kildeerkelley

Some friends and me are hoping to bike across Michigan from Port Huron to Muskegon. We need help finding a route (hopefully one that has some good nature and roads with decent shoulders and not crazy traffic). If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. Thanks!

Mr. Jim

Since I'm a Michigander I'll take a stab at it. I used googlemaps bike there, which doesn't work perfectly, it had you going through downtown Flint and downtown Grand Rapids, neither of which I would recommend so I re routed those sections and came up with this. I would use it for a base line map, then look at your mileage, camping opportunities and any sights along the route you would like to visit and modify it from there Map

Most of the route is decent shoulder except sections in the farm land, that is liable to be no shoulder, but such light traffic it doesn't matter I have ridden roads like that all day and never seen a car. Parts of the route are rail trail sections, some of these are not paved, not sure what kind of bikes you are riding, MT or touring bikes would do fine on these, road bikes would not. Any questions feel free to ask or send me a PM.

kildeerkelley

thanks so much jim. two of us have road bikes. do you think its possible to follow the route on road and skip the unpaved rail trails? also, this will be our first time in michigan (besides detroit) and we were wondering if this route will provide opportunities for camping? thanks, r

MichiganMike

The Musketawa Trail which you would pick up outside of Grand Rapids and ride pretty much to Muskegon is paved and a pretty nice trail.

Mr. Jim

Give me your projected mileage and I can check on camping, also I 'll look at rerouting the unpaved trail portions.

Mr. Jim

Ok the map link is updated. Removed the Polly Anna trail as it is partially crushed gravel.

kildeerkelley

awesome jim thank you. we aren't worried about some extra mileage especially if it means good sights to see or good camping. we've got a good cushion of time and we're up to about 70-90 miles a day. the michigan tour is part of a trip we've already started in canada and are about 350 miles into so far.

Mr. Jim

OK really tired tonight, will check in tomorrow with camping advice

kildeerkelley

thanks jim if anything comes to mind let me know