Let’s Walk the Clinton River Trail
We love to go walking as a family. It gives us time to catch up with what’s going on in our family, unwind from the day’s events and get some exercise in, which is hard these days with our busy schedules.
We love living in Rochester because of all the green, the wildlife and the wonderful smells from blooming flowers to fresh-cut grass.
I like to bring my camera along on our walks because you never know what you’ll see. We’ve encountered beavers, duck families, geese, frogs, turtles and pretty little flowers. I also love to take pictures of my girls to send family back home in California, so having a camera with me is a must. The pictures above were taken on one of our many walks along the Clinton River Trail in the month of May. Here is some more information from https://TheCityofRochester Hills.org website:
The Clinton River Trail roughly parallels and frequently crosses the Clinton River and travels nearly 16 miles through Rochester, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Pontiac, and Sylvan Lake. The 4.5-mile portion of the trail running through Rochester Hills bisects the city from the southwest to the northeast along a former railroad right-of-way. The habitat along this portion of the trail is unique in its diversity and creates many opportunities to view and enjoy a host of wildlife species. Deer are common in the brush, muskrats, and mink can be seen in the many wetlands, and the oak forests are home to numerous other mammals and birds. This trail is an important wildlife corridor and links the centrally located Avon Nature Study Area to Riverbend Park in the west and Bloomer Park in the east, all of which provide access to the Clinton River.
The trail also borders the city’s Environmental Education Center and Avon Nature Area, providing opportunities for visitors to appreciate and understand the surrounding natural environment, learn more about the diverse ecosystem found in our community, and enjoy programs covering wetland studies, fly fishing, bird watching, night hikes, and summer camp nature walks.
The Clinton River Trail is a non-motorized transportation route that links to the West Bloomfield Trail to the west, the Paint Creek Trail to the north, and the Macomb Orchard Trail to the east, permitting easy access to community parks, businesses, green spaces, and other existing recreational and cultural sites. I also wanted to point out how safe that trail is! Every time we’ve gone walking, we constantly see walkers, runners, bikers and police officers patrolling the trail in Rochester. I guess that since the weather is warm and inviting, so is the desire to spend time exercising by utilizing the natural resources like The Clinton River Trail. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
Written by Courtney Rix Velasquez Lawless
