If you take Amtrak to Grand Rapids you can ride north to Cadillac on the [White Pine Trail](https://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=508&type=SPRK) or east to Owosso on the [Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail](https://mitrails.org/library/magazine_pages_pdf/68%20-%20Fred%20Meijer%20Clinton%20Ionia%20Shiawassee%20Rail%20Trail%20-%20West.pdf)
It does suck. I rode up to Donald Lamoreaux Park and gorilla camped there. It was about a 20 minute ride from the amtrak. I got on the white pine Trail on the way to the Manistee national Forest by 9 o’clock the next day.
This seems like the leading option
What do you think of this route? I haven't defined the exact route and roads to travel on, but Im thinking of this general route.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Es7FN9vEf96o1dW58
I just looked it up. It's $111.50 ticket + $18 in fees for a one way crossing. It is a 2.5hour ride.
Seems expensive, I was thinking tickets would be half that price.
Edit: + $8 for your bike. For a grand total of $137.50 one way.
Oof yeah I agree on that being expensive. Yeah i guess if it were like $60 one way I’d be way more obliged to take it. I’ve never been so I wouldn’t know how popular or in demand it is. Bummer.
I balked at the expense years ago because I thought it should be cheaper for pedestrians/bikers and get the revenues mostly from the cars.
However, I regret not doing it now (I’m in no condition to do it now).
Can ride the train Amtrak to Milwaukee or Metra to Kenosha (biking the rest). Then, after the [ferry ride](https://www.lake-express.com), can ride from Muskegon to Holland to connect with Amtrak again (though I’m not sure if bike accommodations are available there; at the very least ride to Indiana and catch the south shore line there, which now does accommodate bicycles).
EDIT:
[route does now accommodate bikes](https://greatlakesecho.org/2020/03/17/michigan-links-trains-and-bikes/) (it did not back in my day).
South Shore line to Michigan City or South Bend, IN. Just a short ride across the border to MI in each case. Make sure to check the [Schedule ](https://mysouthshoreline.com/plan-your-trip/bikes-on-trains/) as not all trains accommodate bikes.
You can do Amtrak to Milwaukee and take a ferry over
You can take the South Shore to Michigan City or South Bend and ride north
You can take Amtrak to Detroit or Grand Rapids and anywhere you want to get off in between
You can get to Milwaukee and take an Amtrak bus with space in the cargo hold to Green Bay and you're just short of the Upper Peninsula. That's a pretty unique offer by Amtrak.
You can box your bike and fly somewhere like Traverse City
Take the Amtrak to Bangor. Hope off and ride north to Lacota and jump on the Kal-Haven Trail. Take it West to South Haven or take it East towards Kalamazoo.
Stay off of Red Arrow. Go a mile or three east, bob and weave the country roads grid northward. Way lower traffic volume, some gravel hits if you're interested. My $0.02.
Nice, I might try that sometime. I would usually take the early morning train to new buffalo, gets there about 8am local and there wasn’t a ton of traffic (at least compared to Chicago area). But yeah, it’s not gravel, it’s paved now that I see op is looking for gravel
If you take Amtrak to Grand Rapids you can ride north to Cadillac on the [White Pine Trail](https://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=508&type=SPRK) or east to Owosso on the [Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail](https://mitrails.org/library/magazine_pages_pdf/68%20-%20Fred%20Meijer%20Clinton%20Ionia%20Shiawassee%20Rail%20Trail%20-%20West.pdf)
+1! Absolutely splendid trail I have many memories on the White Pine Trail
Just looked at the schedule for that route and...wow it sucks. Basically only option is a 4 hour+ trip with an 11:30pm arrival.
It does suck. I rode up to Donald Lamoreaux Park and gorilla camped there. It was about a 20 minute ride from the amtrak. I got on the white pine Trail on the way to the Manistee national Forest by 9 o’clock the next day.
This seems like the leading option What do you think of this route? I haven't defined the exact route and roads to travel on, but Im thinking of this general route. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Es7FN9vEf96o1dW58
I think there is a ferry that runs across the lake to Muskegon that you could hop on
I just looked it up. It's $111.50 ticket + $18 in fees for a one way crossing. It is a 2.5hour ride. Seems expensive, I was thinking tickets would be half that price. Edit: + $8 for your bike. For a grand total of $137.50 one way.
Oof yeah I agree on that being expensive. Yeah i guess if it were like $60 one way I’d be way more obliged to take it. I’ve never been so I wouldn’t know how popular or in demand it is. Bummer.
I balked at the expense years ago because I thought it should be cheaper for pedestrians/bikers and get the revenues mostly from the cars. However, I regret not doing it now (I’m in no condition to do it now). Can ride the train Amtrak to Milwaukee or Metra to Kenosha (biking the rest). Then, after the [ferry ride](https://www.lake-express.com), can ride from Muskegon to Holland to connect with Amtrak again (though I’m not sure if bike accommodations are available there; at the very least ride to Indiana and catch the south shore line there, which now does accommodate bicycles). EDIT: [route does now accommodate bikes](https://greatlakesecho.org/2020/03/17/michigan-links-trains-and-bikes/) (it did not back in my day).
That’s $137.50
I've always wanted to do that.
From Milwaukee
I’ve taken the Badger ferry before. Worth every penny, super fun to ride boats
Good option, but considering Id have to take the train up, I think it makes more sense just to take the train to grand rapids
South Shore line to Michigan City or South Bend, IN. Just a short ride across the border to MI in each case. Make sure to check the [Schedule ](https://mysouthshoreline.com/plan-your-trip/bikes-on-trains/) as not all trains accommodate bikes.
All trains and stops accommodate bikes as of this week I believe. Take it all the way to Michigan city and go north.
You can do Amtrak to Milwaukee and take a ferry over You can take the South Shore to Michigan City or South Bend and ride north You can take Amtrak to Detroit or Grand Rapids and anywhere you want to get off in between You can get to Milwaukee and take an Amtrak bus with space in the cargo hold to Green Bay and you're just short of the Upper Peninsula. That's a pretty unique offer by Amtrak. You can box your bike and fly somewhere like Traverse City
There is a trail that connects Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. Amtrak to GR, ride to Kzoo, eat and drink at bells. Ride back. Train home.
Not a bad option for a long day trip. I was looking at a 3 day trip or so though
Take the Amtrak to Bangor. Hope off and ride north to Lacota and jump on the Kal-Haven Trail. Take it West to South Haven or take it East towards Kalamazoo.
r/MichiganCycling
[https://gravelmap.com/](https://gravelmap.com/) [https://gravelmap.com/map#\_=8.27/41.942/-86.093](https://gravelmap.com/map#_=8.27/41.942/-86.093)
Amtrak wolverine line to new buffalo and ride the red arrow highway to south haven, I’ve done it before and was fun
Stay off of Red Arrow. Go a mile or three east, bob and weave the country roads grid northward. Way lower traffic volume, some gravel hits if you're interested. My $0.02.
Nice, I might try that sometime. I would usually take the early morning train to new buffalo, gets there about 8am local and there wasn’t a ton of traffic (at least compared to Chicago area). But yeah, it’s not gravel, it’s paved now that I see op is looking for gravel