Trail description: Grand Rapids is the hub of several major trails such as the White Pine and Musketawa trails. Other trails in the city are the Kent Trails and the Grand River Edges Trail. Access fee: Not required Towns along the trail: Grand Rapids (pop 190,000) Web site:Kent County Parks Trail map: Available from the tourism office Trail surface: Designated activities: Bicycling, walking Facilities on the trail: Points of interest: Coopersville & Marne Railway scenic train Lodging: Grand Rapids has many choices of accommodations Camping:Grand Rogue Campground Bike shops: Several are located in Grand Rapids Weather forecast:Grand Rapids Tourism info:Grand Rapids/Kent County Visitors Bureau Getting to the trail: Grand Rapids has an international airport and is served by Amtrak from Chicago. Map of local region:Grand Rapids
Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Few Date of last visit: May, 2005 Sections that I biked: from 44, I explored the trail both ways. My favourite sections of the trail: Didn't have any Best time to go: I don't kow Trail marking: Poor Trail maintenance: Fair Rating: 1 stars What I liked: I hated the ride What I disliked: I want a little variety in my workouts, and this trail offers none. I know that this is a flat state, but the trail couldn't have been any straighter or flatter. It was monotonous. Comments: Submitted by: tc from: st. george, ut Date submitted: May 21, 2005
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Few Date of last visit: May, 2005 Sections that I biked: John Ball Park to Johnson Park My favourite sections of the trail: Best time to go: Spring Trail marking: Very good Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 4 stars What I liked: It's mostly peaceful with nice scenery What I disliked: When you ride alongside with the traffic, and the bugs Comments: It's become my favorite place to bike. I live near the John Ball Zoo entrance, so it's a nice change of pace from biking city streets. A little smelly near the water treatment plant. Submitted by: WJB from: Grand Rapids, MI Date submitted: May 16, 2005
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Weekly Date of last visit: Sept, 2004 Sections that I biked: From Cedar Springs to Grand Rapids & back. (This Year I hope to go farther). My favourite sections of the trail: From Cedar to the first part of Rockford it's pretty good, & from the last part of Rockford to fith third ballpark it's good. Best time to go: I've only gone on it in the spring, summer, & fall. Trail marking: Very good Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 5 stars What I liked: scenery is GREAT!!! also not to buggy or anything What I disliked: Somtimes crowded. can't keep a good pase in some area's. Rockford has a wolverine plant the REALY REAKES. Comments: Some area's of the Trail have bumps where the moles got or something, they can get vary annoying. like I said vary scenic, and a good smooth ride most of the time. flat, with only one slight uprising for a bridge. once I got past the fifth third ball park area I discovered anouther part of the trail, which only countinued for about a mile, the I saw anouther biker going further, so I followed and he led me to anouther section of the trail. when that trail ended I found myself at a bridge which overpassed the Grand River. I biked My way to lenard ST. where I then ventured my way to yet anouther side street that I took to Rambow Music where I playd Guitar for about an hour. Finding my way back was cake due to my God given directional skills which, on occasion, save my mom from mass panic of getting lost. :) The white pine trail is GREAT and I recomind all biker try it out at one time or anouther. Submitted by: Dan Dan from: Cedar Springs MI. Date submitted: May 16, 2005
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Weekly Date of last visit: June, 2004 Sections that I biked: I have biked every bit of it from 84th St. north to John Ball Park Zoo, but as 2 separate rides. My favourite sections of the trail: 84th St. north to 56th St.
Ramblewood Apts. (North) to Prairie St.
Water treatment plant north to Butterworth Ave. Best time to go: Spring, Summer, Fall Trail marking: Very good Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 4 stars What I liked: Few hills, lots of trees, some Grand River What I disliked: Follows roads from Prairie St. to Chicago Dr. Comments: I took an alternate part of te trail 6/29/04 from the bridge over the Grand River SW to Johnson Park in Grandville. It's OK, but it would be nice if it connected to the main trail on both ends. Submitted by: Bill N. from: Wyoming, MI Date submitted: July 1, 2004
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Weekly Date of last visit: Nov, 2003 Sections that I biked: Always start near 44th street, as I live in Ramblewood. My favourite sections of the trail: All the way from 44th to 84th street is pretty good. Best time to go: All year - bike, walk, rollerblade, or X-country ski Trail marking: Very good Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 4.5 stars What I liked: Smooth well maintained pavement, variety of scenery, great place to find catnip. What I disliked: You do have to cross some pretty busy roads. Can be somewhat crowded in the summer months. Comments: This section of the trail even contains at least one fairly easy to find "letterbox" if you're into that activity. Submitted by: Ramblewood Rambler from: Date submitted: Nov 21, 2003
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Weekly Date of last visit: August, 2003 Sections that I biked: 28th to 84th My favourite sections of the trail: 28th to 84th Best time to go: Summer! Trail marking: Fair Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 5 stars What I liked: I like how the trails are pretty smoothly paved (great for rollerblading) and there is a nice variety of scenery (suburban, farmland, woods). What I disliked: Some of the roads that intersect the trails are busy. Comments: I really love to use Kent Trails. I rollerblade on them nearly every day. They are used by a fair amount of people I thoroughly enjoy myself each time!
