergency maintenance services and seeks governmental agencies to operate and maintain its linear park trails.

To Cadillac trailhead: Take US-131 north to the M-115 exit and go northwest for a half mile. Take North 41 Road one mile north to North 44 Road. Go west on North 44 Road approximately a half mile.

To Big Rapids trailhead: Take US-131 to Big Rapids, exit 139. Take M-20 east to Maple Street. Proceed straight for 1/10 mile to the depot staging area; turn south.

To Rogue River Park, Belmont, trailhead: Take US-131 to exit 95 (Post Dr.). Take Post Drive east to Belmont Road. Take Belmont Road 1/4 mile south to Rogue River Park entrance; turn left.

If you have information about this trail please fill out the Add/Edit Trail form.

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References and More Info

• Wikipedia
• Michigan DNR

• Compass Latitude: 43° 43′ 3.9″ N
• Compass Longitude: 85° 29′ 9.24″ W
• Numeric Latitude: 43.71775
• Numeric Longitude: ‘-85.4859
• Elevation in Feet:
• Elevation in Meters:
• Trail Measurement: 92 Miles