The stretch of North Bank Trail between N. Fruitport Road and 148th Avenue looks like solid ground. It isn't. The trail follows a former railroad line, and that section sits on a land bridge. Spring Lake Township's best working theory is that the land bridge was built on old timbers and other organic material that rotted after soaking in water for many years. On May 10, 2026, part of it collapsed.
That is why the closure will last through every fall color weekend and the whole winter. In its August 26 update, the township said the section will stay closed until spring 2027 "due to the extensive nature of the repairs and required repaving." The trail surface is the last piece of the repair. Before anyone can repave it, crews have to rebuild the ground underneath.
So the useful fall question in Spring Lake is which nearby route fits your habit. Your answer depends on three things: whether you bring a dog, whether you ride a bike, and how far you want to go.
What broke, and what gets fixed first
The collapse also damaged a sewer line that runs under the trail. The township says the pipe was probably fine before the collapse. Experts from the health department and EGLE, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, said earlier leaking would likely have left darkened soil around the pipe. They didn't find any. Since then, crews have been stabilizing the trail bed and putting the sewer line back in service.
The Grand Haven Tribune reported the full repair at nearly $700,000. The Spring Lake Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved the first two phases, which are expected to cost $391,500 in total.
| Stage | What the township has said | Status as of the Aug. 26 update |
|---|---|---|
| Trail bed | Stabilization of the collapsed land bridge | Ongoing |
| Sewer line | Getting the damaged line under the trail working again | Ongoing |
| Trail surface | Repaving required before reopening | Section closed until spring 2027 |
The $391,500 for the first two phases is a little more than half of the nearly $700,000 total. Much of the remaining cost is the part trail users will see last.
Right after the collapse, MLive reported that township crews had put up detour and caution signs at the site. The township manager warned that the damaged section was not safe to pass. The fencing is there for a reason. Don't try to slip around it.
The detour, turn by turn
The township's detour map sends trail users north around the closed segment on public roads.
Heading east toward 148th Avenue:
- Turn north, a left, onto N. Fruitport Road.
- Turn east, a right, onto State Road.
- Turn south, a right, onto 148th Avenue and pick the North Bank Trail back up.
Heading west toward N. Fruitport Road:
- Turn north, a right, onto 148th Avenue.
- Turn west, a left, onto State Road.
- Turn south, a left, onto N. Fruitport Road and pick the trail back up.
No one has published an assessment of how this route feels for kids on bikes or for strollers. The township map only labels the middle leg as State Road. If the detour doesn't suit your group, you'll do better with a different route than with the North Bank Trail for now.
The loop that does the most work while the line is broken
The North Bank Trail runs in a line. The Lakeside Trail runs in a circle. According to Michigan Trails, it goes around Spring Lake through Ferrysburg, Fruitport and the Village of Spring Lake, and it connects to the wider trail system on the north side of the US-31 drawbridge. Visit Grand Haven describes it as paved and maintained, open dawn to dusk, with an access point at 808 Central Ave. Sources disagree on the length. Michigan Trails calls it 15 miles, and Visit Grand Haven's Spring Lake overview calls it a 12-mile loop. Either way, it is the longest paved option that starts in town and doesn't use the detour.
You can get on the loop from two Village parks:
- Central Park, with entrances on Savidge Street and N. Fruitport Road. It has Lakeside Trail access, biking trails and an off-leash dog area, and dogs are welcome on leash elsewhere in the park. The township's park page now lists it as "North Bank Park (formerly Central Park)."
- Mill Point Park, at School Street and Exchange Street. It has biking paths and allows leashed dogs.
Central Park is the one spot on this list that combines paved loop access with an off-leash area. For dog owners who used to walk the North Bank Trail, it is the closest swap.
