William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail · 2020. 4. 19. · Hart-Montague Trail Michigan’s...
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Michigan Trails Magazine 2020 • www.MiTrails.org • ©2020 Rockford Advertising. All rights reserved. William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail West Michigan Trails Hart Shelby Rothbury Whitehall Montague Lakewood Club New Era Mears Fred Meijer Berry Junction Trail White Lake 4 6 7 3 2 1 20 31 31 31 31 5 Hayes Oceana Tyler Tyler Baseline Polk Buchanan Dear 4th Taylor 1st St Hayes 64th Grant Baker Walsh Water Arthur Arthur Cleveland Winston Wilke Wilke Winston McKinley Skeets Meinert Park Fruitvale Alice Colby Eilers Old Channel Trail Post Stanton Blvd Benston Rd Hancock Webster 72nd Oceana Dr 1st St 72nd Oceana Michigan Ave Water Rd 64th Ave 56th Ave 64th Lamos Dicey Durham Whitbeck Cook Ochs Oceana Zeller Lake St White Lake Lakewood 56th Stony L a k e Hayes Oceana LAKE MICHIGAN Trails Legend Paved Trail Connector Route Planned Trail Highways Roads William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail Michigan’s first paved rail trail, the 22-mile William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail was completely rebuilt and reopened in 2016. The new asphalt surface was widened to 10 feet and several of the bridges, road crossings and other infrastructure were rebuilt to meet new federal ADA standards. The name of the trail was also updated to honor the late William Field, a local asparagus and cherry farmer who was the unstoppable force behind the creation of the trail. Originally part of the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad, the rail corridor was built in 1872 to connect Pentwater to Grand Rapids. In 1982, William Field led an effort to convert the defunct C&O Railroad line into a recreational trail. After facing local opposition, he spent $175,000 of his own money to purchase the 22-mile strip of land between Hart and Montague, and then donated it to the Michigan DNR for use as a linear state park. His determination finally paid off, and in 1989, the first 11 miles of the trail was opened for the enjoyment of all. This classic American rail trail travels by cherry and apple orchards, picture-postcard farms, woodlands and waterways, connecting John Gurney Park in Hart to the twin cities of Montague and Whitehall. Along the way, you’ll see vast clusters of wildflowers, flowing fields of asparagus, historic train depots and inviting ice cream stands. You’ll find camping and lodging at both ends of the trail and restaurants and stores in all of the small towns along the way. ©2020 Rockford Advertising. All rights reserved. 0 3 6 1.5 Miles Access Site Parking Restrooms Water 1 John Gurney Park Yes Yes Yes 2 Hart Trailhead Yes Yes Yes 3 Shelby Staging Area Yes Yes Yes 4 New Era Staging Area Yes Yes No 5 Rothbury Trailhead Yes Yes Yes 6 Montague Trailhead Yes Yes Yes 7 Covell Park Yes Yes No William Field Hart-Montague Trail Access Trail founder, the late Bill Field (left). Photo Courtesy of Marjorie Peterson On the trail between Shelby and New Era.
Transcript of William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail · 2020. 4. 19. · Hart-Montague Trail Michigan’s...
Michigan Trails Magazine 2020 • www.MiTrails.org • ©2020 Rockford Advertising. All rights reserved.
William
Field M
emo
rial Hart-M
on
tagu
e TrailWest Michigan Trails
Hart
Shelby
Rothbury
Whitehall
Montague
Lakewood Club
New Era
Mears
Fred Meijer
Berry Junction TrailW
hite L
ake
96
4
67
3
2
1
20
31
31
31
31
5
Hayes
Ocean
a
TylerTyler
Baseline
Polk
Buchanan
Dear
4th
Taylor
1st St
Shelby
Hayes
64th Grant
Baker
Garfield Rd
Walsh
Wat
er
ArthurArthur
Cleveland
Winston
WilkeWilke
Winston
McKinley
Skeets
Meinert Park
Fruitvale
Alice
Colby
Eilers
Old Channel Trail
Post Stanton Blvd
White Lake
Benston Rd
Hancock
Webster
Michilinda Rd
72nd
Ocean
a Dr
1st St
72nd
Ocean
aM
ichigan
Ave
Water R
d
144th A
ve
148th A
ve
64th A
ve
56th A
ve
64thLam
os D
icey
Du
rham
Wh
itbeck
Co
ok
Och
s
White Lake Dr
Stap
le Rd
Ocean
aZ
eller
Loop Rd
Lake
St
White Lake
Lakewood
56th
Stony Lake
Hayes
Ocean
a
LA
KE
MI C
HI G
AN
Trails Legend
Paved TrailConnector RoutePlanned TrailHighwaysRoads
William Field Memorial Hart-Montague TrailMichigan’s first paved rail trail, the 22-mile William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail was completely rebuilt and reopened in 2016. The new asphalt surface was widened to 10 feet and several of the bridges, road crossings and other infrastructure were rebuilt to meet new federal ADA standards.
The name of the trail was also updated to honor the late William Field, a local asparagus and cherry farmer who was the unstoppable force behind the creation of the trail.
Originally part of the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad, the rail corridor was built in 1872 to connect Pentwater to Grand Rapids. In 1982, William Field led an effort to convert the defunct C&O Railroad line into a recreational trail. After facing local opposition, he spent $175,000 of his own money to purchase the 22-mile strip of land between Hart and Montague, and then
donated it to the Michigan DNR for use as a linear state park. His determination finally paid off, and in 1989, the first 11 miles of the trail was opened for the enjoyment of all.
This classic American rail trail travels by cherry and apple orchards, picture-postcard farms, woodlands and waterways, connecting John Gurney Park in Hart to the twin cities of Montague and Whitehall. Along the way, you’ll see vast clusters of wildflowers, flowing fields of asparagus, historic train depots and inviting ice cream stands.
You’ll find camping and lodging at both ends of the trail and restaurants and stores in all of the small towns along the way.
©2020 Rockford Advertising. All rights reserved.
0 3 61.5
Miles
0 3 6 9 121.5
Miles
Access Site Parking Restrooms Water
1 John Gurney Park Yes Yes Yes
2 Hart Trailhead Yes Yes Yes
3 Shelby Staging Area Yes Yes Yes
4 New Era Staging Area Yes Yes No
5 Rothbury Trailhead Yes Yes Yes
6 Montague Trailhead Yes Yes Yes
7 Covell Park Yes Yes No
William Field Hart-Montague Trail Access
Trail founder, the late Bill Field (left).
Ph
oto
Co
urt
esy
of
Mar
jori
e Pe
ters
on
On the trail between Shelby and New Era.
