The Ox Creek Trail will be a 2.6 mile walking/biking trail along Ox Creek from Highland Street to the Home Depot on Pipestone Road. It will connect to the existing trail along Ox Creek at Main Street leading to the Harbor Shores Golf Course and development and connecting to 10 miles of public trails and to Lake Michigan at Jean Klock Park.
Ox Creek bisects the underserved Benton Harbor City and Township and connecting to Lake Michigan via the Paw Paw and St. Joseph Rivers. The City and schools own over 80 acres in the city and township through the corridor.
The Ox Creek Trail is the signature project of the Ox Creek Revitalization Effort that began in earnest in 2021. The City and Township envision a vibrant Ox Creek corridor with a lighted walking/biking path, outdoor classrooms and new commercial and housing development opportunities.
The trail will connect significant destination along OX Creek including Hall Park (city’s largest park), its Art District, a school, several neighborhoods, churches, and the largest retail area in northern Berrien County at I-94/Pipestone/Napier interchanges.
The trail will be a significant catalyst for economic and housing development not only in the Ox Creek valley but throughout the city and Township. The trail project will lead to increased investment and much needed tax base growth.