Best Greater Grand Rapids Bike Trails for Families
When it comes to warm-weather things to do, going for a bike ride is a classic!
Whether you’re looking for an urban trail, mountain bike trails, or something in between, the options in greater Grand Rapids are almost endless.
Use this list of the best West Michigan bike trails to help your family find a great place to pedal.
West Michigan Bike Trails You’ll Love
Training wheels or not, if you have a way to transport bikes to a different location, you’ll have miles of Michigan to explore.
You can do an easy one or two mile ride on a paved path, or venture out for something longer or more challenging.
There are many Grand Rapids bike trails that hook up to other parks or scenic areas, and many include ice cream pitstops.
Our family loves biking the White Pines Trail at Comstock Park and riding to Rockford for dinner and then topping it off with ice cream at the end of the trip back in Comstock Park. Find this trip and other great family bike paths listed below.
PS – Bike trails are just one part of the expansive parks systems around Grand Rapids. If you don’t have your bike with you, you can still enjoy hiking trails, parks & playgrounds, and even splash pads.
Trail Length: 3.6 miles one-wayPaved Walking PathTrail Difficulty: ModerateStroller Friendly? Yes, all or most areasDog-Friendly
Pedal along this bike trail from Cascade to Ada along boardwalks and paved pathways.
Park at Leslie Tassell Park in Cascade. (Free parking)
Bonus: There is a small splash fountain here, as well as 2 nearby ice cream shops. Also, Ever Play Cafe is right across the street and Village Bike Shop is on the corner if you need any bike supplies.
Follow the bike path north along the Thornapple River Dr. There are several large hills on this route - the first hill being the largest, followed by a series of smaller ups and downs. Most of the path is shaded.
At about the 2-mile mark, you'll pedal over the Thornapple River on the Camelback Bridge. It's a pretty spot.
Continue into Ada, where you can walk through the historic covered bridge, visit the new park & playground along the river, grab ice cream at the General Store or Scoopers, and generally enjoy a visit in this walkable little village. There's a bike shop in town, too.
Ada Park is not far away if you'd like to make a loop out of your ride, otherwise, head back the way you came.
This paved bike path is part of the Ada Township and Cascade Township Trail systems.
Park at Leslie Tassell Park in Cascade. (Free parking)
Bonus: There is a small splash fountain here, as well as 2 nearby ice cream shops. Also, Ever Play Cafe is right across the street and Village Bike Shop is on the corner if you need any bike supplies.
Follow the bike path north along the Thornapple River Dr. There are several large hills on this route - the first hill being the largest, followed by a series of smaller ups and downs. Most of the path is shaded.
At about the 2-mile mark, you'll pedal over the Thornapple River on the Camelback Bridge. It's a pretty spot.
Continue into Ada, where you can walk through the historic covered bridge, visit the new park & playground along the river, grab ice cream at the General Store or Scoopers, and generally enjoy a visit in this walkable little village. There's a bike shop in town, too.
Ada Park is not far away if you'd like to make a loop out of your ride, otherwise, head back the way you came.
This paved bike path is part of the Ada Township and Cascade Township Trail systems.
Leslie Tassell Park on the Thornapple River in Cascade, MI
More About Thornapple River Drive - Cascade to Ada
Park Features
- Free Admission
- Good for Rollerblading
- Lake or River
- Paved Walking Path
- Paved Bike Path
West Michigan Bike Trail Systems
Looking for more places to go for a family bike ride? Try one of these West Michigan trail systems on for size:
- Paul Henry – Thornapple Trail Bike Trail
- Kal-Haven Trail State Park Bike Trail
- Forest Hills Trails in Ada
- Cannon Township Trail System
- Kalamazoo River Valley Trail Bike Trail
- M-6 Trail Bike Trail
- Grand Haven/Spring Lake/Ferrysburg Trail Network Bike Trail
- Lakeshore Trail Bike Trail in Holland
- Holland Metro Area Trails
- Muskegon Lakeshore Trail Bike Trail
- Hart-Montague Trail State Park Bike Trail
- Fremont Town and Country Trail Bike Trail
- Van Buren Trail State Park Bike Trail
You omitted two gorgeous trails: Upper Macatawa in Zeeland, and the Portage trail system south of Kalamazoo.
What a great list! I love riding bikes with my family and it will be fun to have some new destinations in mind. It is a bit of work right now because we have a tag-along plus a Burley and then our 2 adult bikes and 1 child bike to transport- that means we do a lot of neighborhood rides. Do you have any tips on how to get so much gear from point a to point b easily?