Trail Route: Munson Park to Sterling State Park

Monroe has done a very good job of developing its trail and sidewalk systems.

It is now possible to start walking at Sterling State Park and follow the marsh trail to a secret connection to East Elm. This connects to the Riverwalk Downtown if you take the bridge across the River Raisin. Take the Riverwalk to the MLK bridge and cross back over. Follow Elm Street and N. Custer Road on the sidewalks to Veteran's Park. Connect to the path along Cranbrook Park. Cross over N. Custer to connect to the Munson Park system of trails. I'm not sure of the complete mileage, but this is a very nice and lengthy urban walk. I think that the highlight is the system of wooded trails in the back of Munson.

If you did the whole thing, you'd pass by areas frequented by bald eagles. You could see the War of 1812 battlefield sites on the east side of town and several war memorials on the west side. You'd see a Great Lake and spend lots of time along the "crookedest river in the world" as claimed by Ripley's Believe it or Not.

You could stop at several ice cream shops and Vince's, the site of Monroe's best chili dog.

Here are some links to check out:

The Michigan Mountain Bike Association spearheaded the building of the trail. I helped to cut brush a few times. It was very cool. They have a trail status page with maps, directions and trail conditions:

http://www.mmba.org/trails.php?trail=29

This is an article from the Monroe Evening News that updates some of the grants needed to complete the trail. Basically, it can already be hiked. But you must cross railroad tracks. This grant will help to make the route much more user friendly and legal.

http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061027/NEWS01/110270022

I can imagine a day in which this trail system is connected to the SE Michigan Greenways system. The I-275 Bikeway is being rehabilitated and its southern terminus is not too far from this trail. Also, a sidewalk system up Dixie Highway and U.S. Turnpike could connect this to the Downriver Greenways that currently extend to Lake Erie Metropark.