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Van Buren Trail State Park, also known as Trail State Park, is an unimproved rail trail running along a former railroad right-of-way between Hartford, Michigan to South Haven, Michigan in Van Buren County. It is 14 miles (23 km) long and is used by hikers, mountain bikers and horse trail riders in the summer and snowmobilers in the winter. Terrain is flat with farmland and trees.

In 2004, Van Buren County took over operation of the state-owned trail after state budget problems. There was a trail pass system to pay for maintenance but that was resolved years ago and the trail is now free for Michigan residents with a Parks Passport.

In 2015, The Michigan Department of Natural Resources paved the 4.5-mile stretch which connects Van Buren State Park to the South Haven Trail system The pavement is a 10-foot-wide asphalt surface. South Haven maintains the marked route that connects to a downtown trailhead, city businesses, beaches and Kal-Haven Trail State Park.

In the fall of 2022 the Friends of the Kal-Haven Park installed directional and mile posts along the trail to better direct guests traveling from Hartford to South Haven via Covert.

Its northern terminus is South Haven near Lake Michigan. The Kal-Haven Trail starts in South Haven northeast of downtown. The trail pass is valid for both trails.

References

1. "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
2. "Van Buren Trail State Park". Shoreline Visitors Guide. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
3. "Van Buren Trail State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
4. Van Buren County Comprehensive Plan
5. "Paved Van Buren trail extends from South Haven to Van Buren State Park, MLive, Rosemary Parker, Nov 6 2015"

External links

• Van Buren Trail State Park Michigan Department of Natural Resources
• Kal-Haven Trail State Park Michigan DNR
• Van Buren Trail Van Buren County Community Center
• Van Buren Trail State Park Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (Free registration required to view map)

v t e Hiking trails in Michigan
Bay de Noc Boardman Lake Betsie Valley Dune Climb Fox River Greenstone Ridge High Country Horseshoe Bay Iron Belle Iron Ore Heritage Trail Jordan River Kal-Haven Kent Lake Superior Lakelands Lansing River Leelanau Manistee River Trail Marble Head Michigan Shore-to-Shore Musketawa North Country North Western State Trail Ogemaw Hills Pathway Paul Henry–Thornapple Rail Pere Marquette Rail Pere Marquette State Plaster Creek State Line TART Van Buren Waterloo-Pinckney White Pine

• Rail trails in Michigan
• State parks of Michigan
• Protected areas of Van Buren County, Michigan
• Protected areas established in 1994
• 1994 establishments in Michigan