Michigan Now Has The Third Longest Paved Trail In The USA

As someone whose family was big fans of going for group bike rides, living on the M-6 Bike trail in Kent County has been great. The 9-mile trail is paved, mostly shaded, and alternates between hills and flat terrain. It's always a pleasant ride.

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However, this trail pales in comparison to the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail, a 92-mile route that stretches from Comstock Park to Cadillac. While few people will ever traverse the entire trail in one trip, let alone make the entire 184-mile round trip, a project to pave the whole trail was recently completed, making this trail one of the most impressive and longest in the country.

White Pine Trail's Fresh Pavement

While the State Line Trail is the longest in Michigan, at 107.1 miles, it is not paved. This can be a deterrent for some people, which is why an initiative started over 20 years ago by the Friends of the White Pine Trail to pave the long trail has received continued support over the years. The lofty goal was achieved in July, making this trail the longest paved road in Michigan and the third-longest paved trail in the United States.

READ MORE: The 36-Mile Trail Connecting Grand Rapids to Grand Haven

The title of the longest trail in the United States belongs to the Katy Trail in Missouri, at 238.7 miles. The longest paved trails are the Paul Bunyan Trail (112 miles), the Chief Ladiga and Silver Comet (94.5 miles), and now, with the completion of the trail, Michigan's very own White Pine Trail is the third longest paved trail in the entire country.

Michigan having a trail in the top 10 longest trails and the top 3 longest paved trails is a pretty impressive feat, but one that makes sense for a state that embraces the outdoors is so core to the Michigan experience.