The Saginaw Valley Rail-Trail offers a year-round rural retreat from the urban confines of Saginaw. Rolling through a continuous woodsy border past farms, fields, and game area for 11-miles, the paved trail connects the manufacturing center of Saginaw with the former coal-mining town of St. Charles.
Beginning at the Stroebel Road trailhead, you'll head southwest on the old railroad grade to get to St. Charles in 9.6-miles. In the other direction, the newer 1.4-mile trail addition alongside Stroebel Road intersects a sidewalk for South Center Road that crosses the Tittabawassee River for access to southern Saginaw.
Luscious displays of Queen Ann's lace and other wildflowers cluster along the route, and interpretive signs identify many of these species. A thick growth of vegetation flanks much of the trail, and the intact canopy of trees makes you feel as if you are in a large forest.
About 2-miles from the Stroebel Rd. trailhead, you'll come to a junction with the Thomas Township Trail. The right fork heads due north through farmland for 2.3-miles to chain grocery stores and restaurants.Back on the Saginaw Valley Rail-Trail, at mile-3 you'll come to a trailhead at Swan Creek and Van Wormer roads that has restrooms, soda machines, drinking fountains, and parking. Crossing Swan Valley Creek, there's a fishing platform where you may see anglers hoping to snag trout, perch, or smallmouth bass.
There are 3-pocket parks, complete with wooden gazebos and benches along the trail.
After crossing Marsh Creek, just before mile-6, you'll skirt the Shiawassee River Game Area. A viewing platform south of Wolf Creek at about mile-8 is a good place to watch geese, ducks, swans and white-tailed deer throughout the year. Approaching St. Charles, the trail crosses the Bad River on a scenic restored bridge and enters the southern trailhead at Lumberjack Park.
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