Palmer Woods has quickly become renowned as the newest must-ride trail system in Michigan. Trail building began at Palmer Woods in 2018, and the network currently boasts 21 miles of singletrack. "By the end of the year, the full 24-mile system should be open," said Caleb Garone, Land Steward for the Leelanau Conservancy.
This expansive trail system has been built solely for mountain bikers — there is a separate trail system in the area for the hikers. The trails have been constructed "within a glacially influenced landscape of ridges in valleys," according to Garone. "This landscape creates a good balance of downhill and climbing, typically getting about 100 feet of climbing per mile ridden."
Most of the trails are one-way directional, with the direction of travel alternating daily. The main exception is a couple of one-way downhill trails, which offer "white knuckle, fast as you please downhills," according to Justin Simpson, Director of Progressive Trails for the West Michigan Mountain Biking Alliance (WMMBA). The "jumps and berms rival some of the best bike parks," Simpson raved. "Countless side hits to let rider creativity show. Unique trail features that aren't just repetitive table jumps and rollers, but proper shark fins, hips, step downs, jumps in and out of berms, etc. It's so darn pretty and located near some great beaches for a post-ride dip."
