
Clinton River Trail - Opdyke Trailhead - Auburn Hills, MI
Posted by:
Dinoprophet
N 42° 37.621 W 083° 14.939
17T E 315580 N 4721849
Mixed surface trail through a variety of areas.
Waymark Code: WM7539
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 09/03/2009
Views: 7
The Clinton River Trail passes through a broad mix of areas -- residential, natural, commercial, and recreational. It crosses over I-75, under M-59, and past the site of a mastodon dig. The west end in Rochester and Rochester Hills is particularly scenic.
This trailhead is about nine miles from the west end of the trail and seven miles from the east end. As of September 2009, the trail is finished to the east, consisting of both paved and limestone surfaces. About two miles from the end, it connects to the Paint Creek Trail via the Rochester River Walk. At the east end, it joins the Macomb Orchard Trail. To the west, there are a couple of temporary routes that leave the rail bed. At the west end, the trail joins the West Bloomfield Trail.
If you start or even ride past here, please post a visit and add photos from along the trail.
History:
(from the
Friends of the Clinton River Trail Map)
"Originally used by Native Americans as a route around the vast swamplands between Rochester and Detroit, this trail follows the Clinton River through most of its journey across Oakland County. The Grand Trunk Railroad, originally called the Michigan Air Line, laid down a rail bed along this route in 1879. When the railroad divested this portion of the rain line in 1998, The Friends of the Clinton river Trail group formed and became the catalyst for acquiring this property for trail usage. This led to the formation of the Clinton River Trail Alliance that pursued funding sources to purchase the property and developed the Clinton river trail Master Plan to coordinate a seamless connection of the trail through the five member communities. Grant funding from the Michigan natural Resources Trust Fund and GreenWays Initiative, as well as from the five individual cities made the land purchase possible, while funding from the Michigan Department of Transportation is assisting in the trail's development. The ultimate goal of connecting this trail to a regional trail is surely becoming a reality."