The scenic Alpena to Hillman Trail runs for 22 miles across northern Michigan on a former railroad corridor. The surface is largely improved, so the trail is popular with those on snowmobiles, as well as hikers and mountain bikers. The route features five bridge crossings over streams. In Alpena, trail users can continue on the paved Alpena Bi-Path, which connects nearly every park in the city.
You will encounter some gates along the trail, but you can easily get around them on foot or bike. There is also a 2-mile gap in the trail between State Route 65 and Salina Road in Long Rapids Township due to an unresolved legal dispute regarding ownership of the corridor. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources plans on establishing an alternate route in this area and improving the entire length of the trail with a crushed limestone surface as funds are made available.
In Alpena, you can access the trail via the Alpena Bi-Path (Bagley Street across from Alpena High School). In Lachine, you can access the trail at SR 65, about 0.6 mile north of the junction with SR 32. You can also park at the carpool lot on SR 32 just west of Little Town Lounge in Herron. In Hillman, the trail begins at the end of Progress Street, where it intersects with County Line Road just east of town.
My wife and i looked for this trail west of Alpena and found where it crosses 65 near Lachine. This section is not a bike trail, in fact it'not a trail at all, but a winter snowmobile trail only. Looking in both directions from 65 you can not make out even a hint of a trail just a field one direction and someones yard the other direction. There is absolutely no entrance to the trail from the park and ride near Little Town Lounge.
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