The ChoiceOne Bank Trail Opens September 29: What It Means for Buyers in Fenton, Linden & Fenton Township

The long-awaited trail connecting Fenton and Linden has an opening date: a ribbon cutting is set for Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 10 a.m. near the corner of Silver Lake Road and Jennings Road in Fenton. The roughly 2.2-mile paved shared-use path follows the north shore of Silver Lake, and for buyers looking at new construction in Fenton, Linden and Fenton Township, it is more than a scenic amenity. It is a real, verifiable reason the corridor's newest communities keep building out, and a signal of the infrastructure investment happening around them.

The Trail at a Glance

The path was formerly known as The State Bank Trail and was renamed the ChoiceOne Bank Trail after ChoiceOne Bank contributed $500,000 to the project. Groundbreaking took place on November 12, 2025, and construction has continued through 2026 with asphalt paving and a fall opening target. The trail links Fenton to Linden along the north shore of Silver Lake, and it ties into the broader regional path network, including Linden's Perry Road Trail work on the Iron Belle Trail system.

For homebuyers, a trail like this is one of the most concrete quality-of-life upgrades a community can make. It turns a drive into a walk or bike ride, connects neighborhoods to downtown Fenton and Linden, and gives families a safe place to exercise year round. When you are comparing one new subdivision against another, proximity to this kind of connection matters on both lifestyle and resale terms.

Why It Matters for New Construction Neighborhoods

Some of the corridor's most active new construction communities sit within easy reach of the trail. Fairways of Spring Meadows, Big Sky Development's craftsman community in Fenton Township, and the custom homes at Oaks of Tyrone in Tyrone Township are the headline custom builds, while West Winds by Mitchell Building Co and Allen Edwin Homes' Fenton Acres round out the corridor's single-family options. A buyer choosing among these gets a neighborhood of brand-new homes plus the lifestyle draw of Silver Lake and a finished trail connection.

New construction buyers often ask whether the "extras" in a community actually hold value. Trail access, lake proximity and the Silver Lake shoreline are exactly the kind of amenities that keep a neighborhood desirable for decades, not just at the first sale. When you budget a new build, the lot and the community around it are what set your home apart, and the ChoiceOne Bank Trail is a genuine, permanent addition to that picture.

Trail access pairs naturally with brand-new neighborhoods across the Fenton and Linden corridor. Photo for illustration.

What Buyers Should Ask When Touring New Construction

• How close is the trail? Ask the builder for the walk or bike distance from your homesite to the nearest trail access point. At communities near Silver Lake, that connection is often minutes away.
• Is the lot in the right school district? Fairways of Spring Meadows and West Winds sit in the Linden Community Schools district, while Oaks of Tyrone falls in the Hartland Consolidated Schools district. Confirm the assignment before you pick a lot.
• What is the timeline? Most new construction in the area takes 8 to 12 months from foundation to final walkthrough, so a fall contract often sets a winter or early-spring closing.
• Does the community have water access? Fenton Township's municipal water extension is the key to future development; lots with municipal water and sewer are simpler and often less expensive to build on than rural parcels needing wells and septic.

Whether you are leaning toward a custom build at Fairways of Spring Meadows or Oaks of Tyrone, or comparing resale near the trail, the right agent knows both the market numbers and the neighborhoods behind them. I have walked every active community in this corridor and track each new listing as it comes live.

Want to see a homesite near the trail before the ribbon cutting? Contact me directly at (810) 691-0019 or send a message to schedule a tour. For the latest rate and pricing data on the resale side, our late September market update has the full picture.