Huckleberry Railroad in Flint, Michigan

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Flint, Michigan · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesRuns with Crossroads Village seasons and holiday events

The Huckleberry Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage line at Crossroads Village near Flint, where a 1920 Baldwin steam locomotive pulls wooden coaches on a 40-minute loop along Mott Lake and over part of the old Pere Marquette roadbed.

  • 40-minute ride along Mott Lake
  • 1920 Baldwin steam engine #152
  • Three-foot narrow gauge
  • Eleven wooden coaches and a red caboose
  • Part of Crossroads Village

Huckleberry Railroad at a glance

Hours
Seasonal; check Genesee County Parks for current Crossroads Village days and train times
Admission
Village and train tickets sold by Genesee County Parks; current public prices posted on its website
Train rides
40-minute narrow gauge ride; steam #152 on Saturdays and Sundays, diesel #12 on Thursdays and Fridays
Seasonal events
Day Out With Thomas, Halloween Ghosts and Goodies, Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic, Railfans Weekend, Summer Ladies Night Out, Summer and Christmas School Days
Plan for
Half a day with Crossroads Village; the train ride itself is 40 minutes
Best for
Families with young kids looking for a full day out
Best ages
Toddlers to age 10

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Huckleberry Railroad? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Flint.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

A slow line, an Alaska engine and a county park

The name comes from the old line's easygoing pace. Trains moved so slowly on the original branch that passengers could hop off, pick huckleberries and climb back aboard. That line began with the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad Company, organized on June 22, 1857, which ran 15 miles from Flint to Otter Lake on what became the Otter Lake Branch and later stretched another 4.5 miles to Fostoria. Through mergers, the Pere Marquette became part of the Chesapeake and Ohio, then the Chessie System, and finally CSX.

Today's Huckleberry Railroad uses a stretch of that historic Pere Marquette roadbed. It is a three-foot narrow gauge railroad owned and run by the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission alongside Crossroads Village, a recreated Great Lakes town of more than 30 historic buildings.

Its star engine has traveled far. Baldwin Locomotive Works built #152 in June 1920 for the Alaska Engineering Commission, which used it to help build the Alaska Railroad on track running from Fairbanks toward the coal mines at Nenana and the gold rush town of Chatanika. After years with the War Department and several later owners, it came to Genesee County Parks in 1975, was restored, and entered service in 1976.

In January 1990 #152 needed major repairs, and the rebuilt #464 took over. Four years of work gave #152 new cab windows, a darker cab stain and black paint in place of red, and it returned to regular service in December 1994. Supporters in the Mid-Michigan Railway Historical Society, known as the Friends of the Huckleberry Railroad, back the line.

Along Mott Lake and back into the village

The ride itself is the main event: a 40-minute trip that leaves Crossroads Village, runs along the shore of Mott Lake, follows a stretch of the old Pere Marquette roadbed, and brings you back into the heart of the village. The railroad's cars include eleven original and replica wooden coaches plus a classic red wooden caboose, and you can listen for the engineer's whistle as the train sets out.

Which engine you get depends on the day. Steam locomotive #152 pulls the train on Saturdays and Sundays, while a newly rebuilt diesel, Engine #12, handles Thursdays and Fridays. Locomotive #464 is out of service for renovation. Off the train, Crossroads Village adds historic homes, shops and trade buildings, the Colwell Opera House, the 1883 Stanley School House and village amusement rides.

Don’t miss

  1. Baldwin locomotive #152Built in 1920 to help build the Alaska Railroad, it has pulled Huckleberry trains since 1976 and runs on weekends.
  2. The red wooden cabooseAn original caboose that rides at the end of a train of eleven wooden coaches.
  3. Engine #12A newly rebuilt diesel that pulls the train on Thursdays and Fridays, a fun comparison for kids who love both steam and diesel.
  4. Mott Lake shorelineThe scenic stretch of the route, and a nice reminder that you are riding through a county park.
  5. Stanley School HouseA one-room schoolhouse in Crossroads Village that served students from 1883 to 1963.
  6. Colwell Opera HouseThe village theater, where shows round out a day of train rides and historic buildings.

