FREE Fun: Walk, Bike and Play at Settlers Park in Hartland

We have visited Settlers Park in Hartland for a few years now, but never really did a deep dive in exploring until recently. Turns out this is definitely one of Livingston County’s best kept secrets…and it’s completely FREE to visit.

While the fantastic playground, gaga pit, bathroom (!) and paved walking trail are great features, the golden ticket here is the mountain biking trails, which can also be hiked. They are well maintained and provide beautiful and quiet scenery, but have access to features that make it more family friendly such as a picnic pavilion and bathrooms. I can see our family spending some fun summer days here!

I was inspired to post about this because I found the directions online and the signage in the park confusing. Maybe it’s just me being inexperienced 😉 Either way, hopefully this will help some of you who have felt the same because I know it can be stressful visiting new places when you’re not sure what to expect and have the kids in tow.

This park is 100 acres, so there is a ton of places to roam. That also means parking location will depend on what you want to do. There are 3 bike/hike loops for a total of 6+ miles of trails. Do one, two, or all three!

{And get excited because they are planning to build a kids/toddler bike path there soon so it will become even more little kid friendly!}

PARKING BEHIND MEIJER FOR NATURE BIKE TRAILS {LOOP 1} AND PAVED PATH

Parking behind Meijer {the northwest corner of the lot} is advised if you simply want to walk/bike the paved path or you’d like to access the nature bike trail, aka Loop 1.

The address for Meijer is 2160 Hartland Rd., Hartland, MI 48353

This trail winds through the woods and is fully dirt, so make sure to wear helmets in case there is a fall. I do not have a heavy-duty mountain bike or fat tires and found it to be super fun and I never felt out of control.

The trail winds clockwise, and hikers are allowed on the trail as well heading counter-clockwise. Signage is clear, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

There are a few ramps and challenging features throughout, but nothing my 6-year-old couldn’t tackle or easily go around. The trail is 2 miles long and you will want to follow the signs for Loop 1. This will be a great one for hot days because most of it is shaded by trees.

You can easily add on Loop 2 if you’d like, but that tacks on another 3.1 miles with a lot of hill terrain if you do the entire loop. We did a part of it, and it was super fun too, but definitely a bit more challenging.

PARK NEAR THE TOWNSHIP HALL FOR LOOP 2, THE PLAYGROUND AND THE CATWALK

The address is 2655 Clark Rd., Hartland, MI 48353

One of the coolest features of this park for adventure seekers is the “Cat Walk” ramps. To access those, plan to park near the playground, which is near the township hall on Clark Rd., and follow the paved path to the left past the Little Free Library and butterfly garden to the hill. That way you can just cut across when you see it at the top of the hill.

My son loved riding on the dirt hills here and hopes to ride on the winding boardwalk one day. We got to watch people do it and it’s pretty sweet!

Everything is connected via the paved trail, so depending on your kids’ stamina, it’s possible to tackle it all at once. If you ride a bit past the ramps, you can even find a hidden “graveyard” full of broken bikes!

LOOP 3

Loop three can be accessed by parking near the playground. You can see the features to the left.

Loop 3 is another nature trail, and is 1.4 miles. This one has some challenging features but can also be fun for beginners too.

Overall, I love that this park is great for ALL ages, from toddlers to teens. If you have scooters or rollerblades, consider bringing those too and sticking to the 1.38 mile paved path, which goes from the township hall all the way to Meijer. There really is something for all!

FOOD NEARBY

There is no shortage of delicious options nearby if you’re looking to make a day of it. There are many fast food spots including Culver’s, Panda Express, Taco Bell, Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen and more. Our favorite independent spot for a sit-down meal is Mackle’s Table & Taps, which is just a few miles away.

Where do you love biking? Have fun exploring!