Explore the Ruins and Trails at Lincoln Brick Park in Eaton County (Photo Gallery)

Eaton County’s Lincoln Brick Park provides visitors with miles of hiking trails along the Grand River and past some of the area’s famous ledges, as well as the ruins of a brick factory that operated here in the early 1900s. We’ve explored ruins at many sites in the Upper Peninsula (Freda, Gay, Fiborn) and this was a great chance to get that same experience without driving for eight hours. The brick factory ruins are the centerpiece of a 90-acre park filled with outdoor fun for the whole family, located just two miles from downtown Grand Ledge.

There are more than two miles of trails that wind through the woods, follow the Grand River, pass tall sandstone ledges, through a prairie meadow, and intertwine with the ruins of the Lincoln Brick factory. There are picnic pavilions and a playground as well.

Plaques that give more details about the history of the brick factory are spread throughout the ruins and trails. An example, from plaque number 7: “Although currently only a partial wall of this 300 foot kiln remains, this brick factory has withstood over a century of brick production through five separate owners, a fire which spread throughout the plant in 1927, the depression era of the ‘30s and a temporary shut down during WWII. This factory produced hundreds of thousands of bricks which have been distributed throughout Michigan and parts of the midwest. Structures built with these bricks still remain standing today. Examples are found in Grand Ledge, on the MSU campus and in some of the Oldsmobile factory buildings.”

The photo gallery below shows off some great views of the ruins here, as well as everything else the park has to offer. We loved exploring this historical area and hiking by the ledges. A map showing how to get to Lincoln Brick Park is included at the bottom of this post. For up to date information on hours and fees, check out the brochure and trail map found at www.eatoncounty.org.