Steam, a caboose and a whole village to explore

A 40-minute ride is a comfortable length for little ones, and the wooden coaches, the whistle and the red caboose give young train fans plenty to watch. Crossroads Village adds amusement rides, artisan demonstrations and historic buildings to wander between trains, so the railroad fits into a full family day.

Kids who love a certain blue tank engine should watch for Day Out With Thomas, which appears among the village's events. Schools can book Summer and Christmas School Days, and the Stanley School House program lets classes spend a day in an 1800s classroom, with students encouraged to dress for the era.

Plan your visit: tips for Huckleberry Railroad

  • Visit on a Saturday or Sunday if you want the steam engine; diesel #12 runs Thursdays and Fridays.
  • Plan time for Crossroads Village too; the train and village are designed as one outing.
  • School groups get special pricing on School Days; call reservations at (810) 736-7100, ext. 6.
  • Reservations staff answer Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.

Fall and winter are big seasons here. Halloween Ghosts and Goodies brings costumed fun to Crossroads Village in the fall, and Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic fills the village with holiday cheer, with a Special Christmas School Day for classes. Dates and train times change each year, so check Genesee County Parks first, and see our guides to Halloween train rides in Michigan and Michigan Christmas train rides for more ideas.

Genesee County Parks and the Friends of the Huckleberry

The Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission owns and maintains both the Huckleberry Railroad and Crossroads Village, and its crews keep steam locomotives like #152 on a strict inspection and restoration schedule. The Mid-Michigan Railway Historical Society, the Friends of the Huckleberry Railroad, supports the line. Buying tickets, booking a school trip or supporting the Friends group all help keep the trains running.

Pair Crossroads Village with these rail stops

The Flushing Area Museum is only about 11 miles away. Durand Union Station is about 21 miles south, and the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, home of Pere Marquette 1225, is about 27 miles away. Our list of train museums across Michigan has more.

Every train museum in Michigan

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

There is something about an old wooden coach that makes me picture a conductor waiting at the step. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to welcome Rally aboard, and that kindness is my favorite part. My mom dreamed up that moment before she passed in 2021. A slow train named for picking huckleberries feels like it would have a conductor just that patient. Read how her story became a book on our story page.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Huckleberry Railroad?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Huckleberry Railroad: 20 questions families ask

Where is the Huckleberry Railroad in Michigan?

The Huckleberry Railroad runs at Crossroads Village, 6140 N. Bray Rd, Flint, MI 48505, in Genesee Township just outside Flint. It is part of the Genesee County Parks system. Use the Bray Road address for directions, and call (810) 736-7100 if you need help.

How long is the Huckleberry Railroad train ride?

Each ride lasts about 40 minutes. The train leaves Crossroads Village, runs along the shores of Mott Lake, follows a stretch of the historic Pere Marquette roadbed and returns to the heart of the village. It is a comfortable length for young children.

What are the Huckleberry Railroad hours?

The railroad runs on Crossroads Village's seasonal schedule, and the parks system does not post a simple year-round timetable. The parks website shows steam on Saturdays and Sundays and diesel on Thursdays and Fridays. For today's times, check geneseecountyparks.org or call (810) 736-7100.

What is the Huckleberry Railroad schedule today?

Train times change by season and event, so check the calendar on the Genesee County Parks website or call (810) 736-7100 on the day you plan to go. As a guide, steam engine #152 pulls the train on weekends and diesel Engine #12 runs on Thursdays and Fridays.

How much are Huckleberry Railroad tickets?

Genesee County Parks posts standard village and train rates on its website, and prices vary by season and event. For comparison, its School Days pricing lists $6 for village only and $12 for village plus train per student. Check the parks website for current public and senior prices before you go.

Can I buy Huckleberry Railroad tickets online?

Genesee County Parks handles all tickets, so start at geneseecountyparks.org to see current ticket options and standard rates. For special event or holiday tickets, or to ask about discounts, call the reservations line at (810) 736-7100, extension 6, weekdays 8 am to 4:30 pm.

