A1 Trails
Rail Trails in Michigan

Hart-Montague Trail State Park

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Trail description: 25-mile paved trail runs from Hart south to Montague and Whitehall.
Access fee: None (2004)
Towns along the trail: Hart, Mears, Shelby, Rothbury, Montague, Whitehall
Web site: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Trail map: Available from the park and on the DNR website
Trail surface: Paved
Designated activities: Bicycling, walking, cross-country skiing
Facilities on the trail:
Points of interest: Silver Lake Sand Dunes are nearby
Lodging: Resorts are located at nearby Silver Lake and White Lake
Camping: Several commercial campgrounds are in the region
Bike shops: Mobile Bicycle Repair at 8854 Water St in Montague
Weather forecast: Muskegon
Tourism info: Hart/Silver Lake Chamber | White Lake Chamber
Getting to the trail: Mile 0 of the trail is in Hart
Map of local region: Hart | Mears | Shelby | Rothbury | Montague

Rate this section of trail

Number of ratings: 10
Average rating: 4.10

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Few
Date of last visit: July, 2005
Sections that I biked: Hart to New Era
My favourite sections of the trail: Hart to Shelby
Best time to go: summer
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Very good
Rating: 4.5 stars
What I liked: loved the scenery, loved to small town stops for lunch
What I disliked: not enough restrooms
Comments: loved Country Dairy near New Era
Submitted by: Doreen
from: Grand Rapids, MI
Date submitted: July 19, 2005

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Once
Date of last visit: August, 2004
Sections that I biked: Montague to Hart and back.
My favourite sections of the trail: Shelby to Mears
Best time to go: Only visited it in summer
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Fair
Rating: 5 stars
What I liked: Wide variety of scenery and points of interest. Liked the asparagus fields. Great views north of Shelby. The towns along the path cared about it, and it shows. Pavement was maintained in very good condition.
What I disliked: Mowed grass almost covered the trail between Mears and Hart - it should have been blown off the trail. Poor wayfinding once you go down into Hart.
Comments: This trail rivals any I've used. There was something interesting along the entire path, both in the rural/agricultural aspect and the different towns and their industry. Path users can tell the towns care about the path. Reminds me of the Little Miami Scenic Trail here in Ohio. Come and visit ours.
Submitted by: Ken L.
from: Dayton, OH
Date submitted: Aug 28, 2004

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Several
Date of last visit: August, 2003
Sections that I biked: Entire trail-many times
My favourite sections of the trail: entire trail
Best time to go: Fall
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Very good
Rating: 4.5 stars
What I liked: the many places to stop along the trail (food, jems, ice cream, exercise,etc)
What I disliked: lack of camping within easy/safe bicycling of the trail
Comments: Some nice campgrounds near the center of the trail, but unless you ride on a busy road with a LARGE uphill, you have to port the bikes to the trail.
Submitted by: SJL
from: ER, MI
Date submitted: June 27, 2004

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Few
Date of last visit: August, 2003
Sections that I biked: The Hart end of the tail is the most beautiful part of the trail. I also like the White River bridge it was very beautiful in the morning.
My favourite sections of the trail: Shelby, New era, And the Hart area
Best time to go: August, Oct.
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Very good
Rating: 5 stars
What I liked: All the above
What I disliked: I could not find anying wrong sent I ride roads in Ohio
Comments: Hart and Moutague both have bed&breakfast.There is a Confort Inn rigth beside the Hart/Moutague trail. There is a gas station that is a block from the trail in Mears,and also there is a small bicycle shop along the trail that rents bike's and replairs them. There was busy crossings around Hart& Mears but it was manageable. Very little gravel or pot holes to worry about.
Submitted by: Paul J. Schaub Sr.
from: Wapakoneta, Ohio
Date submitted: Nov 27, 2003

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Once
Date of last visit: August, 2003
Sections that I biked: All of it
My favourite sections of the trail: riding past the cow pastures
Best time to go: summer
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Very good
Rating: 4.5 stars
What I liked: The trail has a lot of beautiful scenery and everyone on it seemed to enjoy themselves
What I disliked: went on a sunday and most of the local restaurants were closed early
Comments: i started in hart and rode the entire lenght to montague and back. hoping to eat in montague for the rife back but nothing was open. stopped in shelby and my prayers were answered. A bear burger at the Bear den. About a one pound hamburger. Yummy
Submitted by: Steve Chipp
from: Farmington mi
Date submitted: Sept 2, 2003

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Once
Date of last visit: May, 2003
Sections that I biked: First 3 miles from Whitehall
My favourite sections of the trail: All of it.
Best time to go: ?
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Very good
Rating: 5 stars
What I liked: I liked the pavement and the trees.
What I disliked: Nothing except no stops.
Comments:
Submitted by:
from:
Date submitted: Aug 16, 2003

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Once
Date of last visit: June, 2003
Sections that I biked: rollerbladed the first 6 mies from Montague
My favourite sections of the trail:
Best time to go:
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Fair
Rating: 2 stars
What I liked: were not many people
What I disliked:
Comments: The pavement was very bumpy for rollerblades, otherwise was a great trail
Submitted by: kristen
from: muskegon, michigan
Date submitted: June 21, 2003

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Once
Date of last visit: Sept, 2002
Sections that I biked: between Rothbury and Montague
My favourite sections of the trail: the fishing bridge hehind he dog and suds restraunt
Best time to go:
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Fair
Rating: 2 stars
What I liked: the wilderness
What I disliked: nothing
Comments:
Submitted by: jerry lee tyler
from: montague,Michigan
Date submitted: Nov 30, 2002

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Once
Date of last visit: Oct, 2002
Sections that I biked: We biked the entire Hart-Montague bike trail last weekend, and what fun it was. The trail was beautiful, with all the fall colors. Our only problem was getting back to our car in Hart after the 22-mile trek. Luckily, our innkeeper gave us a lift. Don't miss the hot tub suites at the Montgomery Inn, a perfect way to end a long day of biking!
My favourite sections of the trail: The apple orchards in the beginning, and the town of Shelby.
Best time to go: Fall
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Very good
Rating: 4 stars
What I liked:
What I disliked:
Comments: Since it was a cooler day, and raining at times, we didn't stop for ice cream. But there were so many ice cream stands. Try one!
Submitted by: Kim
from: Ferndale, MI
Date submitted: Oct 21, 2002

Trail name: Hart-Montague Trail State Park
Times biking the trail: Few
Date of last visit: July, 2002
Sections that I biked: Montague to Mears
My favourite sections of the trail: The trail was well kept and paved.
Best time to go:
Trail marking: Very good
Trail maintenance: Very good
Rating: 4.5 stars
Likes and dislikes:
Comments:
Submitted by: KW
from: Charlotte Mi
Date submitted: July 28, 2002

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