Proud Lake

Review: The only trail I've ever given less than 3 stars to. This isn't really a singletrack mountain bike trail. It's an equestrian trail, with some 2-tracks thrown in. The overwhelming majority of the course was sand, mud, and horse crap. Completely unmarked, make sure you bring a smartphone with GPS/map. No obstacles or anything resembling fun here. Lots of better mountain biking in SE Michigan. I can't honestly recommend this place to any fellow riders.

Review: I only advise you ride here if you've got plenty of time and innate sense of direction. Downright terribly marked, overgrown, and clearly a happier home for horses than bikers...

Review: Just rode this trail today with my dad and I have to give this trail a big thumbs down! The sad part is this trail has the potential to be a great trail but due to the lack of of direction signs/maps placed along the trail it makes it very easy to get lost, which we did today 3 times. Also this tail is designed to be rode counter clock wise which is another reason why it would have been nice to have more direction/map signs out there so we would have know this but since there isnt we rode 3 out of the 4 loops the wrong way. If it wasnt for luckly passing by another biker we would have never had found out that fact and wouldnt have had the chance to atleast ride the last loop correctly which ironically was the only time we had any fun out there. Watch out for the horse crap too because its everywhere out there. Honestly, Proud Lake state recreation area should be ashamed of themselves for letting this trail deteriorate into this condition because this trail could be awesome if it just got a little TLC.

* Review edited 10/25/2012

Similar Trail: It could be a junior Potawatomi trail if the people who work for Proud Lake that are in charge of the up keep on the trail, actually did there job and kept it up. But in the condition its in right now I can only compare it to a big pile of horse crap.

Review: This trail is one of the better kept secrets on the Detroit area due to its lack of signage and the fact that the trail is shared with equestrians. My best advise to you is to print out the map and keep it with you the first few rides. You will probably make a wrong turn or two the first few rides and it took me about 3-4 rides to feel comfortable with the trail. Once you are comfortable you'll be rewarded with a 10 mile trail that offers 3-4 very different trails. Loop 1 is an easy loop on the eastern side of the park that has some sand in it and is relatively flat with some minor elevation thrown it. Loop 2 offers rolling hills and is pretty short. Loops 3 & 4 are the real gems of this trail with some good quick climbs that will test both your skill and endurance. I have never seen another biker or equestrian on this trail. Trail is well kept and has good drainage with no low spots. Although not overly technical it's a good solid intermediate trail. This trail is also part of the Milford Trail system which allows you to ride the following trails without having to ride on public roads: Island Lake, Milford Trail, Kensington/Proud Lake connector and Hickory Glen. This trail takes approx 1 hour to complete depending on skill level. Give this trail a try, you'll be glad you did.

* Review edited 7/13/2012

Similar Trail: Hickory Glen