From riverside picnics to fall bike tours, the 92-mile White Pine Trail, which connects Grand Rapids to Cadillac, offers divine scenery.
This article first appeared in Traverse Northern Michigan. Find this story and more when you explore our magazine library. Want Traverse delivered to your door or inbox monthly? View our print subscription and digital subscription options.
Photo by Dave Weidner
When September’s lingering summer starts stretching into cooler, colorful autumn days, you’ve hit the sweet spot for biking the panoramic White Pine Rail Trail. This 92-mile pathway connects Cadillac to Comstock Park, just north of Grand Rapids, and treats cyclists to dynamic vistas—think tree tunnels, lilied ponds, snaking streams and lush wetlands. You’ll ride beside trillium and other ephemeral wildflowers in the spring and beneath canopies of red and gold in the fall.
For Cadillac Rotarian Mark Lagerwey, the section of trail from E 44 Road to Tustin is not to be missed—it crosses “beautiful lowlands and wooded areas, dropping down just south of Tustin over a wetland at the headwaters of the Pine River.”
“For much of the trail, you feel like you are biking or hiking in the middle of a forest, and then all of a sudden, you are riding through forty acres of corn,” adds Paul Griffith, chair of the northern chapter of the Friends of the White Pine Trail. “The hundreds of streams, rivers and creeks add a unique dimension to each ride, regardless of where you bike.”
Related Read: Bike Traverse City’s Long-Awaited Boardman Lake Loop Trail
Photo by Dave Weidner
The White Pine has many claims to fame: it’s one of Michigan’s first rail trail state parks (established in 1995), the second longest in the state and it passes through five counties and 15 towns, each with their own singular charm. In September 2022, the White Pine trailhead in Cadillac was added to that list—a $500,000 improvement project that extends the trail from South and Lake streets to the corner of Cass and Lake streets. The new trailhead, nestled within the Cadillac Commons, features a parking area, benches, bike racks, a bicycle repair station and map kiosks.
And more good news ahead for trailgoers: by the end of the year, the last 21-mile stretch of unpaved path, from Howard City to Big Rapids, will finally be paved, improving conditions and accessibility for all.
For more info on the White Pine Rail Trail, visit cadillacmichigan.com.
Related Read: Exploring the Lost Coast: An Extreme Bike Adventure on Drummond Island
Explore Cadillac by Bike
For those starting or ending their ride in Cadillac, don’t miss out on the large local trail system, which links up with the White Pine, including seven scenic miles around Lake Cadillac. Lagerwey recommends heading to the Rotary Performing Arts Pavilion, while Griffith enjoys stopping at Clam Lake Beer Co. for lunch with his Silver Spokes cycling group. Also worth noting: Einstein Cycles, 303 N. Mitchell St., has you covered for bike rentals and repairs. Beyond the White Pine Trailhead, Cadillac Commons is home to:
The Market
An open-air, covered market between the Cadillac movie theater and After 26 Depot, home to the Cadillac Area Farmers Market and Cadillac After Hours Market. (Tip: Head to After 26 Depot for their sweet potato breakfast scramble, and support a family-owned business dedicated to employing adults with developmental disabilities. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.)
City Park
Home of the Shay Locomotive—a permanent display of Cadillac’s logging history—and the memorial water fountain. Cadillac’s largest community festivals and events happen here with Lake Cadillac as a backdrop. Great for a picnic or a scenic walk or ride.
Rotary Pavilion
Cadillac Rotary Performing Arts Pavilion has been a focal point on Cadillac’s lakeshore for decades, boasting a state-of-the-art sound system and a green seating area with sun shades. Enjoy concerts overlooking Lake Cadillac.
The Plaza
A multi-use, multi-seasonal space for public events and gatherings. Amenities include a children’s splash pad, art-inspired benches and shaded seating for summer, along with an outdoor gas fireplace and ice skating rink during cold-weather months.
Don’t Miss: The White Pine Ride
Lagerwey coordinates the Rotary Club’s White Pine Ride, which falls on Sept. 16 this year. The fifth annual ride starts at the north end of the White Pine Trail and is suitable for all riding levels, offering various mileage distances—from 12- to 83-mile roundtrip routes. For more info, visit whitepineride.com.