AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

River Bends Park

Biers Overlook–Burgess Overlook, 4 viewpoints

4.6 mi · ▲ 122 ft · 1 hr 36 min

Biers Overlook–Burgess Overlook, 4 viewpoints is a 4.6-mile out-and-back in River Bends Park near Utica, MI. The route passes Secret Beach and Burgess Overlook before reaching Biers Overlook at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 122 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi623 – 705 ft6.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.62603, -83.03738
Nearest town Utica, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Biers Overlook–Burgess Overlook, 4 viewpoints

4.6 mi · ▲ 122 ft · 1 hr 36 min

Elevation 623–705 ft

Out & Back · River Bends Park

Trailhead: 42.62603, -83.03738

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:19 AM · sunset 7:33 PM

Transit-accessible: Van Dyke Avenue & Hall Road stop 419 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
  3. 150 ftBear right onto Blue (South End), heading N.
  4. 200 ftBear right onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading N.
  5. 50 ftContinue straight onto Blue (South End), heading N.
  6. 50 ftBear right onto Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain (OMID) Access Road, heading N.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Blue (South End), heading N.
  8. 450 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NE.
  9. 300 ftTurn right onto Green (Two Track), heading N.
  10. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NW.
  11. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading NW.
  12. 150 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NW.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading NW.
  14. 250 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading W.
  15. 50 ftBear right onto Yellow (Dragstrip), heading W.
  16. 250 ftBear left onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NW.
  17. 500 ftBear left onto Green (Two Track), heading W.
  18. 50 ftPass Secret Beach.
  19. 250 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading N.
  20. 50 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Drop), heading N.
  21. 50 ftBear left onto Green (Two Track), heading N.
  22. 150 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NW.
  23. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  24. 150 ftTurn right onto Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain (OMID) Access Road, heading NW.
  25. 0.3 miBear left onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading NW.
  26. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  27. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  28. 350 ftTurn right onto Woodall Path, heading N.
  29. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  30. 450 ftPass Burgess Overlook.
  31. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  32. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  33. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lower Shadbush Trail, heading W.
  34. 0.2 miSharp left onto Upper Shadbush Trail, heading W.
  35. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  36. 50 ftReach Biers Overlook, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  37. 100 ftSharp right onto Lower Shadbush Trail, heading SW.
  38. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  39. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  40. 0.1 miTurn left onto Woodall Path, heading NW.
  41. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  42. 150 ftContinue straight onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading N.
  43. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  44. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  45. 0.3 miBear right onto Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain (OMID) Access Road, heading W.
  46. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  47. 150 ftTurn right onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading S.
  48. 150 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading S.
  49. 150 ftBear right onto Yellow (Drop), heading S.
  50. 50 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading S.
  51. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading SE.
  52. 250 ftBear right onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading SE.
  53. 500 ftBear right onto Yellow (Dragstrip), heading SE.
  54. 250 ftBear left onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading SE.
  55. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading S.
  56. 250 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading E.
  57. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading E.
  58. 150 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NE.
  59. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading NE.
  60. 0.1 miTurn left onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NE.
  61. 300 ftContinue straight onto Blue (South End), heading NE.
  62. 450 ftTurn right onto Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain (OMID) Access Road, heading NE.
  63. 50 ftBear left onto Blue (South End), heading NE.
  64. 50 ftContinue straight onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading NE.
  65. 50 ftBear left onto Blue (South End), heading NE.
  66. 200 ftBear left, heading E.
  67. 100 ftBear left onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading E.
  68. 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/biers-overlook-burgess-overlook-out-back-4-viewpoints-7-km

Trail surface

41% dirt39% paved14% gravel6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:19 AMSunset 7:33 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.8 mi in (~44 min). Leave by 6:29 PM for the 7:33 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:32 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Van Dyke Avenue & Hall Road stop 419 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Utica, Michigan