How to Find Walking Trails in Flint Michigan

Flint River

In 2007 WALK! magazine voted Flint, Michigan one of the country's best cities for walking trails. Surprised? Flint has many excellent parks and the Flint River Trial meanders for miles along the wide lazy river. Whether you want to stroll, hike with your dog or ride a bike, Flint has more walking trails than you would expect.

Things You'll Need

• Appropriate layered clothing for variable weather
• Comfortable shoes
• Cell phone
• Map

Instructions

How to Find Walking Trails in Flint Michigan

1. Walk the Flint River trail, which runs along the Flint River from near the University of Michigan downtown to Bluebell Beach for almost seven miles. Park in the lot next to the Flint Farmers Market at Robert T Longway Blvd (open year around and worth a visit) and head north on the trail. Winding along the river it goes past parks and playing fields, through some older neighborhoods and ends at Stepping Stone Falls and Bluebell Beach, which is a Genesee County Park.

2. Visit the For-Mar nature center and preserve at Genesee and Davison Roads, just north of I-69. With miles of trails and ample parking, For-Mar offers glimpses of the abundant wildlife in the area, including deer, wild turkeys, birds and waterfowl and abundant foliage and flowers. It is particularly lovely in fall when the trees are turning colors.

3. Visit the 4500 acre Genesee County Park and Bluebell Beach at 5500 Bray Road in Flint which has a large circular paved trail. Once around the trail is almost a mile. Leave the paved trail and walk along the Mott Lake beach. If you take the smaller unpaved trail at the south end of the park, it takes you through a forested one mile hike to Stepping Stone Falls, a large dam and waterfall with a viewing platform.

4. Stroll the 57 acre Kearsley Park on Flint's East side. It features a winding paved trail along Gilkey Creek Park at the playground parking lot on the north end of the park on Chavez Boulevard, or the south end of the park by the historic Donnelly Pavilion. The trail continues across Robert T Longway Boulevard and takes you onto the campus of Mott Community College and the Cultural Center, where the path follows a man made waterway and ends up in the gardens surrounding the Cultural Center. The surrounding neighborhood has beautiful old homes and shaded streets for city walks.

5. Launch a boat or walk around the river at Veterans Park on James P. Cole Boulevard. There is ample parking at this well groomed park and a small boat dock. A paved trail follows the Flint River around, crossing two bridges, and the full circle is almost two miles. It is a quiet area and there is a beaver dam, waterfowl and a lot of wildlife along the banks of the river. On both sides of the river there are benches and picnic areas.

6. Try an urban walk. Riverbank Park, adjacent to the University of Michigan campus on Harrison Street, is a well used city park with a short trail and plenty of benches for enjoying the river view. Leave the park at Second Avenue, go two blocks to Saginaw Street and head south. This brings you down the cobblestone streets of downtown Flint, under the decorative arches that span the street and past the historic old downtown buildings.

Tips & Warnings

• The link below has directions and maps for all county parks and walking trails in Flint and Genesee County.

• It is always a good idea to take a cell phone with you when walking in unfamiliar areas.