close
Trail Conditions
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Snow Cover Inadequate
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
- Ideal
- Dry
- Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
Trailforks scans users ridelogs to determine the most popular direction each trail is ridden. A good flowing trail network will have most trails flowing in a single direction according to their intension.
The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
- > 96%
- > 90%
- > 80%
- > 70%
- > 50%
- < 50%
- bi-directional trail
- no data
Trail Last Ridden
Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine the last time a trail was ridden.
- < 2 days
- < 1 week
- < 2 weeks
- < 1 month
- < 6 months
- > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
- Downhill Only
- Downhill Primary
- Both Directions
- Uphill Primary
- Uphill Only
- One Direction
Contribute Details
Colors indicate trail is missing specified detail.
- Description
- Photos
- Description & Photos
- Videos
Trail Popularity ?
Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months.
Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades.
Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors.
- most popular
- popular
- less popular
- not popular
ATV/ORV/OHV Filter
Max Vehicle Width
inches
Radar Time
x
Activity Recordings
Trailforks users anonymized public ridelogs from the past 6 months.
- mountain biking recent
- mountain biking (>6 month)
- hiking (1 year)
- moto (1 year)
Activity Recordings
Trailforks users anonymized public skilogs from the past 12 months.
- Downhill Ski
- Backcountry Ski
- Nordic Ski
Jump Magnitude Heatmap
Heatmap of where riders jump on trails. Zoom in to see individual jumps, click circles to view jump details.
Trails Deemphasized
Trails are shown in grey.
Only show trails with NO bikes.
The Torn Shirt loop is a little over 5 miles long and is considered an advanced ride. The Murray Lake Trail is between 7 and 9 miles long depending on which loops you ride and is considered a more moderate trail.

