The Fruit Belt Rail Trail is open and ready to explore!
The Fruit Belt Rail Trail (FBRT) is now complete and open to the public!
This two-mile linear trail provides a comfortable route for walking, running, and biking. Paved parking lots at the Sixth Street and Flesher Field trailheads improve access for trail users. Along the corridor, landscaping, grading, and native wildflower seeding help stabilize soils while supporting pollinator and wildlife habitat. Black walnut benches, safety fencing, and wayfinding signage further enhance comfort, safety, and navigation.
Funding for the FBRT was supported in part by the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, which invests revenue from nonrenewable resources into lasting public assets like parks and trails through grants to state and local governments.
A bit of history: The corridor that would become the Fruit Belt Line began as part of the Michigan Central Railroad, whose tracks once passed through Oshtemo before the route was shifted to what is now the Amtrak corridor. In the early 1900s, Samuel Dunkley acquired the former line, and by 1907 it connected Kalamazoo to South Haven, where steamships carried passengers and fruit across Lake Michigan to Chicago.
Today, 14 miles of this historic corridor are enjoyed as Michigan DNR’s Van Buren Trail, and communities along the remaining route are working to create a continuous trail. This Fruit Belt Rail Trail segment is the first to be built in Kalamazoo County, an important milestone toward a connected regional trail network. Once complete and linked with the Kal-Haven Trail, the two trails will form a unique 70-mile loop of regional and statewide significance.
Please enjoy the trail and stay tuned for more updates!