The White Pine Trail is Michigan's longest rail/trail stretching a distance of just under 100 miles on the former and Indiana rail bed. The trail reaches from the north end of Grand Rapids to Cadillac. Future plans for other Michigan trail systems include intersecting with the White Pine establishing it as the backbone of the Michigan rail-trail system.

The trail is surfaced with asphalt pavement from North Park Street at the north end of Grand Rapids north to the village of Sand Lake; a distance of nearly 22 miles. Howard City has 1/2 mile of pavement within its limits. There is also a 13 mile section of asphalt pavement between Big Rapids and Reed City. The northern most mile of the trail in Cadillac is also paved. The remaining 60 miles of the trail is surfaced with packed gravel or cinders with pavement planned for the future. Riders with hybrid and mountain bikes will find the entire trail very enjoyable.

The White Pine Trail is open to hiking, bicycling, inline skating, skiing and other forms of non-motorized transportation. Snowmobiles are allowed from Russell Road to Cadillac when there is a minimum of four inches of snow on the trail. Horses, ORVs, motorcycles and other types of unauthorized motor vehicles are not allowed on any part of the trail.