AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

River Bends Park

Burgess Overlook–Secret Beach, 3 beaches

4.7 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 1 hr 36 min

Burgess Overlook–Secret Beach, 3 beaches is a 4.7-mile out-and-back in River Bends Park near Utica, MI. The route passes Secret Beach before reaching Burgess Overlook at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 81 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi617 – 705 ft7.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.62248, -83.03656
Nearest town Utica, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Burgess Overlook–Secret Beach, 3 beaches

4.7 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 1 hr 36 min

Elevation 616–705 ft

Out & Back · River Bends Park

Trailhead: 42.62248, -83.03656

Weather Sep 22: Overcast, high 65°F / low 48° · precip 1% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 7:20 AM · sunset 7:31 PM

Transit-accessible: Van Dyke Avenue & Canal Road stop 364 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  4. 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
  5. 150 ftBear right onto Blue (South End), heading W.
  6. 200 ftBear right onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading N.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Blue (South End), heading NW.
  8. 50 ftBear right onto Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain (OMID) Access Road, heading NW.
  9. 50 ftTurn left onto Blue (South End), heading N.
  10. 450 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading N.
  11. 300 ftTurn right onto Green (Two Track), heading NE.
  12. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NW.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading NW.
  14. 150 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NW.
  15. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading NW.
  16. 250 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NW.
  17. 50 ftBear right onto Yellow (Dragstrip), heading NW.
  18. 250 ftBear left onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading W.
  19. 400 ftPass Secret Beach.
  20. 100 ftBear left onto Green (Two Track), heading W.
  21. 250 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading W.
  22. 50 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Drop), heading W.
  23. 50 ftBear left onto Green (Two Track), heading W.
  24. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading N.
  25. 150 ftBear right onto Green (Two Track), heading NW.
  26. 100 ftTurn left onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading N.
  27. 0.3 miBear left onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading N.
  28. 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
  29. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  30. 350 ftTurn right onto Woodall Path, heading NE.
  31. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  32. 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
  33. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  34. 50 ftReach Burgess Overlook, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  35. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  36. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  37. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  38. 150 ftContinue straight onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading SW.
  39. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  40. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  41. 0.3 miBear right onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading NW.
  42. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  43. 350 ftTurn right onto Green (Two Track), heading N.
  44. 100 ftBear left onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading N.
  45. 100 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading NW.
  46. 0.1 miBear right onto Yellow (Drop), heading SE.
  47. 50 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading SE.
  48. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading SE.
  49. 250 ftBear right onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading S.
  50. 500 ftBear right onto Yellow (Dragstrip), heading S.
  51. 250 ftBear left onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading SE.
  52. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading SE.
  53. 250 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading SE.
  54. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading SE.
  55. 150 ftContinue straight onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading SE.
  56. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green (Two Track), heading SE.
  57. 0.1 miTurn left onto Yellow (Main Trail), heading E.
  58. 300 ftContinue straight onto Blue (South End), heading NE.
  59. 450 ftTurn right onto Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain (OMID) Access Road, heading E.
  60. 50 ftBear left onto Blue (South End), heading NE.
  61. 50 ftContinue straight onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading NE.
  62. 50 ftBear left onto Blue (South End), heading NE.
  63. 200 ftBear left, heading NE.
  64. 100 ftBear left onto Clinton River Hike and Bike Trail, heading NE.
  65. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  66. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  67. 50 ftArrive 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/burgess-overlook-secret-beach-out-back-3-beaches

Trail surface

48% paved46% dirt1% boardwalk5% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 65°F48°
Precip1%Wind12 mphUV5Humidity72%
Rained 0.3″ 3 days ago · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
65°45°
Sunrise 7:20 AM12 AM3 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:31 PM
Wed 69°51°
Thu 70°49°
Fri 72°53°
Sat 74°53°
Sun 77°55°
Mon 78°56°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~51 min). Leave by 6:20 PM for the 7:31 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:37 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Van Dyke Avenue & Canal Road stop 364 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Utica, Michigan