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
12
13
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
n L
inks
Tra
ilw
ay
http://villageofotterlake.com