Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Howell, Michigan

Brighton Trail is an exciting and fun bidirectional 3-mile road just outside of the Brighton State Rec Area. Located just south of both Coon and Pardee Lake, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the western end of Pinckey Road, you'll start out in a thick section of trees with lush vegetat...
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Bently Lake Trail is a 4-mile bidirectional trail within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Located just south of Marion Township between Highway 96 and 94, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the northern end of Bently Lake Road, you'll start out in a thick section of trees wi...
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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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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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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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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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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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West Schafer Trail is an easy 1.5-mile bidirectional trail. Located off Pingree Rd, you'll find the beginning of the trail, making it easily accessible. Starting from the western end, you'll begin on a mostly dirt road with towering trees completely surrounding it. Shortly into this track, the trail...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Gawkers Pass is a short incline/descent trail that runs between Mount Magna and Soggy Bottom Loop. It is steep and can get washed out easily. There are also a few rocks along the trail. This trail runs right next to The Notch and can be a great place to watch the buggies give The Notch a go!
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This trail runs along the entire base of Mount Magna. It is a trail that gives access to anyone who wants to try the many routes to the top of Mount Magna. Mount Magna is a concrete area that was designed to simulate obstacles that can be found out west. Those obstacles are;Hot Tub, Potato Salad, Ba...
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This is an intermediate trail with a hill descent or climb and a little off-camber areas. It is a multi-directional trail. One end can be found on Skyline Drive and the other can be located on South Rim Road. As with any of the trails at Holly Oaks, this trail could be more difficult if you run it g...
Learn more about The Troubles

Noyes Boulevard is a main road that connects the front of the park with the Mount Magna area and the back of the park. There is a westbound and eastbound road, and they are directional. This is a high-traffic route so pay attention to the direction of the traffic.
Learn more about Noyes Boulevard

Gawkers Pass is a short incline/descent trail that runs between Mount Magna and Soggy Bottom Loop. It is steep and can get washed out easily. There are also a few rocks along the trail. This trail runs right next to The Notch and can be a great place to watch the buggies give The Notch a go!
Learn more about Gawkers Pass

This trail runs along the entire base of Mount Magna. It is a trail that gives access to anyone who wants to try the many routes to the top of Mount Magna. Mount Magna is a concrete area that was designed to simulate obstacles that can be found out west. Those obstacles are;Hot Tub, Potato Salad, Ba...
Learn more about Mount Magna Loop

This is an intermediate trail with a hill descent or climb and a little off-camber areas. It is a multi-directional trail. One end can be found on Skyline Drive and the other can be located on South Rim Road. As with any of the trails at Holly Oaks, this trail could be more difficult if you run it g...
Learn more about The Troubles

Noyes Boulevard is a main road that connects the front of the park with the Mount Magna area and the back of the park. There is a westbound and eastbound road, and they are directional. This is a high-traffic route so pay attention to the direction of the traffic.
Learn more about Noyes Boulevard