The Flint River Trail is a paved trail running along one or both sides of the Flint River from downtown Flint to the northern edge of Flint and on to either Bluebell Beach or Stepping Stone Falls. From Stepping Stone there is a road section to Bluegill Boat Launch where the trail begins again and goes to the City of Genesee. The trail is almost continuously asphalt and is suitable for walking, jogging, and/or biking.

Keep in touch at: www.myspace.com/bikeflint and/or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FriendsFlintRiverTrail

Friends Organization

Calendar of Events

Purposes of the Friends organization:

We promote:

Greater use of the trail through improved safety, maintenance, and publicity.
Healthy lifestyles by promoting bicycling to new and existing cyclists as transportation and recreation
Improved facilities along the trail
Extension of the trail’s length and movement toward a city/county trail system.

What members of friends do:

Learn more about the trail
Talk to others about the trail
Promote the trail to others
Help with clean-up projects
Volunteer to join a trail patrol
Encourage public officials to improve the trail
Use and take care of the trail.

Membership is open to all who share our purposes. Contact Us

Steering Committee

Bill Baker

Stephany Diana
Brad Eshbaugh
Bob Haviland

Cindy Henry

Terry Henry
Linda Johnson-Barnes

Mike Keeler

Cathy Lancaster

Dave Mansfield

Jack Minore
Bruce Nieuwenhuis
Becky Pettengill
Howard Robinson
Lynn Thigpen

Lyle Walker

Willie Williamson

Activities/Calendar of Events

Sunday Rides – Every Sunday, May through October.

The Friends of the Flint River Trail ride every Sunday, May through October at 2:00 p.m. We ride every Sunday from May through October, same place, same time, rain or shine! Our rides are a family event – not a speed workout. All levels of riders are welcome. Children must be accompanied by adults and should be able to ride at least 6 miles at a slow pace with several breaks. We STRONGLY encourage the use of helmets for all riders.

Tentative Schedule for Special Sunday Rides

april 26
cleanup Vet's Park 9AM

may 4
kick-off ride for the 2008 season

may 11
Ice Cream Ride

may 18
What's up downtown tour

June 8
Ice cream ride

June 15
Sloan museum

July 13
Ice cream ride

July 27
Picnic at BlueBell Beach

Aug 10
Ice cream ride

Sept 14
Ice cream ride

Oct 12
Ice cream ride

Oct 26
Last Official Ride of Season

Ride to the top

Articles from the "River Ride" Newsletter

If you would like to be on the Friends of the Flint River Trail "River Ride" Newsletter mailing list Contact Us .

New Bike Trails are Coming

-Stef Diana

A plan to eventually link all of Genesee County's bicycle and hiking trails has been drafted. The plan was written by an informal group of trail advocates, local units of government, county agencies, and community organizations with staff support provided by the Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission

The regional plan allows trail advocates and government agencies to move forward with an understanding that all the individual trails will connect together to form a regional trail system. You can find details of the plans, with maps, at: http://www.co.genesee.mi.us/gcmpc-plan/Trails.htm

Several new trails or trail extensions are at least in the planning stages. Here is a quick summary of a few of the most promising prospects:

Genesee Valley Trail: The abandoned rail corridor that starts at the old Chevrolet Manufacturing plant site and runs southwest to Genesee Valley is going to be converted into a multi-use trail. The section in Flint Township from I-75, near Corunna Road, to Genesee Valley will be addressed first. Plans for the City of Flint section are still very much up in the air.

Mott Lake Loop: Having just opened the Stepping Stone Falls section of the Flint River Trail last season, the Genesee County Park Commission is now applying for funding to complete the loop around Mott Lake. The project would take place over the next four years and, as always, is dependent on external funding.

Gilkey Creek at Applewood and Mott Community College: Plans have been finalized to extend the section of the Flint River Trail that runs through Kearsley Park. The extension will cross Longway at Applewood Estates, at the corner of Longway and Kearsley, then go east across Gilkey Creek. It will then follow the creek on its east and south sides until it reaches Court Street.

Bike Lanes in Downtown Flint: The Downtown Traffic and Parking Study completed in November has recommended bike lanes on Harrison, Beach, and Kearsley streets from Grand Traverse to W. Court St.

At this point, all of this is in the planning stages, but that is a necessary step before you get asphalt. We are seeing progress in the right direction.