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Web Site sponsored by
the Friends of the
Betsie Valley Trail.
Web Site © Copyright
2005-2008 by the
Friends of the Betsie
Valley Trail
and ATI Consulting.
All Rights Reserved.
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TRAIL TOUR
The Betsie Valley Trail is built on the bed of the former Ann Arbor Railroad,
which carried freight and passengers from Toledo through Ann Arbor, Owosso, Cadillac,
Thompsonville and Beulah to Frankfort and Elberta. From 1892 until 1982 the freight
cars were carried across Lake Michigan on car ferries to Wisconsin and Michigan's
Upper Peninsula. Passenger service was discontinued in 1951 and freight service in
1985. The railroad was abandoned in 1994 and, in 1998, the Michigan Department of
Natural Resources (DNR) bought the rail corridor. Benzie County and the Friends of
the Betsie Valley Trail have been working with the DNR since 1992 to build the Trail.
The Trail starts at rhe City of Frankfort's Lake Michigan Beach and passes through
Cannon Park at the west end of Main Street. It shares 3 blocks of Waterfront St.
along Betsie Bay, the only part of the trail to share a road, then passes through
the City's waterfront parks to 10th St., where it officially becomes the DNR owned
Betsie Valley Trail. From Cannon Park to Mollineaux Rd. (6.7 miles) the trail is
asphalt and excellent for road bicycles, roller blades and wheel chairs. It crosses
the Betsie River twice near Elberta with beautiful views over Betsie Lake and its
marshland, then travels to Crystal Lake with periodic views of the Betsie River.
The trail from Mollineaux Rd. to Beulah (3 miles) runs along Crystal Lake. The
limestone fines surface is hard enough for road bikes but mountain bikes work better.
The first mile passes through the County owned Railroad Point Natural Area with access
to the beach and Crystal Lake. The two mile portion closest to Beulah runs through
private property on a 10 ft. easement. Special use restrictions apply here and are
listed on trail side signs. Please stay on the trail in this area.
Frankfort, Elberta and Beulah and Thompsonville have accommodations, restaurants,
and camping (see Information Web Links page). There is off
road parking next to the trail in Frankfort and Elberta, at River Rd., at Mollineaux
Rd. and in Beulah. Beulah has a beautiful public beach on Crystal Lake. Visit the
Beulah Trailhead and Visitor Center, a replica of the former Railroad Station, for
information on local restaurants and Delis. Bicycles may be rented in Frankfort,
Elberta, Beulah, and at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville.
The Trail from Frankfort to Beulah is restricted to non-motorized use. The Trail
from Beulah to Thomsonville is open to snowmobiles from December 1st through the
end of March.
The 13 mile trail from Beulah to Thompsonville has an excellent aggregate trail surface,
hard enough for road bikes but cross bikes or, preferably, mountain bikes work better.
It is remote, almost devoid of structures, and passes through mile after mile of
pine and hardwood upland forests, including 6.5 miles of the Pere Marquette State
Forest. There is a gradual 50 foot incline over the 5.3 miles from Beulah to Aylsworth
Road which is no more of a challenge than the predominant winds from the west on
the way back. Between Landis and Haze Roads, there is much wetland and excellent
birding in the spring. At Wolf Road, the Trail passes the old turbine which once
produced the first electricity in this area, powered by the nearby Betsie River.
In 2006 the old bridge over the Betsie River near Thompsonville was renovated and
the Trail has been completed to Thompson Avenue in Thompsonville, one block south
of Lindy Road. There are two restaurants in Thompsonville, and complete lodging and
dining facilities at Crystal Mountain Resort nearby. There is trail-side parking
in the ballpark just north of Lindy Road in Thompsonville (entrance beside the trail
as it crosses Lindy Road). While there is access to the Trail at the road crossings
indicated on the Trail map, there is no designated parking between Beulah and Thompsonville.
Want to ride any part of the Trail one way? Call the Benzie Bus service, 231-325-3000,
make a reservation, spot your car, and the bus will take you, your friends, and your
bikes to any road crossing of the Trail. The busses have bike racks, but if the bikes
outnumber the racks, some can be placed inside. The fee is $2 per person, $1 per
person for seniors (>55 years old). While a 24-hour reservation is preferred,
sometimes reservations may be made on shorter notice. Office hours are 6:00 am to
10:00 pm Mondays to Fridays, and 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturdays. More information
is available on their Web site, www.BenzieBus.com.
Representative Photos of the Trail from
Frankfort to Thompsonville
Cannon Park in Frankfort
Along Frankfort's Waterfront on Betsie Lake
Audubon Viewing Platform near Elberta
Near River Road
Lewis Bridge Overlook
Between River Road and M-115
Railroad Point Natural Area on Crystal Lake
Along Crystal Lake
Beulah Trailhead and Visitors Center
Between Case and Zimmerman Roads
Near Landis Road
Recently renovated bridge over the Betsie River near Thompsonville
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