A wooded trail with a rocky path covered in fallen leaves, surrounded by trees with autumn foliage. The sunlight filters through the branches, creating dappled shadows on the ground. DTE Energy Foundation Trail mountain bike trail.
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Tags:
Level: Intermediate
Length: 22 mi (35.4 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Network
Elevation: +363/ -54 ft
Total: 303 riders
 

Mountain Biking DTE Energy Foundation Trail

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#3 of 322 mountain bike trails in Michigan
#191 in the world

Exceptional, professional built single-track. The cutting-edge, sustainable trail is open to mountain bikers, trail runners, hikers and cross-country skiers. The nonmotorized, single-track trail will be approximately 25 miles long and is slated for completion in 2020. It will consist of five distinctively different loops over varying terrain. Known as "flow trail," the surface of the trail is mechanically cut to create highly structured grades and out slopes, which are low-maintenance and sustainable. The loops alternate direction each day and are well marked, with Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday being clockwise, while Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday are counterclockwise. The Green Lake loop is 5.25 mi. It is a beginner friendly trail without any serious hills. It is very flowy with many small hills and a few small jumps which can be rolled over. There are a couple man made features, (with bypasses) log steps over a log, a drop off/ skinny/ wall ride, and a rock roll. The 4.75 mi Big Kame loop is more technical with two large rock gardens and many small to large jumps which can be rolled over. It has several small hills and one very large one with big jumps. Wynn Loop is about 8 miles long. It has many large berms and big hills. There are lots jumps some of which look like they came straight from a downhill park (still rollable). Also, there are quite a few rock jumps and some skinnies of varying lengths. The newest and most advanced trail is Sugarloaf. It is 4 miles and is rated as a black diamond. It has several large hills with massive berms and large jumps as well as many rock features and a large dropoff. Most of the hard parts have bypasses so you can work up to them. Overall the trail system is easily one of the best in the lower peninsula. PS. If you want to get to the blue loop on a counterclockwise day without taking the full green loop, there is a short cut if you go straight along the fire road through a farm field and turn right when you hit the trail.

First added by alvin.santoy on Jun 16, 2016. Last updated May 11, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
  • Drinking water: yes
  • Lift service: unknown
  • Night riding: yes
  • Pump track: unknown
  • Restrooms: yes
  • Fat bike grooming: yes
  • E-bikes allowed: unknown
  • Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
Getting there
I-94 exit 159 Chelsea exit n on 52 ( main st. ) about 6 miles to entrance and parking on the left, west side of rd after a small pond. The main parking lot is always full on weekends. There is a new lot if you turn left off 52 onto waterloo road then right on Cassidy road (the lot is on the right).
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DTE Energy Foundation Trail Trail map

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DrewD (Nov 2, 2024)
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Trail conditions

Good (Nov 2, 2024)
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Reviews

  • OhioFatBiker
    *****

    It is the most fun you can have on two wheels without a lift ticket. Fun, flowy, well maintained singletrack. It is awesome. Rating the difficulty as intermediate does not mean a beginner can't ride it. The green loop may be one of the best trails to learn on anywhere.

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  • Jacob Butler
    *****

    Next level flow, rode until legs gave out.

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  • rmiller8262
    *****

    Amazing trails, super fast and flowy. Cool features and it was in excellent condition on 11/9/19

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  • Cbrizzy
    *****

    Best trails in Michigan.

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  • stillfat
    *****

    SO good.

    Super fast flow trails, tacky dirt. Some of the best in the Midwest.

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  • Javamouses
    *****

    Excellent trail. Did the green and blue (Big Kame) loops. Cannot wait to do the Winn and Sugar loops.

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  • *****

    You must be confused. DTE is in Waterloo State Park, is a new machine cut flow trail. Poto is in Pinckney State Park, is an old, natural trail.

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  • OhioFatBiker
    *****

    This is as much fun as you can have outside of a lift serviced bike park. The trails are so much fun and it is in a beautiful area of Southern Michigan. The green loop is a great beginner trail both in terms of fitness challenge (minor elevation change) and features. The Blue (Big Kame) and Orange (Winn Loop), increase the difficulty without making it a grueling sufferfest. Blue and Orange will have you climb to earn descents that are a roller coaster of fun. Jumps are designed to offer as much or little risk as you are willing to take, and easy to scrub if you want to keep wheels on the ground. Direction by day allows completely different riding experiences on the same trail, and Awesome in either direction. Hats off to DTE Foundation for funding such a great place and to the trail builders/maintainance teams. You make my work trips to Michigan an absolute blast

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  • kovickc
    *****

    Awesome trail in SE Michigan that is well maintained. Looking forward to additional miles coming.

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  • Andrew Lenehan
    *****

    Awesome trails with lots of flow, a few good jumps, and wonderful scenery.

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  • Matt Yakel
    *****

    Awesome trail! One of those ones where you are having so much fun you don't realize how far you have ridden, how much you have climbed, or how you keep forgetting to take a drink. Tons of flow and variety.

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  • jeffkompa
    *****

    Awesome day on trail

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  • joehysong
    *****

    Flow, Fast,Technical When it can be! Road on a Sunday so Clockwise Would love to run the Kame the way it was designed Counter but great system can't wait to go back!

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  • BikerBoy125
    *****

    Awesome fast and fun. This trail is great for beginners and experts I love it. It is multi directional so you can try everything from every direction.

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  • MarkJohnston
    *****

    This trail is awesome! the green loop is a great warm up ride and very easy for beginners. The Big came and Winn loop are fun and technical with huge hills and berms. Lots of fun!

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  • AadamZ5
    ****

    Lots of uphill to work on before you get the really sweet and steep downhill sections. Definitely worth the climb. Trails are forgiving but lengthy, really keeps you focused.

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  • ugracer
    *****

    Hands down some of the best built trails I have ever ridden. Thank you to all who have made this possible . I love riding here . There is something for all skill levels of riders .

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  • Pharmacygirl
    *****

    Easily the best trail I've ridden. Felt like riding a roller coaster the whole way. I recommend going on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. The other days the route is still incredibly fun, but the other way has less uphills and more downhills.

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  • [email protected]
    *****

    I love this trail you can go super fast. Also there are so many cool features.

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Rider questions

Q: Where is the best place to start if you want to ride all the trails at once? Is this possible now without packing the bike up and moving to another trailhead?
A: You can start at either trail head and ride all the traills. I usually start at the grren lake trail head and ride the green loop first as a warm up.

Q: Is this Trail directional? what day has the direction of the jump trail
A: Yes. I may be wrong, but I believe Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday are counter clockwise and Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday are all clockwise. Days and directions are posted at the trail as well.