Leg 4 - White Pine Trail

White Pine Trail Expedition

Leg 4 Grosvenor Street to Howard City, Michigan

Tuesday, 15 July 2003

Continue Hike 1538 EST

Team Members Present - Chuck Hayden, Bill Smith

Grosvenor Street to Howard City, Michigan

Maintained by: Michigan DNR

Visible Blazes: No. Linear Parkway, blazes not needed

Topography: 100% Flat

Map: Kent County Map, DNR Map of White Pine Trail

Trail Surface: 100% Gravel

Trail Difficulty: Easy

Condition: Good to Average

Unique Features: Village of Sand Lake, Gordon Park, Pierson (and Ice Cream Stand), Howard City, 2 bridges, reconstructed depot in Howard City.

Leg Description: Wapiti and I started the trail after working for some of the day. We started on Grosvenor Street and walked north. Very soon after starting, we passed Gordon Park. It is a small county park just across Northland Drive from the trail. It would make a nice stop.

After about 2 miles, we passed the building were my old business used to be (The Great Northern Adventure Company), and I had memories of the trail when it was just starting and of our plans to provided a rest stop for hikers, bikers, and snowmobilers. I sold the business in 1996 to pursue a more lucrative career (actually a more responsible job that would support a new family).

We then passed through Sand Lake. There we found a railroad artifact. It was a rail that had a tree grown through. This was pretty unremarkable, except that it is the first proof that we were on a railroad grade. The trail offers a full view of the Village. Services include a bank, gas station, grocery store, ice cream shop, sporting goods store, 2 restaurants and party store. The hardware stores were recently closed. All these services are within 200 yards of the trail.

This is the biggest difference between wilderness foot paths and the White Pine. The White Pine goes right through the backyard of many towns. It really is a unique experience. I am looking forward to passing through the small towns I am unfamiliar with.

Two miles north of Sand Lake is Pierson and an Ice Cream Shop that also serves food. The shop is about 75 yards off the trail (again, compared to most trails, this is a cool feature) We had potato skins and a drink in the cool shade of the large overhang. Then we headed to Howard City. We passed through hot sunny areas, and cool canopied tunnels. We passed many ponds, swamps and a small lake. Howard City contains the first building related to the railroad. It is a reconstructed depot.

All in all, we had some great views. I have to say, if you have never hiked a rail trail, you need to do one. I will probably do a few more after this one. Ended at Jeep Bravo at 1844 hours, 9 miles of trail completed.

Notes: None

Submitted by Pathfinder

Replica Train Depot Howard City, Michigan

Pierson, Michigan with Ice Cream Stand in background.

Downtown Sand Lake, Michigan

Leg 4 Map A (208k)

Leg 4 Map B (198k)

Leg 4 Map C (203k)

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