Submitted by: Val G. from: Grandville Date submitted: Aug 18, 2003
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Few Date of last visit: July, 2003 Sections that I biked: Ball Park to 32nd Street. My favourite sections of the trail: The part that is actually a trail Best time to go: Trail marking: Poor Trail maintenance: Fair Rating: 0.5 stars What I liked: What I disliked: This trail is poorly marked. I couldn't figure out where to park and where the trail started. Finally find it and after just a mile or two the trail ends and it's regular road ways. Then I lost the trail all together around 28th St. It didn't have signs saying that the trail jogged over. But after coming home and looking at a map, it apparently does. I rode up to 32nd but never found the trail again. Very disappointing. I hear the trail from 44th to 84th is better. Comments: You pass through a water treament area that is really smelly! Yuck! Submitted by: kmk from: Grand Rapids, MI Date submitted: Aug 9, 2003
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Few Date of last visit: May, 2003 Sections that I biked: The entire trail My favourite sections of the trail: 44th to 72nd street Best time to go: Never, it's too buggy. Trail marking: Poor Trail maintenance: Fair Rating: 0.5 stars What I liked: Not much it was a pretty unpleasant ride, in some areas there is some decent scenery. What I disliked: Oh where to start, it's marked pretty bad, I got lost the first time and ended up on a busy street that was dangerous to ride on, the second time I got lost again and by luck found it. The trail is too narrow, bumpy and intersects with way too many busy streets I'd get a good pace going and have to stop to cross the road. Comments: I'd avoid the trail all together theres alot of street riding required to go the whole distance of the trail and the streets aren't bike friendly, the starting in GR isn't in a very safe area. If you do any part of it go from Praire to 84th street. Submitted by: Chris from: Grand Rapids Date submitted: May 30, 2003
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Once Date of last visit: May, 2003 Sections that I biked: 32nd to 84th street My favourite sections of the trail: The whole trail is very nice, at least the part mentioned above, which is a rails-to-trails trail. Further north there is some city street biking. Best time to go: Trail marking: Very good Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 4 stars What I liked: What I disliked: This part of the trail is pretty short, and you have to ride along (marked) city streets to get to the other part of the trail Comments: Submitted by: from: Gr, MI Date submitted: May 13, 2003
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Several Date of last visit: Apr, 2003 Sections that I biked: Byron Center (84th Street) to John Ball Park Zoo and back. That is the whole trail, although other trails branch off. My favourite sections of the trail: 84th - about 44th. Nice pavement, and wooded / shaded trail Best time to go: all year - you can bike, walk, run, rollerblade, ski Trail marking: Very good Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 4.5 stars What I liked: Old railroad tracks for the most part, so it is nice and level. Many bridges over water, and benches to rest at. What I disliked: many people use it and it gets very busy towards the south, in the city it is used less Comments: Parking near 84th street is limited, but you can park on the side of most cross roads, they put hige shoulders on those roads near the trail. Near lake Michigan, goes to downtown Grand Rapids, lots of natural landscaping, tons of water that you pass - for a while you'll go along the Grand River. Submitted by: G. N. K. from: Dorr, Michigan Date submitted: April 27, 2003
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Trail name: Kent Trails Times biking the trail: Few Date of last visit: Apr, 2003 Sections that I biked: From John Ball Zoo to Chicago Drive My favourite sections of the trail: Best time to go: Trail marking: Very good Trail maintenance: Very good Rating: 3 stars What I liked: What I disliked: Comments: The trail is very well maintained and laid out, with two 'spurs' near an old rail bridge over the Grand River Submitted by: Kender from: Grand Rapids, MI Date submitted: April 19, 2003
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