Midland Staging Area
The Tridge in the City of Midland anchors the Pere Marquette Rail Trail at its southern point. Here the Midland Farmers’ Market pavilion serves as a paved parking area with restrooms, bike racks, and the famous Gerstacker Sprayground for young ones. Chippewassee Park, which offers a full playground, dog park, the Trilogy Skate Park, and plenty of room to play, is within walking distance across the Tridge. The Tridge also serves as a trailhead to the paved Chippewa Trail, which offers a paved, flat, four-mile trail to the Chippewa Nature Center.
Averill Staging Area
The Averill Trail Head is a newly opened staging area developed in 2015 and is located six miles from Midland at the site of the historic Averill Rollway adjacent to the Tittabawassee River. This staging area offers convenient, paved parking along Saginaw Road, a covered picnic area, bike racks, and scenic viewing of the river. Several informational displays describe and depict the historical significance of this site to the past logging industry.
Sanford Staging Area
The Sanford Staging Area is located eight miles from Midland and offers restrooms, seating, water, pressurized air, bike racks, paved parking, and a small picnic pavilion. The picturesque Sanford bridge is a short distance from the staging area, as is Veterans Park and the city of Sanford.
North Bradley Trail Head
The North Bradley Trailhead is a unique stop along the Pere Marquette Rail Trail in that in addition to serving as a trail users’ rest, it is also an equestrian trailhead. Located 14 miles from the Tridge in Midland and 16 miles from Clare, this stop offers shaded tables and seating, parking, horse staging equipment, and nearby food. The groomed equestrian trail is five miles to Coleman and parallels the paved Rail Trail. It’s always exciting to see horses and their riders at this stop!
Coleman Staging Area
The Coleman Staging Area is a welcome stop on the Pere Marquette Rail Trail, located 20 miles from the Tridge in Midland and 10 miles from Clare. Here you will find water, clean restrooms, tables and seating, bike racks, auto parking, posted maps, nearby bike repair, and local food sources. High-functioning rest stops, such as the Coleman Staging Area and others located directly along the Trail, are one of many features that make the Pere Marquette Rail Trail a highly-prized recreational treasure in the State of Michigan.
Loomis Staging Area
The small town of Loomis offers a full-service trail head that includes parking, a playground, bathrooms, shaded picnic tables, and paved access to the Pere Marquette Rail Trail. This access point offers rest and access at the northern section of the trail just five miles East of Clare.
Clare Staging Area
The City of Clare anchors the Pere Marquette Rail Trail at its northern point; and also serves as a staging area for the Pere Marquette State Trail, which begins at the Moose Lodge approximately 1.5 miles West of the ending point of the Pere Marquette Rail Trail. Within the ‘gap’ between Trails you will find the lovely town of Clare, which offers a variety of food, fuel, treats, and recreational areas.
