Visit Detroit Launches Adventure Series Showcasing Regional Trails and Waterways

Visit Detroit and Expedition Detroit have kicked off Trailblaze Detroit. This new adventure series shines a light on outdoor fun across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. The opening episode features the Paint Creek Trail and Clinton River Water Trail in Oakland County.

Episode one covers 11.5 miles of biking. Then comes 3.2 miles of kayaking through the area. Host Dan Cooke began in Lake Orion, traveled south to Rochester, then paddled downstream until he reached Yates Cider Mill.

The Paint Creek Trail opened in 1983. It became Michigan's first non-motorized rail-to-trail conversion. The 8.9-mile path runs from Lake Orion to Rochester on what used to be the Penn Central Railroad bed.

The White House gave the path a special designation as Michigan's Millennium Legacy Trail in 1999. The U.S. Department of the Interior named it Michigan's first National Recreation Trail in 2006. State officials added it to the Pure Michigan Trail system in 2023.

Lake Orion serves as the Detroit region's first official Trail Town. The village connects to the 36.5-mile Polly Ann Trail, sections of the Iron Belle Trail, and Bald Mountain State Recreation Area.

The Clinton River Water Trail spans 81.5 miles through northeastern metro Detroit. It offers Class II-III rapids for experienced paddlers alongside calmer sections for beginners.

Michigan has designated the route as one of eight official water trails in the region. The state marks these paths along rivers, lakes, canals, or bays for kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and rowboats.

The episode documents the stretch from Downtown Rochester to Yates Cider Mill. Cooke encountered whitewater rapids and technical sections that required advanced paddling skills.

Yates Cider Mill opened in 1863 as a saw mill. It switched to cider production in 1874. The facility became Michigan's first water-powered mill and continues operating 162 years later.

The series aims to promote outdoor tourism. It will shine a light on natural spaces across the three-county area. Each episode will showcase seasonal activities and destinations throughout the year.

The Paint Creek Trail stays open for biking, hiking, running, cross-country skiing, birding, fishing, and horseback riding north of Dutton Road. Yates Cider Mill operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.