New Map! Take a Ride on the Underground Railroad Detroit Alternate

Reader Contribution by Winona Bateman
Published on August 25, 2011

The time has finally arrived! Adventure Cycling Association’s Underground Railroad Detroit Alternate, section 1, is ready to ride. Section 1 begins in Oberlin, Ohio, and travels northwest to Sandusky and Toledo before entering southern Michigan, traveling through significant historic communities including Adrian, Ann Arbor, and Detroit. The route then continues north to Marine City, using the ferry service to Sombra, Ontario, the final stop on this section.  

 When Section 2 is released this winter, cyclists will be able to take the ferry from Sandusky, Ohio, to Essex County, Ontario, where the route will navigate the southern peninsula of Ontario, heading toward Windsor. Then they will travel inland to visit historic settlements and sites before reconnecting with the Detroit Alternate Section 1 in Sombra. The two options become one before heading north to reconnect with the main Underground Railroad Bicycle Route Section 5, where both terminate in Owen Sound, ON. 

 This route will truly be a ride with options. Cyclists can now experience even more of the region, combining other Adventure Cycling routes such as the Northern Tier and the Lake Erie Connector for one- or two-day rides, weeklong loops, or extended adventures. 

 Section 1 of the Detroit Alternate is chock full of amazing Underground Railroad history. For a sampling, check out the route highlights on our website.

For a deeper understanding of the region’s historic ties to the Underground Railroad and the numerous associations with the abolition movement and anti-slavery sentiment, I recommend reading The Underground Railroad in Michigan, by Carol Mull (available through Amazon). Carol and many of the other Michigan Freedom Trails Commission members, including Kimberly Simmons, Veta Tucker, Leslie Williams, and Rochelle Danquah, in addition to our UGRR Advisory Boards, helped outline the rich heritage of the region while making this a great cycling route. Special thanks go out to Detroit Greenways coordinator Todd Scott, route researcher Tony Ratajczak, and Detroit city staff. Thanks to their wisdom and expertise, the route incorporates a dynamic mix of historic sites, scenic roads, and both the rural and urban cycling experience.

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