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Very scenic, the Betsie Valley Trail is 22 miles long and
extends from Frankfort through Elberta and Beulah to Thompsonville
in Benzie County Michigan. From Frankfort to Beulah it is
non-motorized. All of it is excellent for bicycles and pedestrian
use. The 6 miles from Frankfort to Mollineaux Rd. is asphalt and is
good for roller-blading. From Beulah to Thompsonville (13 miles) the
compacted aggregate trail is open to snowmobiles from December
through March.
 The
Trail starts in Cannon Park at the end of Main St. near the City of
Frankfort's Lake Michigan beach. It shares 3 blocks of Waterfront
St. along Betsie Bay, the only part of the trail to share a road,
then passes through the City's waterfront parks to 10th St., where
is officially becomes the DNR owned Betsie Valley Trail. From Cannon
Park to Mollineaux Rd. (6.7 miles) the trail is asphalt and
excellent for road bicycles, roller blades and wheel chairs. It
crosses the Betsie River twice near Elberta with beautiful views
over Betsie Lake and its marshland, then travels to Crystal Lake
with periodic views of the Betsie River.
The Betsie Valley Trail is built on the bed of the former Ann Arbor
Railroad, which carried freight and passengers from Toledo through
Ann Arbor, Owosso, Cadillac, Thompsonville and Beulah to Frankfort
and Elberta. From 1892 until 1982 the freight cars were carried
across Lake Michigan on car ferries to Wisconsin and Michigan's
Upper Peninsula.
Frankfort is a designated Terrific Town at
www.michiganbackroads.com
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