Michigan Air Line Trail

Celebrate National Trails Day on an Oakland County trail

Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment
Two people walking on trail at Catalpa Oaks County Park in Southfield

Oakland County and its surrounding areas offer miles and miles of trails for your fitness and enjoyment on National Trails Day, June 4! It’s the perfect time to get outside and take a stroll, jog through a park, bike with friends, kick up some dirt at Holly Oaks ORV Park, saddle up on a horse, or paddle down a river. Whether you’re looking to get some vitamin D, exercise, or just want to enjoy some quiet time with nature, there’s no shortage of trails to meet your needs in Oakland County.

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Bridging the Trails Gap: Van Tassel Pedestrian Bridge

Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment
Steel bridge over wide creek in winter

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

Michigan is the #1 Trail State in the nation with 2,623 miles of rail-trail conversions and thousands of miles of other linear multi-use pathways. The word “rail-trail” is coming into more common usage and is defined by the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy this way:

“Rail-trails are multipurpose public paths created from former railroad corridors. These paths are flat or gently sloping, making them easily accessible and a great way to enjoy the outdoors. Rail-trails are ideal for many types of activities–depending on the rules established by the local community–including walking, bicycling, wheelchair use, inline skating, cross-country skiing and horseback riding.”

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West Bloomfield’s Wilder Side

Oakland County, MI Government Leave a comment

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

The wilder side of nature is often thought to be found only in faraway places, destinations that take hours of travel and detailed planning to get to. Henry David Thoreau sought out the wilder side and wrote, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” In reality, pockets of wild nature not only survive in Oakland County, but often thrive, making the division between wild nature and suburban living blurry at times. Continue reading →