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Ball Perkins Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 115 Google reviews · Running trail in Grand Rapids, Michigan · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- 55 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Ball Perkins Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Community park offering kid-friendly hikes, wildlife sightings, and scenic views.
What runners say about Ball Perkins Park
“A beautiful place to connect with nature without having to leave the city.”
Restoration of our wetlands is vital to our community! This park shows us a sneak peek into what was a much more vast wetland that is now small and surrounded by homes and a apartment complex. It's a beautiful park and a really good trail. We definitely need to see more wetlands being restored like this.
Nice park that has been "preserved as a natural area" according to the city description. There is a neat, mostly natural trail that cuts through the park from Ball to Perkins. Only a small bit is paved. In the east-west direction, it is 0.55 mile long. There's a 0.09 mile stretch that extends to the wetland overlook.
I love this park. It's in a great place and I have seen some amazing things on this trail from deer, ducks, black squirrels, a fox, etc. I am always on this trail to run it. It's not a far course but it work. I love the pond It's a nice site everytime.
I was a little confused when arriving because it looked like just a vegetable garden. I found the trail, though. It was a beautiful day for a walk. If you love nature and walking in the woods, this is for you. Totally enjoyed my walk.
Trail conditions & character
“A beautiful place to connect with nature without having to leave the city.”
“There are quite a few parking spots but pretty much all are marked as "gardener parking only".”
“Relatively short gravel trail with a good chance of seeing various woodland animals.”
Plan your run at Ball Perkins Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- Distance55 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websitegrandrapidsmi.gov
- Phone+1 616-456-3696
Hours
| Monday | 6:30 am–9 pm |
| Tuesday | 6:30 am–9 pm |
| Wednesday | 6:30 am–9 pm |
| Thursday | 6:30 am–9 pm |
| Friday | 6:30 am–9 pm |
| Saturday | 6:30 am–9 pm |
| Sunday | 6:30 am–9 pm |
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Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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