Porch Notes
The Kal-Haven Trail
Outdoors
One of Michigan’s first and best-loved rail-trails runs right through here. The Kal-Haven Trail follows the bed of an old railroad for about 34 miles, connecting Kalamazoo to the Lake Michigan shore at South Haven. The tracks carried trains between the two towns for a century (1870s to 1970s); after the line closed, the corridor was turned into a trail in the late 1980s — one of the first of its kind in the state.
Today it’s a crushed-limestone path for biking, walking, horseback riding, and, in winter, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. It rolls past woods, farmland, orchards, and small towns, crossing a couple of memorable old bridges along the way. The village of Bloomingdale marks the midpoint, with a restored railroad caboose and a little depot museum to visit. Long shaded stretches keep it cool on hot summer days.
Kal-Haven Trail State Park · michigan.gov/dnr