Leelanau Trail

The 15.5 mile Leelanau Trail is a non-motorized pathway connecting Traverse City to  Suttons Bay. Running through the last of Leelanau County’s former railroad corridors, the Leelanau Trail creates the perfect setting for transportation, recreation and environmental education. The route stretches through rolling hills, lush forests, picturesque orchards, peaceful meadows and an aquatic medley of streams, lakes and ponds.

There are three trailheads along the trail at Cherry Bend Road, Fouch Road, and 4th Street in Suttons Bay. The trail is currently paved for about 8.5 miles and unpaved for about 7 miles. The paved sections are from M-72 West in Traverse City to Lakeview Road in Elmwood Township and again from Revold Road in Bingham Township to the depot in Suttons Bay. The unpaved stretch will be paved by July of 2012.

During the summer months, there is a porta-john located along the trail at the DeYoung Natural Area about one mile north of the Cherry Bend Road parking lot. In Suttons Bay, public restrooms are available seasonally at the village marina. All year, trail users may use the restrooms at Inland Seas Education Association, conveniently located at the trail’s end, across M-22 next to Boone’s restaurant. ISEA is open Monday to Friday from 9:00-5:00 pm with plenty of bike parking available at the lower level entrance.