Lineal parks—for a unique slant on scenery

Posted by Bill on Monday, October 1, 2007   |   No Comments

As we learned in a recent post, “lineal park” is a term used to describe the recreational developments created in recent years along abandoned railroad rights-of-way. They are lineal since they stretch as thin ribbon-like riding or hiking trails for miles rather than being concentrated into a single location as a park, for example.

One of the advantages of such trails is that they give you a unique perspective on scenery. A new slant, if you will. No longer are you just viewing scenery from afar, you’re actually in it—a part of it. Ever cross a railroad track, glance up the rails to see them curve out of sight and wonder what’s around the bend? Bicycle one of these wonderful trails, and you’ll know.

While I’m using the term to describe biking/hiking trails created in the rails-to-trails movement since the 1960s, there are lineal park-like trails in some large parks, municipalities and other areas that do not depend on a pre-existing railroad right-of-way.

An example is the beautiful Little Traverse Wheelway. Sections of it use an old right-of-way, but other connecting sections have been built where there were never any rails.

Except for a short section or two, the trail is complete from just east of Charlevoix to the outskirts of Harbor Springs. It offers some 29 miles of beautiful northern Michigan scenery at its best. For more information, check out the link above or call 231/348-8280. While space doesn’t permit me to detail all of the Midwest’s lineal parks, I’ll give you a few and a source where you can find more.

MICHIGAN
Hart-Montigue Trail
Paved, 21 miles
616/873-3083

Kal-Haven Trail (Kalamazoo to South Haven)
Limestone/slag, 34 miles
269/637-2788
269637-4984

Musketawa Trail (Muskegon to Marne)
Paved, 26 miles
231/821-0553
616/738-4808

Pere Marquette Trail (Midland to Clare)
Paved, 30 miles
989-832-6874
800/715-3550

White Pine Trail (Grand Rapids to Cadillac)
Mixed surfaces, 100 miles
www.whitepinetrail.com

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and local organizers are continually lobbying for more trails and trail extensions. Currently these Midwestern states have nearly 40 trails: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Wisconsin, the birthplace of the rails-to-trails movement leads the pack with 13. Throughout the country, there are nearly three dozen states with lineal biking/hiking parks. For more information, visit here.

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