Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Dexter, Michigan

Crooked Lake Trail is a unique bidirectional trail within the Pinckney State Recreation Area. Located just north of Dexter Township between Highway 94 and Highway 96, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the southern end of Silver Hill Road, you'll start off on a dirt/gravel road after pas...
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Tiplady Trail is an easy bidirectional trail within the Department of Natural Resources. Located just north of Dexter Township between Highway 96 and 94, this trail is easily accessible. This trail is also within the Reichert Nature Preserve. Starting from the eastern end of Dexter Pinckney Rd, you'...
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Cedar Lake Trail is an awesome 8-mile bidirectional trail within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and right outside the Pickney State Rec Area. Located between Marion Township and Putnam Township, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the southern end of Patterson Lake Road, you...
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Silver Hill Trail is a unique Michigan bidirectional trail within the Pinckney State Recreation Area. Located just south of Hell between Highway 96 and 94, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the northern end of D-32, you'll start out right next to the city of Hell. If you haven't checked...
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Kelly Trail is everything you would think it is based on its name. This 2.7-mile bidirectional scenic trail has many things to offer. Located within the Pinckney State Rec Area between highway 96 and 94 near Hell, it's easily accessible. Starting from the southern end at the intersection of Patterso...
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Monks Trail is a 1.5-mile bidirectional trail within the Pinckney State Rec Area. Located between Cedar Lake Trail and Kelly Trail just south of Putnam Township, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the western end of Kelly Road, you'll start out on a dirt/gravel route that is surrounded b...
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Chambers Trail is an easy and scenic 2.5-mile bidirectional road within the Brighton State Rec Area. Located just north of Rush Lake Road, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the southern end of the trail, you'll start out on a dirt road. Now, while this trail does start right next to som...
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Rush Lake Trail is a 1.5-mile bidirectional road. Located just south of Farley Road, this trail is easily accessible from some of the other nearby trails. Starting off, you'll begin on a dirt/gravel road that has an abundance of trees and wildlife. There are many different types of wild flowers alon...
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Doyle Trail is an easy bidirectional trail within the Pinckney State Recreation Area. Located off Patterson Lake Rd between highway 96 and 94, you'll find the west end of the trail, making it easily accessible. Starting from the western end, you'll begin on a mostly dirt road full of thick trees lin...
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Graves Trail is a fun and entertaining bidirectional trail near the Pinckney State Rec Area. Located just north of Sayles Lake off of M-36, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the northern end, you'll start out on a mostly dirt road in a section of the forest with lush vegetation edging t...
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Spears Trail is a unique and scenic bidirectional trail within the Gregory State Game Area, right off the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Located directly off Cedar Lake Road, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the eastern end, you'll start out on a gravel and dirt road. This t...
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Pingree Trail is a unique and scenic 2.5-mile trail just outside of the Gregory State Game Area. Located just to the west of Putnam Township, you'll find the trail off M-36, making it easily accessible. Starting out the trail is a mixture of dirt and gravel. Shortly after, the trail transitions into...
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Brady Trail is an easy one-mile bidirectional road, yet scenic in its own way. Located within the Brighton State Rec Area south of Genoa Charter Township, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the southern end at the intersection of East Schafer Rd, you'll start on a mostly compact dirt roa...
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Rec Trail is a very fun and scenic 3-mile bidirectional road within the Brighton State Rec Area. Located west of King Road, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the east end at the intersection of King Road and East Schafer Road, you'll start out on a smooth, packed dirt road that leads in...
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Gawley Trail is a unique and scenic 2.5 bidirectional trail. Located close to Bently Lake and south of Pleasant Lake, you'll find the trail off West Schafer Road, making it easily accessible. Starting out, the trail consists of both dirt and gravel. There are quite a few sections of trees, but also ...
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McClure Trail is an easy 2.4-mile bidirectional trail, yet scenic in its own way. Located within the Waterloo State Rec Area near Highway 74 between Jackson and Ann Arbor, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the western end at the intersection of Loveland Trail, you'll start out on a dirt...
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Loveland Trail is an easy & scenic bidirectional 2.7-mile road. Located just off Highway 74, this route is easily accessible. This trail is typically easy with nothing technical, just a few spots that can become muddy after inclement weather. Most of the trail is a combination of dirt and gravel, an...
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East Schafer Trail is a unique and scenic 1-mile bidirectional trail. Located between Cedar Lake Trail and Bently Lake Trail, this trail is easily accessible and breathtaking. Starting from the western end, you'll start out on a mostly dirt road that slowly transitions to dirt/gravel. There are a fe...
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King Brighton Trail is a really fun and exciting 2-mile bidirectional trail right outside the Brighton State Rec Area. Located just west of Chilson, right off Brighton Road, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the northern end, you'll start out on a mostly dirt road for the first mile or ...
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Hinchey Trail is an easy 2.5-mile bidirectional trail just outside of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Located between Cedar Lake Trail and Pigmee Trail, you'll find this trail, making it easily accessible and easy to combine with other nearby trails to make for a fun day. Starting from...
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This trail has two designations: one for full-size rigs and one for ATVs. There are many markers to indicate which path is which. This trail is also one-way. There are many tight turns and it may be harder for vehicles (trucks) with a longer wheelbase. Once on the trail, there really isn't a way to ...
Learn more about Steinwinder

The trail runs along the edge of the park and into the Whispering Woods. The trail is for SXS, ATVS, and motorcycles only. There are some mud holes and areas with tight trees. The trail intertwines with a couple of other trails back in the woods. It seems that some have taken it upon themselves to m...
Learn more about Border Trail Part 2

The entrance to this trail can be picked up from the Lower Parking Lot and runs along the picnic area. This trail is mild with a couple of spots of articulation and a couple of spots that can be muddy if it's been raining. This trail also runs under the two-track style bridge that can be found in th...
Learn more about Bare Back

Little Willy is a mild trail that has few elevation changes. There is also an area that tends to get washed out when it's been raining. It's not very long and is a great trail for beginners. This trail has access to the Lower Parking Lot and access to the two-track style bridge in the park.
Learn more about Little Willy

The trail runs along the edge of the park and into the Whispering Woods. The trail is for SXS, ATVS, and motorcycles only. There are some mud holes and areas with tight trees. The trail intertwines with a couple of other trails back in the woods. It seems that some have taken it upon themselves to m...
Learn more about Border Trail Part 2

The entrance to this trail can be picked up from the Lower Parking Lot and runs along the picnic area. This trail is mild with a couple of spots of articulation and a couple of spots that can be muddy if it's been raining. This trail also runs under the two-track style bridge that can be found in th...
Learn more about Bare Back

Little Willy is a mild trail that has few elevation changes. There is also an area that tends to get washed out when it's been raining. It's not very long and is a great trail for beginners. This trail has access to the Lower Parking Lot and access to the two-track style bridge in the park.
Learn more about Little Willy

This trail begins at the Lower Level Parking Lot and is a connector trail between one of the main roads that runs through the park and the parking lots. There are very few elevation changes. There are some mud holes, some deep and some not so deep. Use caution when traversing the mud holes. The two-...
Learn more about Welcome Trail