more stats
5.3 miles
Distance
132 ft
Climb
-135 ft
Descent
00:51:23
Avg time
-1 ft
Altitude change
768 ft
Altitude min
800 ft
Altitude max
800 ft
Altitude start
801 ft
Altitude end
-0%
Grade
-13%
Grade max
10.5%
Grade min
4,337 ft
Distance climb
4,587 ft
Distance down
4 miles
Distance flat
00:51:23
Avg time

Lightning Bend Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Lightning Bend City Park
    Belding, Michigan
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #153345 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #222432 in Trail Running
    • #272662 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    One Direction
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes

Ride clockwise. There are no signs and the trailhead is kind of secluded, but it is behind the pit toilet in the NE corner of the parking lot.

Very tight singletrack, meanders through the lush woods of the park. A few very small dirt mounds make for jumps and the trail generally is laid out playfully, but there are plenty of off-camber corners and some repetitive sections. There are no technical features, the intermediate rating is simply because of the tightness of the trail. Single direction only.

This trail is unsanctioned.

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 5 miles average
6 Months
  • 5 rides
  • 7 miles avg distance
All
  • 19 rides
  • Last: Aug 8, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Lightning Bend Loop Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jul 10, 2026 @ 2:30pm (America/Detroit)
Jul 10, 2026
 Two trees down, will need chain saw
Jul 23, 2019 @ 11:49am
Jul 23, 2019
more »
Status:
on Jul 10, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4 (1 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (77)
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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
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  • Both Directions
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  • One Direction
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        Directions to lightning-bend-loop trailhead (43.100120, -85.206710)

        Photos

        1 more »
        mtb
        29 |
        May 10, 2025 @ 10:05am
        May 10, 2025

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        Nearby Trails

        Lightning Bend City Park

        • #42684 - 2,459 views

        Frequently Asked Questions About Lightning Bend Loop

        ▼ Where is Lightning Bend Loop located?
        Lightning Bend Loop is located in Lightning Bend City Park, Belding, Michigan, United States. It is part of the Lightning Bend City Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 43.10012, -85.20671.
        ▼ How hard is Lightning Bend Loop?
        Lightning Bend Loop is rated as Blue difficulty.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Lightning Bend Loop?
        Lightning Bend Loop has 132 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 135 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 768 ft to 800 ft.
        ▼ Is Lightning Bend Loop a point to point trail?
        Yes, Lightning Bend Loop is a point to point trail. The direction is One Direction. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Lightning Bend Loop?
        Lightning Bend Loop is 5.3 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Lightning Bend Loop?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Lightning Bend Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Lightning Bend Loop?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Lightning Bend Loop are:
        • July (3 activities)
        • March (2 activities)
        • June (2 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Lightning Bend Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Lightning Bend Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Lightning Bend Loop?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 37 minutes to ride Lightning Bend Loop. The trail is 5.3 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Lightning Bend Loop?
        Lightning Bend Loop is a very popular trail. There have been 61 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 77 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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