The Flat River and the Fred Meijer trails

Greenville grew up along the Flat River, and today that river is the centerpiece of a great trail network. The paved Fred Meijer Flat River Trail makes a roughly 6.5-mile loop through Greenville, following the river and linking several city parks. From Jackson’s Landing Park in town, it connects into a much larger system: the Fred Meijer Flat River Valley Trail runs south about 22 miles toward Belding and Lowell, while the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail runs north about 40 miles through Edmore all the way to Alma.

Altogether these paved and crushed-stone rail-trails form part of a 125-mile regional network — named for Fred Meijer, the Greenville-born grocery magnate whose foundation helped fund and maintain them. They’re popular for biking, walking, and running through woods, farmland, and small downtowns.

If you like being able to bike or walk for miles right from town, this is a real perk of the area.