Are there Huckleberry Railroad discounts for seniors or groups?

The parks system does not spell out senior pricing on its railroad page, but it offers special pricing for school groups on School Days, with teachers and bus drivers free for most schools. Call reservations at (810) 736-7100, ext. 6, to ask about senior or group rates.

Does the Huckleberry Railroad do Day Out With Thomas?

Day Out With Thomas appears in the list of Crossroads Village events on the Genesee County Parks website. Dates vary by year, so check the parks events calendar or call (810) 736-7100 to confirm whether and when it is running this season.

Is there a Huckleberry Railroad Christmas event?

Yes. Crossroads Village hosts a Christmas event, listed as Christmas Holiday Magic and also called Christmas at Crossroads, and the Huckleberry Railroad is part of the village experience. There is also a Special Christmas School Day for classes. Check the parks website for this year's dates, hours and ticket prices.

How much are Huckleberry Railroad Christmas tickets?

Holiday ticket prices are set each season by Genesee County Parks and change from year to year. Check geneseecountyparks.org for the current Christmas at Crossroads prices and any meal or buffet options, or call (810) 736-7100 for details.

Does the Huckleberry Railroad have a Halloween event?

Yes. Halloween Ghosts and Goodies is the village's fall event, with seasonal fun at Crossroads Village. Hours and ticket prices for the Halloween event are posted by Genesee County Parks each year, so check its website or call (810) 736-7100 before you plan your evening.

What locomotives run on the Huckleberry Railroad?

Steam locomotive #152, built by Baldwin in 1920, pulls the train on Saturdays and Sundays. A newly rebuilt diesel, Engine #12, runs on Thursdays and Fridays. A third engine, #464, is out of service for renovation. The train has eleven wooden coaches and a red wooden caboose.

Where did Huckleberry Railroad engine #152 come from?

Baldwin Locomotive Works built #152 in June 1920 for the Alaska Engineering Commission, which used it to help build the Alaska Railroad. After time with the U.S. War Department and other owners, Genesee County Parks acquired it in 1975, restored it, and put it in service in 1976.

Why is it called the Huckleberry Railroad?

The name comes from the original line's slow pace. Trains moved so leisurely that passengers could hop off, pick huckleberries and get back on with little effort. That line began in 1857 with the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad, running from Flint to Otter Lake and later to Fostoria.

Is the Huckleberry Railroad narrow gauge?

Yes. The Huckleberry Railroad is a three-foot narrow gauge heritage railroad, which matches the three-foot track engine #152 first ran on in Alaska. The smaller scale makes the train feel close and friendly for young riders compared with standard gauge excursion trains.

What else is there to do at Crossroads Village?

Crossroads Village is a recreated Great Lakes town with more than 30 historic buildings, including homes, shops and trade buildings, a gristmill, the Colwell Opera House and the Stanley School House. There are also village amusement rides and artisan demonstrations, so plan to spend more than just the train ride.

Can schools take field trips to the Huckleberry Railroad?

Yes. Crossroads Village offers Summer School Days and a Special Christmas School Day with discounted village and train tickets, plus the Stanley School House program from April 15 to June 15. Book with reservations at (810) 736-7100, ext. 6, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.

Who runs the Huckleberry Railroad?

The Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission owns and maintains the Huckleberry Railroad and Crossroads Village. The Mid-Michigan Railway Historical Society, also called the Friends of the Huckleberry Railroad, supports the line. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 79, Flint, MI 48501.

Is there a Railfans Weekend at the Huckleberry Railroad?

Railfans Weekend appears among the Crossroads Village events, a good pick for adult rail enthusiasts who want more time with the equipment. Dates are set each year, so check the Genesee County Parks events calendar or call (810) 736-7100 for this season's details.

What train museums are near the Huckleberry Railroad?

The Flushing Area Museum is about 11 miles away, Durand Union Station about 21 miles, and the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso and the Saginaw Railway Museum are each about 27 miles off. Together they make the Flint area a good base for a train weekend.

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