Downloadable Trail Map. Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents. They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. Jump to subpage There had been more than a few trees and branches knocked over but I wasn't aware if it was recent or slow maintenance. Only negative was that none of the many trail map dispensers had any maps in them along the entire 23 mile ride.
The ones posted along the way were helpful however. Nice paved trail between several towns, good for biking. Starts at the Macomb County border at Dequindre Road and travels northeast. No dedicated parking at the beginning of the trail - the local ice arena doesn't prohibit using the corner of their parking lot everybody does it , although you start the trail by crossing a very busy road.
You can usually make it to the safety island in the center of the road, but especially on the weekends it's not an easy crossing unless you're daring and challenging cars to at least slow down for you. The crossing at Van Dyke and Campground is fairly dangerous - once traffic clears at Campground, turners from Van Dyke don't pay attention to those who are already chancing the roadway - it's a wide crossing and you're in the road for quite a while.
You'll wait for a really clear and safe break especially if you're with slower bikers. They need a light there, but that's a traffic issue Lots of oblivious walkers who need to learn trail manners, lots of fast bikers who also need to learn trail manners It's a nice distance for the weekend biker to ride to Romeo, have lunch, and ride back. We do like the trail, although we like the Paint Creek Trail much better That one isn't paved.
The trail is very well maintained barring the approximately quarter mile stretch about halfway in that could use a resurfacing see most other reviews for the same input. It's relatively flat, pedestrians are very conscious that others are around and stick to trail etiquette, and for the most part is well marked the VanDyke and 29 Mile intersection was a bit confusing but quickly got back on track.
There are also plenty of places to stop and rest with a few restrooms along the way as well. The only reason this trail is a 4-rating for me is the road crossings at dirt roads. As a road-biker, going over very coarse and loose gravel is dangerous for the rider and the bike tires. I have to say that the Macomb Orchard Trail, except for one older section, is the smoothest I've ever ridden.
It is straight and primarily flat. Traveling west from Richmond, it is an easy trek. Once you get past Armada, there are some very slight inclines, not too noticeable. The climb over the M expressway is rather neat with its "barn-covered" bridge, and is the only real "hill" I encountered. So far I have only traveled to just past Romeo stopping at 31 Mile Rd. There is a very rough section of the path between Armada and Romeo, near the power lines.
Scenery to watch for: Only in our part of the state can you pass a farm one minute, and a Ford factory the next! I crossed a branch of the Clinton River and saw cattle grazing in a field below, and not much further ahead at the M bridge, saw the Ford Romeo plant.
Downtown Romeo is a nice diversion off the path if you need a refreshment. Another nice but sad stop is at the crossing in Armada: the April Millsap memorial garden.
VERY important tip: if you encounter any mechanical difficulties, a local company has donated a bicycle repair post at 31 Mile Rd. There is a stand to place your bicycle on, and tools are attached to the post via steel cables, and there is also a tire pump available. As long as you have your own consumables patches, or spare tubes, for instance , this is a handy stopping point if you have hit any difficulties along the trail.
I consider this my "home" trail and ride it 2 to 3 times a week during the summer. My normal route is Yes it has a city-suburban feel, but if you venture farther east from Romeo 32 Mile Road to Armada or Richmond it does feel like "Up-North". Best to go on the weekdays as this is a VERY popular trail and can be crowded during the weekends with families and kids.
Stop at Verellens Orchard for ice cream, homemade peach pies and fresh veggies. I was disappointed with this trail. It was nicely maintained, but it was like biking through spawling suburbia, not country, as many other reviewers described. Would not go again. I started at the beginning of the trail at 24 mile. If you are going to try it, I recommend parking no further west than West Rd for the prettier part. Surprisingly little traffic. Easy to park in the High School lot yards off the trail.
Load up on water before you leave. It's First couple miles heading west are open and sunny, then some more mature trees start to provide pretty good shade. Trail is somewhat wind sheltered most of the way to Romeo. It's long and straight and rural. Scenery for the first ten miles is mostly forest and wild flowers. Then there's a view from the bridge overlooking a river with a few riffles in it.
Nice place to stop and selfie. Roads to cross have very little traffic. Problem in crossing is that the surface shifts from blacktop to loose gravel five to fifteen feet before the road, which themselves are often dirt or stone.
And the approaches turn sharply so the trail crosses the road at a 90 degree angle, instead of 45 to That helps with the ability to see traffic, but creates sharp turns over shifting surfaces. Be careful. Nice wide trail. Well paved most of the way. When you hit a mile of old pavement you are close to Romeo, where you can find water and snacks within feet of the trail, or ride into town in a quarter mile to look for more serious food. I would do it again. Best Michigan trail I have been on.
Better than the western section of Kal-Haven. I biked the western portion of MOT from Rochester last year and only went three miles before giving up. On that end it's all open to sunlight and the trail is flanked by high vegetation so a rider can't see anything. And the road crossings on the Rochester end are killers. Roads are busy, some are blind. Like I said, I gave up.
We rode end to end and back on including around the Stony Creek Park Lake. Lots of wooded areas, apple orchards, farmers fields. Mostly flat and straight. Came upon one deer midday.
Quite a few roads to cross. The western end is busier than the eastern end. Highly recommend. Be sure to have breakfast in Richmond at Ken's Country Kitchen. This year, I purchased a nice mountain bike, so all this trail riding is so new to me. I have heard great things about Macomb Orchard Trail.
A couple of days ago, I started my ride on this trail, starting at Armada, Michigan. I rode all the way down to where Clinton River Trail starts, and then turned around and rode this trail to where it ends in Richmond,Michigan. After that, I rode it back to Armada. So, having rode this entire trail from beginning to end, I give it 5 huge stars! The high grade trail, clearly marked, along with the beautiful scenery, gave me such a huge impression, that I must say that I fully intend on riding this trail every weeks, for the rest of my life.
