"Tour de Trail" presented by Friends of the Paint Creek Trail!
If you live in the Greater Rochester and/or Lake Orion Communities then you know the Paint Creek Trail is nature's joyfilled lifeline of runs, walks, bikes, and hikes.
The Friends of the Paint Creek Trail stand ready to promote, support and maintain this treasure of a trail running through our communities. Established in 1983, the crushed-limestone trail runs for 8.9 miles between Rochester and Lake Orion through a mostly wooded corridor alongside Paint Creek.
You can help support their efforts by participating in this fun family-oriented outdoor event on the Paint Creek Trail...the "Tour de Trail"!
WHEN:
Saturday, June 4, 2022. 8:30am to 4pm
WHERE:
Starts at Children’s Park, Lake Orion, MI
Participants include bicyclists, runners, and walkers of all ages. Starting with the cyclists, each group will start their trail journey in waves, and travel from Lake Orion in the direction of Rochester up to their desired distance. Cyclists are required to wear helmets. Upon return to Lake Orion, there will be exhibits, fun activities, and food and beverages, including beer and soda, available for purchase.
Participation Fee: $10 which includes a Trail Passport containing valuable coupons, a route map, information about stops of interest and value along the route, a doughnut/cider voucher, and a beer or soda ticket. When registering, Event T-shirts will be available to order for $15 each. A small supply will be available for purchase at the event for $20 each. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Unregistered children under age 6 may participate at no cost with parental consent at registration.
EXPO
Visitors will find a number of kiosks featuring information and displays relating to Paint Creek Trail activities like cycling, running, walking, safety, etiquette, and more. A Bike Rodeo, set up in the parking lot adjacent to the Art Center, will allow youngsters to learn and practice critical navigational and safety skills. EXPO entry is free to the public.
Food trucks and kiosks will offer food and beverages for purchase.
No pets are allowed in the EXPO.
The Tour de Trail Event Is Unsupported No Rain Date or Refunds
IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
YOU MAY REGISTER YOURSELF AND THEN ADD TICKETS FOR ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING ADULTS AND CHILDREN AGE 6 AND OLDER. ALL REGISTRATION TICKETS WILL ALL BE UNDER ONE NAME.
To Register CLICK HERE.
ABOUT FRIENDS OF PAINT CREEK TRAIL
The Friends of the Paint Creek Trail is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization created to give Trail users the opportunity to help plan for the future of the Trail, and to assist with its environmental stewardship. Our mission is to promote the usage, maintenance, improvement, and enjoyment of the Trail.
Working with the Paint Creek Trailways Commission and Trail Management, we have organized trail rides, walks, and Trails Day events. We also created and maintain the Moutrie Pollinator Garden alongside the Trail in Rochester Hills.
The Friends design, produce and sell a variety of Trail-branded merchandise such as hats, hoodies, and T-shirts.
Members serve as Trail ambassadors. They participate in quarterly meetings where they provide input on Trail management, and suggest, plan and volunteer to help with fun events. Meetings are generally held in person at the Paint Creek Cider Mill or via web conferencing.
Merchandise sales, donations, and special events provide fund-raising opportunities. This enables the Friends to sponsor events and projects, install bike FIXIT stations, bike racks, and water fountains … all for the enjoyment of Trail users.
Membership is free. However, donations are appreciated and increase the effectiveness of our activities. All donations are tax-deductible-eligible. The Friends group has an elected Board of Directors and Officers.
ABOUT THE PAINT CREEK TRAIL
Even though the Paint Creek Trail is Michigan’s oldest non-motorized rail-trail, the occasional face-lifts and renovations keep it looking as young as ever. Established in 1983, the crushed-limestone trail runs for 8.9 miles between Rochester and Lake Orion through a mostly wooded corridor alongside Paint Creek. It is also part of the developing 2,000-plus-mile Iron Belle Trail, comprising separate routes for hiking and biking from Detroit to Ironwood in the Upper Peninsula.
The trail’s many charms include a variety of wildlife, historical sites, rest stops, and a trout-filled creek that the route crosses 12 times. Maps and announcements are posted at the trailheads, where you can also pick up folding maps. Mileage markers, left over from the days when this path was a railway, announce the distance to Detroit. Free bike fix-it stations are installed at the Rochester Park Path to the Trail, at the Tienken Road Crossing, adjacent to the Cider Mill at Goodison, and in Lake Orion near Oat Soda and Cookies and Cream.
The trail follows a former segment of the Detroit and Bay City Railroad that launched service in 1872. The Michigan Central and the New York Central Railroads became subsequent operators, running trains between Detroit and Mackinaw City, and the Penn Central took over in 1968. Emerging from bankruptcy, the railroad in 1983 sold the rail bed to a commission comprised of trail advocates and local communities. The commission surfaced the 8-foot-wide trail with crushed limestone, rather than asphalt, in the early 1990s to maintain a rural experience.
Beginning at Lake Orion, you’ll follow a barely perceptible downhill slope to Rochester. Lake Orion originally grew up around a sawmill built in 1825 but later became a resort destination. Two miles south, a historical marker notes the site of the water-powered Carpenter Rudd Mill that stood here until 1926. This is also where you can connect to the Bald Mountain State Recreation Area for fishing, swimming, and mountain biking.
For the next couple of miles, Paint Creek meanders alongside and crosses the trail, presenting many opportunities for fishing. If you want to try your hand with a bow and arrow, there’s an archery range at mile 2.5. Use caution to cross at busy Adams Road in 0.5 mile.
You’ll pass some open prairie and woods before you reach the Gallagher Road trailhead at mile 5. A short side trip leads to good eats in Goodison—home of the Paint Creek Trailways Commission—at the Paint Creek Cider Mill and Goodison Cider Mill. Just before arriving at the Silver Bell Road trailhead in 0.6 mile, you’ll pass the Paint Creek Heritage Area–Wet Prairie on the right, where land managers perform spot burning to remove invasive plants and restore a prairie.
As you enter the suburban sprawl of Rochester Hills (horseback riding is prohibited south of here) after crossing Tienken Road at mile 7.8, you’ll pass several trail entrances to the 16-acre Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve, which has nature paths and a visitor center. The trail ends in about a half mile at Rochester Municipal Park, where you’ll find parking, restrooms, and drinking water, as well as the annual Art & Apples Festival in September.
The Paint Creek Trail seamlessly joins the Rochester River Walk at the park. The river walk follows Paint Creek for another 0.8 mile through Rochester to a junction with the Clinton River Trail, which joins the Macomb Orchard Trail 2 miles to the east.
May 23, 2022, Rochester.Life Staff