Short woods walks, matched to your habit
Some North Bank Trail regulars want the trees, not the mileage. These spots trade distance for woods, boardwalks and water. Their rules vary enough that you should check them before you load the car.
| Place | Where | Trail | Dogs | Bikes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rycenga Park | 16401 Hemlock, Spring Lake | 0.75-mile gravel nature trail with boardwalks, plus 1.25 miles of woodchip paths | Pet-friendly per listing | Not stated |
| Minnie Skwarek Nature Preserve | Trailhead near 15088 Leonard Road, Spring Lake Township | 0.8-mile natural-surface trail, occasional boardwalks | Leashed | Not allowed |
| Pottawattomie Park | 15600 Comstock St., Grand Haven | 2,750 feet of trail, 160-foot boardwalk | Not allowed | Not stated |
| Hofma Preserve | 16295 Sleeper St. or 13894 168th Ave., Grand Haven Township | About 4.5 miles plus an 885-foot floating bridge at one entrance; 1.62 miles at the other | Leashed | Not stated |
| Connor Bayou | 12945 N. Cedar Dr., Grand Haven | Hiking trails and boardwalks across 142 acres along the Grand River | Leashed | Not stated |
| North Ottawa Dunes | Near 18201 North Shore Drive, Ferrysburg | Ten miles linking North Beach Park and P.J. Hoffmaster State Park | Leashed, not on dune stairs | Not stated |
Some of these listings are a few years old, and Rycenga Park's dates to 2022. Sources also give slightly different addresses for the Minnie Skwarek trailhead. Check the posted signs when you arrive.
The table sorts out quickly. For a long walk with a leashed dog, Hofma Preserve and North Ottawa Dunes have the most trail. For a short loop on a weeknight, Rycenga Park and Minnie Skwarek are the closest to the Village. Leave the dog home for Pottawattomie Park, and leave the bike home for Minnie Skwarek.
Fall programs worth putting on the calendar
Ottawa County Parks has scheduled guided outings through mid-November. Several are at the same parks listed above.
- Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to noon. Fall Colors Hike at Hemlock Crossing Park. Free, all ages.
- Oct. 11, 1 to 5 p.m. Greenway Color Tour from Eastmanville Farm. Ages 12 and up; $100 for county residents, $125 for nonresidents.
- Oct. 14, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Photographing Fall Colors at Rosy Mound Natural Area. Ages 16 and up.
- Oct. 21, 9 to 11 a.m. Bird Walk at Grand River Park in Jenison. Free, ages 12 and up.
- Oct. 23, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Moonlight Night Hike at Connor Bayou. Ages 12 and up.
- Nov. 7, 1 to 4:30 p.m. Lake Michigan Coastal Greenway Thru Hike across Ottawa Sands, North Ottawa Dunes and P.J. Hoffmaster. Ages 12 and up.
- Nov. 14, 10 a.m. to noon. Fall Colors Hike at Rosy Mound Natural Area. Free, all ages.
Closer to home, you can pair a walk at Tanglefoot Park, 312 W. Exchange St., with the Spring Lake Farmers Market on Oct. 8 or Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The park sits on the Grand River and has a fishing pier, an accessible kayak launch, public art and a pavilion.
What's coming next on this stretch of the water
The detour has one more connection to the future. Its western turn is on N. Fruitport Road, which is also home to the Petty's Bayou launch. Today that spot offers fishing access, 20 parking spaces and a public toilet. On August 20, the state announced an $840,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for Spring Lake Township. The money is for buying one acre on Petty's Bayou for a planned waterfront park with a canoe and kayak launch, fishing access and wildlife viewing. That grant covers the land purchase. No one has announced that a new park is open.
The same announcement included $400,000 for the Village to build a universally accessible pavilion, access paths and a rain garden at Central Park. The announcement does not give a construction schedule. Central Park is also where the Lakeside Trail and the off-leash dog area meet. So the park that is filling in for the closed segment this fall is the same one in line for new paths.
The township says it will keep posting North Bank Trail updates as the work moves along. Its Community Engagement page has more background on the collapse. Until the repaving is done, the posted reopening target is spring 2027. For more on daily life near the water, see our guide to everyday life around the Spring Lake waterfront and our Spring Lake neighborhood page.
At Rodriguez Homes, we follow projects like the North Bank Trail repair because trail access is part of what a Spring Lake address offers. If you've wondered how being close to the Lakeside Trail or the North Bank Trail affects what your home is worth, start with a clear number. Get Your Instant Home Valuation.