Great trail once rode from armada to Richmond new pavement and beautiful trees. Today rode from armada to van dyke expressway great trail. A little bit needs to be redone from Powell road to vandyke expressway. Got on this trail at the Onyx in Rochester, rode to Romeo and back.
Just under 22 miles; smooth, clean, and great riding on my bike. As a "newer" rider, it was pretty easy, although I was running out of gas toward the end of the return leg. Worth doing again, perhaps on a slightly cooler day. Lots of places to set up a good cruise speed. Had no trouble with drivers at crossings, but there also wasn't much traffic on that Tuesday afternoon. As I gain experience and endurance, I'll do this trail again, but will definitely take more water and a couple of energy drinks, protein shakes, etc..
Also, will take the legs past Romeo as well to really see the whole trail. This is a fantastic trail! Great scenery and plenty of places to stop and rest. Watch out for drivers when crossing though! In a single day I was almost hit and had profanities yelled at me, all while legally crossing the street I had the pedestrian light at the stoplight both times.
Rode the trail from Shelby Twp. The trail is great for longboards. With the exception of a small stretch in Armada that needs to be redone. Quiet, serene and smooth. This is an awesome trail. The trail is available to all levels of fitness year around. I love the trail so much I have a dedicated Art Gallery on my website. If you would like to see more views from the trail please visit. My review has two corrections I need to make.
We rode from 32 mile in Romeo to Fulton North Ave and back. The first thing we reached was a very nice bridge crossing M Next we reached the bridge over the Clinton river and we were quite surprised. Under the full moon it looked incredible. After a 10 minute stop to take in the scenery we peddled on until we reached a "cathedral of trees" as another review pointed out between Armada Ridge and Fulton.
Once again we had to stop and take in what we saw. I instantly knew I'd spend a lot of time on this trail. I've made the Romeo to Richmond and back journey every Saturday or Sunday morning since and even though the trail closes at dusk I make one night 8pmpm trip a week as this is the only time on weekdays I can make the journey. You will need a pretty bright headlamp after dark for night-riding. From the 32 mile road starting point in Romeo - Richmond is about It takes us about 2. I have found a couple open areas when heading back east the wind can get pretty strong so be ready for some leg burn on those breezy days.
Good news is that pain is weakness leaving the body. Overall the Macomb Orchard Train is a must do for riders of all levels. This was by far the best of the three trails. It was paved and smooth with periodic bathrooms and many benches along the trail. I only rode miles at the west end because I had ridden 20 miles before I got to this trail, but if the rest is like the west end, it is GREAT.
My only comment would be to have water available periodically. It was about 90 today and I went through my two water bottles pretty quickly. A place to refill on the trail would have been nice rather than having to leave the trail for water.
What a difference pavement can make! I highly reccomend the northern leg of trail between Romeo, Armada and Richmond. It was paved last year and it is gorgeous. It's tree-lined, skirts several large farms and there's even a cathedral of trees just west of Armada.
The only drawback is that you have to cross gravel at the dirt road crossings which is a danger and anoyance to road cyclists. I recomend starting from here and heading east towards Armada and Richmond. Or another good starting point is in Richmond near 32 Mile and M Park on the street and head towards the highly visible trailhead at the interection. The news during for the southern leg of the trail is not as good.
The International Transmission Company cleared trees to provide clearance for their powerlines along the east side of the trail. Some of the character of the trail has been lost but it is still and excellent paved trail and it is excellent condition. Overall, bravo to the Macomb Orchard Trail Commission and the Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail for having the vision for this trail and seeing it through.
I posted a review in '09 when there was gravel between Richmond and Romeo. This trail is now completely paved and is absolutely gorgeous. I have ridden the full length of this trail many times the past year and fully enjoy it. I thought the Richmond to Romeo part of the trail would be kind of boring, but it is the best part of the MOT. If you live close to this trail.
I'm a newbie just started riding again this june for health reasons and found this trail just north of me. Its now paved all the way and the bridge past Romeo is finished. Very nice and peaceful ride good for the soul. Lightly traveled during the weekdays but still not bad on weekends. Since its completion in , many residents have enjoyed this beautiful trail, and it has become an important asset to the community.
Of her support, Brown is effusive. With that funding, the county was able to pave the first half of the trail. It helped to accelerate the work, and we were able to surpass all of our expectations. Now that the trail is such an important character in the county's story, it's hard to imagine what it once was. Kids would throw litter and their Slurpee cups out there, but, since the trail has been built, those issues are gone now. You won't see any trash. Users take pride in helping the trail look good.
Back in , when the Canadian National Railroad first put the railroad corridor up for sale, a group of Macomb County residents jumped on the idea of turning it into a trail.
They quickly formed the Friends of the Macomb Orchard Trail and garnered the support of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners, who negotiated with the railroad to reduce its price and successfully made the purchase with financing from the Trust for Public Land.
It was an incentive for us to act quickly. Once the corridor was purchased, a collaborative group of stakeholders from the county, municipalities along the route and the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority came together to form the Macomb County Trail Commission to direct how the trail would be developed and managed.
Members of the commission pay an annual fee to cover the year-round maintenance of the trail. Today, the results of the effort are clearly visible. Restaurants adjacent to the trail offer outdoor patios and bike racks, and new bike shops and other businesses are popping up to service trail users.
For example, there's a Dairy Queen next to the trail, and there will be 30 to 40 bikes packed in front. No question about it, the trail brings business. In addition to its economic impact, the enhancement to residents' quality of life is one of the key reasons behind Hackel's support of the trail.
Parks and recreation are part of a community, and I consider trails linear parks. Stathakis couldn't agree more.
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