Trails & Pathways

The Oakland County Trails Master Plan has been developed to provide a framework for creating a connected system of greenways and trails throughout Oakland County. This non-motorized system is envisioned to serve a diverse range of users, providing safe and well-maintained linkages to important natural, cultural and civic destinations and other points of interest within and outside of the county.

Individual chapters from the Oakland County Trails Master Plan document are available through the following links. Some large files may take several minutes to download.

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Existing Conditions
• Master Plan Vision and Gap Analysis
• Design Considerations
• Action Plan & Appendix

Visit the following links to view current trail events, attend a trail council meeting and get up to date trail conditions:

• ITC Corridor Trail
• I-275 and M-5 Metro Trails
• Headwaters Trails
• Shiawassee National Water Trail
• Polly Ann Trail
• Paint Creek Trail
• Clinton River Trail
• West Bloomfield Trail
• Clinton River Water Trail
• MI Air Line Trail
• Huron Valley Trail
• Milford Trail
• Huron River National Water Trail

Oak Routes Trail Map

The Oak Routes network of trails, pathways, and blueways traverses much of the 910 square miles of the county. This non-motorized system serves a diverse range of users, providing safe and well-maintained linkages to important natural, cultural and civic destinations and other points of interest within and outside of the county.

Southeast Oakland (SEOC) Bike Route

Oakland County and Beaumont Health System have teamed up to provide this bike map to bicyclists of all skill levels. Whether a novice or an experienced biker, this map will guide you through the bike-friendly routes and destinations in southeast Oakland County. Oakland County and Beaumont are partners through Oakland County's Medical Main Street initiative to market our region as a destination for world-class healthcare.

Interactive Maps

Oakland County has park, trail, and equestrian finder interactive maps:

• Park Finder – Interactive Map
• Trail Viewer – Interactive Map
• Equestrian Finder – Interactive Map

Michigan Complete Streets legislation (Public Acts 134 and 135) signed into law on August 1, 2010, gives new project planning and coordination responsibilities to city, county and state transportation agencies across Michigan. The legislation defines Complete Streets as "roadways planned, designed and constructed to provide appropriate access to all legal users … whether by car, truck, transit, assistive device, foot or bicycle." The legislation requires Complete Streets policies to be sensitive to the local context and consider the functional class, cost and mobility needs of all legal road users.

Check out these resources:

• Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) – Complete Streets General Guidelines
• Michigan Complete Streets Coalition – Local Complete Streets Ordinances/Policies/Plans/Guidelines
• National Complete Streets Coalition – Smart Growth America
• SEMCOG – Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Plan for Southeast Michigan

Not finding what you are looking for? Check out some of these links:

• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) – Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) – Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) – Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Flexibility
• FHWA – Multimodal Networks: Applying Design Flexibility & Reducing Conflicts
• FHWA – Small Town and Rural Design Guide 
• Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) – Biking in Michigan
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) – Iron Belle Trail
• National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) – Urban Bikeway Design Guide
• Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance – Statewide Voice for Non-Motorized Trail Users
• Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance – Great Lake to Lake Trails
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy – Creating a Nationwide Network of Trails from Former Rail Lines
• Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) – Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel for Southeast Michigan
• Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) – Southeast Michigan Trail Explorer
• The Great Lake to Lake Trails – Route 1, extends from South Haven to Port Huron (East-West)