Michigan Trails Magazine 2021 • www.MiTrails.org • ©2021 Rockford Advertising. All rights reserved.

ColumbiavilleFalcon’s Nest Family Dining

Village Station

Walkers Party Store14

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ColumbiavilleFalcon’s Nest Family Dining

Village Station

Walkers Party Store14

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Otter LakeKoZi’s Kitchen

Village Market

Central Gas Station

Otter Lake Bar

Otter Lake Service Center

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Experience our Southern Hospitality

Otter Lake CampgroundFull Hook-ups • Beach • Playground

VillageOfOtterLake.com

Experience our Southern HospitalityFriends of the Southern Links Trailway

SouthernLinksTrailway.com

1 See locations on map.See locations on map.Our Hometown Merchants are Here to Serve You

Otter Lake Campground

MillingtonMcPhersons Family Restaurant

Millington Pizza and More

Millington Inn

Cardinal Pizza

Millington Pharmacy

Curly Cone

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Southern Links TrailwayLinking the villages of Columbiaville, Otter Lake and Millington, the Southern Links Trailway is a 10.2-mile, fast and mostly flat, 10-foot wide asphalt trail that has become one of Michigan’s favorite biking destinations.

The Southern Links Trailway began as the vision of local farmer Lonnie Kester and his family who purchased the former Penn Central Railroad line and donated matching funds to make the trailway a recreational

resource for all to enjoy. With help from the Michigan DNR and MDOT, the first phase of the trail from Columbiaville to Otter Lake opened in 2008 with the second phase from Otter Lake to Millington opening in 2010. You will appreciate the attention to detail in the trail construction with paved gravel road crossings and well-placed benches and picnic tables. The Southern Links Trailway Management Council, made up of local municipalities and townships, has earned a reputation for keeping the trail clean and nicely maintained.

Although most of the trail is fairly flat, there is a 3 percent gradual incline from Columbiaville to Otter Lake as it crosses a gentle ridge between the Cass River

and Flint River watersheds. The scenery is mostly rural farmland, passing through pastoral landscapes and wooded areas, including several tunnels of trees.

The three villages provide easy trail access with ample parking and portable toilets. You will find several good eateries, convenience stores and ice cream at each of the three villages, and a public beach and campground in Otter Lake.

The northern trailhead in Millington is at the south end of Gleason Street, just two blocks south of Main Street. Otter Lake’s staging area is just off Payne Street, east of where Lake Road crosses the trail. The trailhead in Columbiaville is near Falcon’s Nest Family Dining on Water Street.

The smoothasphalt surface

is nicely maintained.Cross a bridge over

the Flint River at the Columbiaville

Trailhead.

Cardinal

Le Valley

Main

Center

Gleason

Center S

t

Payne

Washburn

5th

Lapeer

Depot

11th St

N S

tate Rd

N S

tate Rd

N Lake

Fulm

er

Oak

LakeLake

Oak

N S

tate Rd

N S

tate Rd

DodgeDodge

Cen

ter

Hen

derso

n

Hen

derso

n

N County LineWillard

Barnes

Marath

on

Marath

on

Sh

eridan

Birch Run

W Barnes

Goodrich

Millington

W Millington

Arbela

Otter LakeCo Hwy 39

Otter Lake

Briggs

Pyles

Catlin

Wilson

Columbiaville

Piersonville

Hollenbeck

Sister Lake

Aurand

Lane

Gale

Olds

Howell

Ellis

State

Cain

e

Castle

Mcp

herso

n

Crawford

Farrand

Wash

bu

rn

Hamil

Wilson

Van Natter

Hart Lake

Castle

Hemingway Lake

N Lake

Hart Lake

Hart Lake

Oak

Wilson

Oak

Gal

e

Co

Hw

y 29

Arbela

Hanlin

Oak

79

10 8

11

Otisville

Otter Lake

Columbiaville

MillingtonMillington

Otter Lake

HarveyLake

HemmingwayLake

Hol

low

ay R

eser

ve

Butternut Creek

Mil l ing ton Creek

15

15

1557

13 14

12

32

5

1

6

4

3

2

1

4

0 1 2 3 40.5Miles

0 1 2 3 40.5Miles

©2021 Rockford Advertising. All rights reserved.

The Southern Links Trailway has become one of

Michigan’s favorite biking destinations.

Trails LegendPaved TrailHighwaysRoads

Southern Links Trailway Access Access Site Parking Restrooms Water1 Millington Trailhead Yes Portable No

2 Otter Lake Staging Area Yes Portable No

3 Marathon Community Park Yes Portable No

4 Columbiaville Trailhead Yes Portable No

Ph

oto

by

Mel

on

ie L

ich

t

So

uth

ern Lin

ks Trailway

East Michigan TrailsS

ou

ther

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http://villageofotterlake.com