Access Info:
How to get there from Ann Arbor:
Take US-23 north for 18 miles. Exit at Silver Lake Rd. (Exit 55). Turn left. Take the next left onto Whitmore lake Rd. Take the next right onto Winan’s Lake Rd. This T’s into Hamburg Rd. Take a right. After a short distance take another right to stay on Hamburg Rd. After about 2 miles, turn left onto Bauer Rd (large dirt rd). Turn left at the second intersection, which is Bishop Lake Rd. Take this for one mile and the Bishop Lake Parking lot is on your left. Drive time from Ann Arbor is 30 min.
-or-
US 23 north to Exit 54B. West to Chilson Road (app 5 Miles), north on Chilson 3 * Miles to Park HQ, then east on Bishop Lake Road to the trail head.
How to get there from Flint:
Take US-23 south to I-96 west, exit almost immediately at Spencer Rd. Turn Right on Spencer Rd (West), cross Grand River, and continue west (now called Brighton Rd.) until you get to a strange X-shaped intersection, Chilson Rd. Turn left, go south about 1 mile, then turn left at Bishop lake Road. Continue east about 1 mile, passing the Bishop Lake beach, then turn right at the Bishop Lake parking lot entrance.
-or-
South on US 23 to I-96, west one exit to #147 then follow directions from Detroit.
How to get there from Detroit:
West on I-96 to Exit 147, through Brighton app. 6 miles to Chilson Road, south on Chilson to Park HQ, then east on Bishop Lake Road to the Trail Head.
How to get there from Lansing:
East on I-96 to Exit 137, south on D-19 to Coon Lake Road, East to Chilson Road, south to Park HQ, then east on Bishop Lake Road to the Trail Head.
Take US-23 north for 18 miles. Exit at Silver Lake Rd. (Exit 55). Turn left. Take the next left onto Whitmore lake Rd. Take the next right onto Winan’s Lake Rd. This T’s into Hamburg Rd. Take a right. After a short distance take another right to stay on Hamburg Rd. After about 2 miles, turn left onto Bauer Rd (large dirt rd). Turn left at the second intersection, which is Bishop Lake Rd. Take this for one mile and the Bishop Lake Parking lot is on your left. Drive time from Ann Arbor is 30 min.
-or-
US 23 north to Exit 54B. West to Chilson Road (app 5 Miles), north on Chilson 3 * Miles to Park HQ, then east on Bishop Lake Road to the trail head.
How to get there from Flint:
Take US-23 south to I-96 west, exit almost immediately at Spencer Rd. Turn Right on Spencer Rd (West), cross Grand River, and continue west (now called Brighton Rd.) until you get to a strange X-shaped intersection, Chilson Rd. Turn left, go south about 1 mile, then turn left at Bishop lake Road. Continue east about 1 mile, passing the Bishop Lake beach, then turn right at the Bishop Lake parking lot entrance.
-or-
South on US 23 to I-96, west one exit to #147 then follow directions from Detroit.
How to get there from Detroit:
West on I-96 to Exit 147, through Brighton app. 6 miles to Chilson Road, south on Chilson to Park HQ, then east on Bishop Lake Road to the Trail Head.
How to get there from Lansing:
East on I-96 to Exit 137, south on D-19 to Coon Lake Road, East to Chilson Road, south to Park HQ, then east on Bishop Lake Road to the Trail Head.
Activities Click to view
- Mountain Bike
12 trails
- Hike
58 trails
- Trail Running
58 trails
- Horse
47 trails
Region Details
- 6
- 5
- 1
Region Status
Open as of Mar 31, 2020Stats
- Avg Trail Rating
- Trails (view details)
- 59
- Trails Mountain Bike
- 12
- Trails Hike
- 58
- Trails Trail Running
- 58
- Trails Horse
- 47
- Trails Snowshoe
- 47
- Trails Backcountry Ski
- 47
- Total Distance
- 93 miles
- Total Descent
- 3,328 ft
- Total Vertical
- 207 ft
- Highest Trailhead
- 1,078 ft
- Reports
- 172
- Photos
- 33
- Ridden Counter
- 4,204
Popular Brighton Recreation Area Mountain Biking Trails
Brighton Recreation Area Mountain Bike Routes
title | rating | distance |
---|---|---|
Brighton Hard Loop Snack Pack | 17 miles |
Photos of Brighton Recreation Area Mountain Bike
trail: Torn Shirt Trail
76 |
Aug 18, 2021 @ 8:31am
Aug 18, 2021
trail: Lost Loop
76 | | 1 comments
Aug 8, 2020 @ 5:25pm
Aug 8, 2020
trail: Torn Shirt Trail
158 |
Aug 1, 2020 @ 11:43am
Aug 1, 2020
trail: Torn Shirt Trail
147 |
Aug 1, 2020 @ 11:42am
Aug 1, 2020
trail: Torn Shirt Trail
165 |
May 7, 2020 @ 9:09am
May 7, 2020
trail: Torn Shirt Trail
177 |
May 7, 2020 @ 9:08am
May 7, 2020
trail: Torn Shirt Trail
100 |
May 1, 2020 @ 5:41pm
May 1, 2020
trail: Murray Lake Trail
197 |
Jun 8, 2017 @ 4:57pm
Jun 8, 2017Videos of Brighton Recreation Area Mountain Bike

