AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area

Mountain Bike Viewpoint–Rock Garden, 3 sights

6.4 mi · ▲ 378 ft · 2 hr 19 min

Mountain Bike Viewpoint–Rock Garden, 3 sights is a 6.4-mile out-and-back in Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area near Andersonville, MI. The route passes Mountain Bike Viewpoint and Rock Garden before reaching Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area Beach at the turnaround, 3.1 miles in. It climbs 378 ft. It scores 20/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi968 – 1,116 ft7.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.68627, -83.48204
Nearest town Andersonville, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mountain Bike Viewpoint–Rock Garden, 3 sights

6.4 mi · ▲ 378 ft · 2 hr 19 min

Elevation 969–1,116 ft

Out & Back · Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area

Trailhead: 42.68627, -83.48204

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:20 AM · sunset 7:37 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.1 miTurn left onto Mountain Bike Trail, heading SE.
  3. 0.5 miSharp left onto Equestrian Trail, heading NE.
  4. 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  5. 0.2 miBear right onto Mountain Bike Trail, heading E.
  6. 0.3 miPass Mountain Bike Viewpoint.
  7. 50 ftPass Rock Garden.
  8. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  9. 100 ftBear left, heading E.
  10. 150 ftBear right, heading E.
  11. 450 ftTurn right onto Equestrian Trail, heading SE.
  12. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Hiking Trail, heading NE.
  13. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Equestrian Trail, heading E.
  14. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftContinue straight onto Hiking Trail, heading SE.
  16. 0.2 miBear left onto Equestrian Trail, heading NE.
  17. 350 ftBear right, heading NE.
  18. 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
  19. 300 ftTurn right onto Mountain Bike Trail, heading E.
  20. 350 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  21. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  22. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  23. 0.4 miPass Pontiac Lake State Recreation Area Beach.
  24. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  25. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  26. 350 ftReach Mountain Bike Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  27. 350 ftBear right, heading S.
  28. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  29. 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  30. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  31. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  32. 300 ftBear right, heading N.
  33. 150 ftBear left onto Equestrian Trail, heading SW.
  34. 350 ftBear right onto Hiking Trail, heading SW.
  35. 0.3 miBear right onto Equestrian Trail, heading N.
  36. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Hiking Trail, heading SW.
  37. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Equestrian Trail, heading SW.
  38. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  39. 450 ftBear left onto Mountain Bike Trail, heading NW.
  40. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  41. 150 ftBear right, heading NW.
  42. 0.4 miBear left onto Equestrian Trail, heading SW.
  43. 0.3 miSharp right onto Mountain Bike Trail, heading SW.
  44. 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  45. 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/mountain-bike-viewpoint-rock-garden-out-back-3-sights-10-km

Trail surface

30% dirt70% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:20 AMSunset 7:37 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~23 min). Leave by 6:53 PM for the 7:37 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:14 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Andersonville, Michigan