Huckleberry Railroad at Crossroads Village

The Huckleberry Railroad at Crossroads Village in Genesee Township near Flint, Michigan, is a beloved narrow-gauge heritage railroad that earned its charming name from the local legend that trains once ran so slowly passengers could hop off, pick huckleberries, and climb back on without effort. Operated by the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission, the railroad winds through 40 minutes of scenic countryside along Mott Lake and the historic Pere Marquette roadbed, pulling a consist of original and replica 19th-century wooden coaches behind a rotating fleet of three locomotives — a diesel, a coal-fired steam engine, and a magnificent steam locomotive. The railroad is an integral part of Crossroads Village, a 34-building open-air living history museum that recreates life in an 1860s-1880s Michigan community, with costumed interpreters, craft demonstrations, and period-authentic buildings relocated from around Genesee County. The railroad’s tracks were originally part of the Flint River Railroad, dating to 1872, and later the Otter Lake Branch of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad. The Genesee Belle paddle-wheel riverboat operates on Mott Lake on select days, making the Crossroads Village complex one of Michigan’s most complete heritage attractions. Seasonal events include Thomas the Tank Engine days in summer, Ghost Train excursions at Halloween, and the spectacular Holiday Lights Express during December, when the entire Crossroads Village is transformed into a magical winter wonderland.