trail: Murray Lake Trail
1:35 |
330 |
Sep 5, 2016

trail: Ralph's Ride
13:45 |
70 |
Aug 2, 2021 , Brighton

trail: Found Loop
13:45 |
68 |
Aug 2, 2021 , Brighton

trail: Lost Loop
13:45 |
63 |
Aug 2, 2021 , Brighton

trail: Murray Lake Trail
13:45 |
88 |
Aug 2, 2021 , Brighton

trail: Torn Shirt Trail
13:21 |
97 |
Jul 13, 2021 , Brighton

trail: Appleton Loop
13:21 |
69 |
Jul 13, 2021 , Brighton
Recent Trail Reports
status | trail | date | condition | info | user |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Murray Lake Connector | May 10, 2022 @ 8:01am May 10, 2022 | Dry | amartz02 | ||
Found Loop | May 10, 2022 @ 8:01am May 10, 2022 | Dry | amartz02 | ||
Access Trail | May 10, 2022 @ 8:01am May 10, 2022 | Dry | amartz02 | ||
Lost Loop | May 10, 2022 @ 8:01am May 10, 2022 | Dry | amartz02 | ||
Ralph's Ride | Apr 24, 2022 @ 10:52am Apr 24, 2022 | Ideal | abelitob | ||
Torn Shirt Trail | Apr 16, 2022 @ 11:15am Apr 16, 2022 | Ideal | dyladan | ||
Murray Lake Trail | Dec 12, 2021 @ 11:16am Dec 12, 2021 | Variable | amartz02 | ||
Appleton Access | Nov 9, 2021 @ 8:25am Nov 9, 2021 | Ideal | amartz02 | ||
Appleton Return | Nov 9, 2021 @ 8:25am Nov 9, 2021 | Ideal | amartz02 | ||
Appleton Loop | Nov 9, 2021 @ 8:25am Nov 9, 2021 | Ideal | amartz02 |
Activity Feed
username | action | type | title | date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | x9uqIdjx | wishlist | route | Brighton Hard Loop Snack Pack | May 17, 2022 @ 5:40pm May 17, 2022 |
![]() | x9uqIdjx | wishlist | region | Brighton Recreation Area | May 17, 2022 @ 4:55pm May 17, 2022 |
![]() | Johnhamburger | wishlist | trail | Torn Shirt Trail | May 11, 2022 @ 5:08am May 11, 2022 |
![]() | amartz02 | add | report | Murray Lake Connector and 3 more | May 10, 2022 @ 10:08am May 10, 2022 |
![]() | x9uqIdjx | wishlist | trail | Murray Lake Trail and 6 more | May 7, 2022 @ 3:55am May 7, 2022 |
Recent Comments
username | type | title | comment | date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | trail | Not sure why the elevation profile for this... | Aug 31, 2020 @ 8:04pm Aug 31, 2020 | ||
![]() | trail | Great trail some down hill tech and great... | Jul 19, 2020 @ 6:28pm Jul 19, 2020 | ||
![]() | trail | Tons of loose rock on hills, covered in stuff... | Jul 28, 2019 @ 4:32pm Jul 28, 2019 | ||
![]() | trail | Adjust to 7.6 miles | Aug 24, 2017 @ 1:25pm Aug 24, 2017 | ||
![]() | trail | Its 7.6 miles | May 18, 2017 @ 10:22am May 18, 2017 |
Nearby Areas
name | distance | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Island Lake Recreation Area | 5 | 2 | 6.2 km | ||
Pinckney Recreation Area | 2 | 2 | 9.2 km | ||
Kensington Metropark | 10.1 km | ||||
Section 21 Trails at Settlers Park | 1 | 2 | 11 km | ||
Milford Trail | 1 | 12.7 km |
Local Mountain Biking Directory
-
Motor City Bicycle (Brighton)
-
D&d BicyclesBike Shop
-
Ride BoutiqueBike Shop
-
The Shop Bikes And BoardsBike Shop
Activity Type Stats
activitytype | trails | distance | descent | descent distance | total vertical | rating | global rank | state rank | photos | reports | routes | ridelogs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mountain Bike | 12 | 21 miles | 1,831 ft | 7 miles | 98 ft | #980 | #508 | 33 | 172 | 1 | 4,096 | |
Hike | 58 | 91 miles | 3,241 ft | 12 miles | 207 ft | #756 | #454 | 170 | 101 | |||
Trail Running | 58 | 91 miles | 3,241 ft | 12 miles | 207 ft | #757 | #450 | 170 | 14 | |||
Horse | 47 | 72 miles | 1,499 ft | 5 miles | 167 ft | #1,132 | 44 | 6 | ||||
Snowshoe | 47 | 72 miles | 1,499 ft | 5 miles | 167 ft | |||||||
Backcountry Ski | 47 | 72 miles | 1,499 ft | 5 miles | 167 ft |
- By brenthillier
NSMBA TRAILFORKS & contributors
- Admins: PotoMBA
- #4027 - 9,015 views
- brighton recreation area activity log | embed map of Brighton Recreation Area mountain bike trails | brighton recreation area mountain biking points of interest
Downloading of trail gps tracks in kml & gpx formats is enabled for Brighton Recreation Area.
You must login to download files.