Best running trails in Michigan
Ranked by the runners who actually run there — Google rating weighted by review volume, across 419,459 reviews of Michigan trails. A trail needs at least 25 reviews to qualify (383 in Michigan do) and each name appears once. Nobody pays for a place. Updated 2026.
The 20 below run across 17 cities, 8 of them paved, 4 loops, 4 shaded, and 5 with a stated distance. This is a popularity ranking, not a difficulty score — for what a trail is actually like underfoot, open its page for surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms and parking.
Belle Isle Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 10,136 reviews
982-acre island featuring trails, an aquarium, museum, conservatory, disc golf course & playground.
Stony Creek Metropark
4.7 ★★★★★ 7,935 reviews
Massive park featuring year-round activities from canoeing & picnics to workshop events.
Detroit Riverwalk
4.8 ★★★★★ 6,364 reviews
Waterside and kid-friendly promenade featuring a playground, swings and a carousel, as well as scenic views of Detroit and Canada.
Dodge Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,340 reviews
Recreation & sports park for volleyball, in-line hockey & picnics, with swings & an amphitheater.
Bishop Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 4,409 reviews
Site features a fishing pier, picnic deck & shelters, playground equipment & basketball courts.
Maybury State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,133 reviews
Trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding & cross-country skiing, plus a working educational farm.
Holly Recreation Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,187 reviews
Vast woodland area for hiking, fishing, biking & camping, plus a disc golf course & lake beach.
Rochester Municipal Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,101 reviews
Park with winding creek, pond & a mile of paved walkways, as well as courts for tennis & volleyball.
Hawk Island Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 3,065 reviews
100-acre, all-seasons park with a vehicle entrance fee features swimming, trails & snowboarding.
Lake Erie Metropark
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,577 reviews
Park with golf course offers sweeping lake views, Marshlands Museum & family-friendly water slide.
Lower Huron Metropark
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,493 reviews
1,258-acre preserve with activities including an aquatics center, golf, canoeing & ice-skating.
Proud Lake Recreation Area
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,448 reviews
State park with campsites, cabins & trails, plus boating & fishing on 2 lakes & the Huron River.
Seven Lakes State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,309 reviews
Popular camping park offers 230 acres of shoreline, fishing & trails criss-crossing diverse terrain.
George George Memorial Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,112 reviews
30-acre green space with a fountain plaza featuring playgrounds, walking paths & a picnic pavilion.
Palmer Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 2,313 reviews
Public park with hiking & biking trails, tennis courts, a historical fountain & 18-hole golf course.
Willow Metropark
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,051 reviews
Large park near the Huron River offers a golf course & skatepark plus outdoor activities all year.
The Tridge (Midland)
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,965 reviews
Unique 3-way bridge where 2 rivers meet, plus a dog park, playgrounds and hiking trails.
Innovation Hills
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,919 reviews
Large park with a river running through it, plus a paved trail & a nature-themed playground.
Island Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,856 reviews
Leisurely, clean park with a splash pad and a climbing structure, plus a playground and a 'slide farm'.
Where these trails are
The cities in this ranking, if you'd rather start from where you live.
- Running trails in Detroit, MI
- Running trails in Shelby Township, MI
- Running trails in Sterling Heights, MI
- Running trails in Wyandotte, MI
- Running trails in Northville, MI
- Running trails in Holly, MI
- Running trails in Rochester, MI
- Running trails in Lansing, MI
- Running trails in Brownstown Township, MI
- Running trails in Belleville, MI
- Running trails in Commerce Township, MI
- Running trails in Ypsilanti, MI
- Running trails in Clinton Township, MI
- Running trails in New Boston, MI
- Running trails in Midland, MI
- Running trails in Rochester Hills, MI
- Running trails in Mt Pleasant, MI
All 1,123 trails in Michigan → Best trails in other states →