AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Highland State Recreation Area

Hilltop Rest Area–Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, 4 sights

6.3 mi · ▲ 363 ft · 2 hr 17 min

Hilltop Rest Area–Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, 4 sights is a 6.3-mile out-and-back in Highland State Recreation Area near Highland, MI. The route passes Hilltop Rest Area before reaching Hilltop Rest Area at the turnaround, 3.2 miles in. It climbs 363 ft. It scores 23/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi974 – 1,053 ft7.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.63899, -83.60588
Nearest town Highland, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Hilltop Rest Area–Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, 4 sights

6.3 mi · ▲ 363 ft · 2 hr 17 min

Elevation 976–1,054 ft

Out & Back · Highland State Recreation Area

Trailhead: 42.63899, -83.60588

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:21 AM · sunset 7:35 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  4. 0.5 miTurn right onto North Loop, heading E.
  5. 0.7 miTurn left, heading E.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, heading SE.
  7. 50 ftBear right onto Upper West Loop, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftBear left onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, heading SE.
  9. 250 ftTurn right onto Upper West Loop, heading SE.
  10. 350 ftContinue straight onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, heading S.
  11. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Upper West Loop, heading W.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, heading SW.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Upper West Loop, heading SW.
  14. 450 ftTurn right onto West Loop, heading S.
  15. 0.1 miPass Hilltop Rest Area.
  16. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - D Loop, heading S.
  17. 50 ftBear right onto West Loop, heading S.
  18. 250 ftContinue straight onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - B Loop, heading SW.
  19. 0.9 miReach Hilltop Rest Area, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 0.9 miContinue straight onto West Loop, heading N.
  21. 250 ftBear left onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - D Loop, heading W.
  22. 50 ftContinue straight onto West Loop, heading W.
  23. 0.2 miTurn left onto Upper West Loop, heading S.
  24. 450 ftContinue straight onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, heading NW.
  25. 50 ftContinue straight onto Upper West Loop, heading NW.
  26. 50 ftContinue straight onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, heading NW.
  27. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Upper West Loop, heading NE.
  28. 350 ftTurn left onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, heading NE.
  29. 250 ftBear right onto Upper West Loop, heading NE.
  30. 50 ftBear left onto Highland Mountain Bike Trails - A Loop, heading NE.
  31. 50 ftTurn left onto North Loop, heading NE.
  32. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  33. 0.7 miTurn left, heading SW.
  34. 0.5 miBear left, heading NW.
  35. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  36. 0.3 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/hilltop-rest-area-hilltop-rest-area-out-back-5-sights-10-km-1e7c

Trail surface

62% other13% dirt25% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:21 AMSunset 7:35 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 7:13 PM for the 7:35 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:53 PM — 11 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

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