TART Trail Biking Guide: The Best Traverse City Cycling Routes & Stops

Traverse City is built for two wheels. While parking downtown can get chaotic in July and traffic jams line M-22, cyclists in the know skip the gridlock entirely. Thanks to the TART (Traverse Area Recreational Trail) network, you can peddle to award-winning farm-to-table restaurants, lakeside breweries, and sugar-sand beaches along a beautifully paved, vehicle-free system.

Your Basecamp: Townhouses Right on the TART Trail

If you're planning a cycling getaway, where you base yourself matters. Our townhouses are positioned literally steps from the main corridor of the TART Trail:

• TART Trail Townhouse: Roll right out of your private, secure garage directly onto the paved path. The garage is a cyclist's favorite, providing safe, covered storage for expensive gravel rigs, road setups, or e-bikes.
• Trailside Townhouse: Located in the exact same building, offering instant trail access, premium amenities, and enough room to relax sore legs after a long day in the saddle.
• Boardman Basecamp: Designed specifically for adventurers with dedicated gear storage, this comfortable 3-bedroom, 2-bath retreat is the perfect home base for group rides.
• North Boardman Townhouse: Offers generous space, a private garage, and a modern open-concept floor plan with two bedrooms plus a cozy loft, perfect for families.

Eighth Street Bike Shops: Gear & Rentals

Need to rent a high-end e-bike, pick up a flat kit, or get a quick derailleur adjustment? Our TART Trail townhouses literally share a parking lot with Traverse City’s hub of independent bike shops on Eighth Street, making them a 30-second walk from your front door.

⚠️ Local Insider Update: If you are looking at older travel forums, you might see references to McLain Cycle & Fitness on Eighth Street. Please note that the Eighth Street McLain location is permanently closed.

Fortunately, you still have two world-class, full-service shops operating right next door, sharing the same parking lot:

• Brick Wheels (736 E. Eighth St.): An absolute local legend. Brick Wheels is open year-round and offers a massive rental fleet including hybrid cruisers, performance gravel bikes, and electric bikes. Their mechanics are fast, friendly, and deeply plugged into the local trail culture.
• City Bike Shop (747 E. Eighth St.): Located directly across the street from Brick, City Bike Shop is another outstanding, long-standing local institution. They are an authorized Trek dealer with full-service repair capabilities and a great selection of accessories, hydration, and nutrition.

Trip 1: The Farm Club Ride (Heading West)

Distance: ~7.5 miles each way | Difficulty: Easy | Best for: Lunch, estate beers, and rural scenery.

If you only have time for one ride during your stay, make it this one. From our townhouses, hop on the TART heading west, which runs past Boardman Lake and winds through the city before merging with the Leelanau Trail, a dedicated, scenic rail-trail extending north to Suttons Bay.

As you ride north, the suburban houses fall away, replaced by deep, quiet canopies of pine forests and open orchard fields. The crown jewel of this route is Farm Club (10051 S Lake Leelanau Dr), a gorgeous, modern farm-to-table restaurant, brewery, and grocery market situated directly on the trail path.

Wheel your bike right up to their outdoor racks, grab a seat on the pasture-side lawn, and enjoy local food crafted from the fields around you and craft beer brewed right on-site.

Trip 2: The East Bay Beach & Pints Ride (Heading East)

Distance: ~6.5 miles each way | Difficulty: Very Easy (flat) | Best for: Bay views, beaches, and patio hangs.

For a flatter, waterfront-focused ride, head east from our townhouses. This section of the TART Trail guides you along East Front Street, passing downtown municipal parks, before running parallel to the shimmering waters of the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay.

This route offers plenty of beach access. You can stop at East Bay Park or Traverse City State Park Beach to stick your feet in the sand and cool off in the crystal-clear water.

Continue east past the state park to Stone Hound Brewing Co. in Acme/Williamsburg. Stone Hound is aggressively bike-friendly, with large outdoor racks, an amazing outdoor patio, and a rotating list of stellar craft beers named after local geological formations, paired with a delicious fresh taco menu.

Niche Excursion: The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail

While not physically connected to the downtown Traverse City TART trail network, the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail is a world-class paved pathway that every active traveler must experience.

Stretching 27 miles from the southern edge of Empire, through Glen Haven, all the way north to Glen Arbor and County Road 651, this trail winds directly through the towering hardwood forests and dune ecosystems of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

It is incredibly scenic, clean, and features gentle rolling hills. You can load your bikes on your vehicle for a quick 25-minute drive from our townhouses, or make a direct 20-minute drive from our cozy Lake Ann Roost A-Frame cabin.

Pro Tip: If you don't want to transport your bikes, drive straight to Glen Arbor and rent hybrid cruisers or performance e-bikes from Crystal River Outfitters right next to the trail.

Tips for the Ultimate Cycling Vacation

• Respect Trail Etiquette: TART is a shared-use path. Always announce yourself when passing pedestrians ("on your left"), keep speeds moderate in congested city sections, and ride single-file when others are passing.
• Go Electric: Both Brick Wheels and City Bike Shop offer premium e-bike rentals. They are the perfect way to stretch your range and conquer the Leelanau Peninsula's rolling terrain with ease.
• Secure Your Gear: When booking a rental, prioritize spaces that keep your bikes secure. Booking directly at our TART Trail properties guarantees secure gear storage and convenient parking, so you can sleep peacefully knowing your setups are locked up and dry.