When you look at the Ramblr track, you will notice how close the trails are heading out and coming back. However, the views are dramatically different!! The ride started out of the west trailhead and continued west until a turn was forced. We then took the switchback to avoid the steep descent. When we came to the fork in the trail, we chose the right trail that looks over Coldwater Lake. (Once the leaves start turning , the view along here will be spectacular!!!) We came out on Old Coldwater Rd and went left, crossing the bridge over Hassler Creek, continuing until we were near the cement road block. Then we turned right onto the single track trail. We took the trail to the right, making a left when we reached the backwaters. We continued along the backwaters trail until it ended and made 2 right turns to bring us around to a stream crossing. (To this point the trail north of Coldwater was relatively flat.) We then turned left and up to take the Holloway Ridge Trail that overlooks the section of the Holloway Reservoir south of Stanley Road and took the trail north to Stanley Road. We then crossed Stanley Road to ride the North Holloway Loop clockwise. We turned right to ride along the reservoir. The part of the Holloway Reservoir north of Stanley Road is about a mile across and about 5 miles long. this section of trail only encompasses the area east of the boat launch around to the fishing parking lot just west of the Stanley Road bridge, known locally as The Tubes. There are places along the trail where you can take your horses into the water. You may encounter people fishing or swimming in these places, so be polite and either find a place where there are no people or ask permission to bring your horse into the area they are occupying. We turned right after the second water access and followed the trail to the fishing parking lot. There is a port-a-potty at the fishing parking lot. We then took the trail right and returned to the Stanley Rd crossing. After crossing Stanley Rd, we backtracked the trail we came in on until we took the first right to take us down to the North Beaver Pond Trail. We followed that trail south and east. At the time we rode there were many downed trees to navigate. In order to map the trails north of Coldwater Rd, we took the second left to take a high trail back to the Holloway Ridge Trail. We then turned back and took the first trail to the right for an alternative way back to the North Beaver Pond Trail where we turned left and continued east and south. For map completeness, we turned left to take the connector trail to the Holloway Ridge Trail, then turned around and rejoined the trail along the Beaver pond. We then crossed a culvert and took the first right to take the West Loop Trail. We followed that trail past the trail to the West Coldwater Rd Parking Lot and took the next left to take the Main Trail through the woods back to where we turned onto the West Loop Trail near the culvert crossing. We turned around and took the first left to connect to the trail where we previously did the stream crossing to the Holloway Ridge trail. We then backtracked along the Main Trail. We did another left to connect to where we made our initial right when we entered from Coldwater Rd. We then turned around and took the first left to take the more western trail back to Coldwater Rd. We turned left to follow Old Coldwater Rd back across the bridge and up to the next right where we originally turned onto Coldwater. We then took the first right onto the Hassler Creek North Ridge Trail. We did a left to take a connector trail over to the Coldwater Lake Ridge Trail, made a couple of rights to ride another connector trail, then another right to connect back to where we started riding the connector trails. We then turned around and continued riding the Hassler Creek North Ridge Trail. We took the switchback and continued back to camp.

Horseback Riding

This ride was to map the trails and focused on completeness of the main trails in these areas. It did not cover all of the trail opportunities in those areas. you can plan a ride based on the map and descriptions. The two main trails from the west campground trailhead to Old Coldwater Rd near the bridge are the Coldwater Lake Ridge Trail which overlooks the picturesque unnamed lake that abuts Coldwater Rd, and the Hassler Creek North Ridge Trail that follows the ridge on the north and east of Hassler Creek. The view over Hassler Creek is especially nice in the spring before leaves emerge and in the fall. Old Coldwater Rd & Coldwater Rd are used interchangeably to refer to the section of Coldwater Rd within the park boundary that is closed to vehicular traffic. The Holloway Reservoir is a 1 by 5 mile recreational lake with excellent fishing and boating opportunities. The Stanley Rd bridge isolates a southern portion from the main lake that generally doesn't have motorized boat traffic.

Elba Equestrian Complex, Genesee County Parks, Elba, Hogbacks, Holloway Reservoir, Horse Trails, Equestrian Trails, Equestrian Campground

Oregon Township, Michigan, United States

time : Sep 16, 2025 10:44 AM

duration : 2h 34m 19s

distance : 7.5 mi

total_ascent : 1093 ft

highest_point : 758 ft

avg_speed : 2.9 mi/h

user_id : fletchrider

user_firstname : Steve

user_lastname : Keim

When you look at the Ramblr track, you will notice how close the trails are heading out and coming back. However, the views are dramatically different!! The ride started out of the west trailhead and continued west until a turn was forced. We then took the switchback to avoid the steep descent. When we came to the fork in the trail, we chose the right trail that looks over Coldwater Lake. (Once the leaves start turning , the view along here will be spectacular!!!) We came out on Old Coldwater Rd and went left, crossing the bridge over Hassler Creek, continuing until we were near the cement road block. Then we turned right onto the single track trail. We took the trail to the right, making a left when we reached the backwaters. We continued along the backwaters trail until it ended and made 2 right turns to bring us around to a stream crossing. (To this point the trail north of Coldwater was relatively flat.) We then turned left and up to take the Holloway Ridge Trail that overlooks the section of the Holloway Reservoir south of Stanley Road and took the trail north to Stanley Road. We then crossed Stanley Road to ride the North Holloway Loop clockwise. We turned right to ride along the reservoir. The part of the Holloway Reservoir north of Stanley Road is about a mile across and about 5 miles long. this section of trail only encompasses the area east of the boat launch around to the fishing parking lot just west of the Stanley Road bridge, known locally as The Tubes. There are places along the trail where you can take your horses into the water. You may encounter people fishing or swimming in these places, so be polite and either find a place where there are no people or ask permission to bring your horse into the area they are occupying. We turned right after the second water access and followed the trail to the fishing parking lot. There is a port-a-potty at the fishing parking lot. We then took the trail right and returned to the Stanley Rd crossing. After crossing Stanley Rd, we backtracked the trail we came in on until we took the first right to take us down to the North Beaver Pond Trail. We followed that trail south and east. At the time we rode there were many downed trees to navigate. In order to map the trails north of Coldwater Rd, we took the second left to take a high trail back to the Holloway Ridge Trail. We then turned back and took the first trail to the right for an alternative way back to the North Beaver Pond Trail where we turned left and continued east and south. For map completeness, we turned left to take the connector trail to the Holloway Ridge Trail, then turned around and rejoined the trail along the Beaver pond. We then crossed a culvert and took the first right to take the West Loop Trail. We followed that trail past the trail to the West Coldwater Rd Parking Lot and took the next left to take the Main Trail through the woods back to where we turned onto the West Loop Trail near the culvert crossing. We turned around and took the first left to connect to the trail where we previously did the stream crossing to the Holloway Ridge trail. We then backtracked along the Main Trail. We did another left to connect to where we made our initial right when we entered from Coldwater Rd. We then turned around and took the first left to take the more western trail back to Coldwater Rd. We turned left to follow Old Coldwater Rd back across the bridge and up to the next right where we originally turned onto Coldwater. We then took the first right onto the Hassler Creek North Ridge Trail. We did a left to take a connector trail over to the Coldwater Lake Ridge Trail, made a couple of rights to ride another connector trail, then another right to connect back to where we started riding the connector trails. We then turned around and continued riding the Hassler Creek North Ridge Trail. We took the switchback and continued back to camp.