Allen Park, Michigan: World's Largest Tire

Large Tire.

The tire is easy to get to from the Baker College parking lot, just off Outer Drive in Allen Park. At the western edge of the parking lot, there is a dirt road that leads to the tire. If you trust the makeshift bridge over a creek you can drive right up to it. Otherwise, it is a short hike.

Having just read the post about the state trooper who cited "security issues" with photographing Detroit's Big Tire, my wife and I headed out for a planned photo shoot. We situated the car on the shoulder if I-94 East, within site of the tire, trees showing full fall colors in the background.

Within a couple minutes a state trooper pulled up! Coincidental, or? He asked if we had broken down, noticed the marque on my cap matched the car ... smiled and drove off. Good luck -- the Big Tire is one Detroit's defining landmarks!

Be careful when taking pictures of the World's Largest Tire! A group of friends and I were driving to Detroit and two had never seen the giant tire so we stopped to snap a photo. After taking pictures, about 2 miles up the road we were pulled over by a state police officer. I was driving and I knew I hadn't been speeding so I was curious what was happening. The officer asked to see our cameras and when we showed him my friend's camera that took the picture, he deleted the pictures of the tire. We asked why we couldn't take pictures by the tire and he said it is a security issue. He didn't elaborate but it was enough to scare us. Never again will we stop by a giant tire for a photo op!

The "nail" taken out of the tire was sold on Ebay. The men who bought it created a special trailer, and customized the SUV that hauls it with all sorts of "Nail Mobile" decals. They drive it in parades. I last saw it in the Piston's Championship Parade where it was dressed up with a giant 'fro and Piston's jersey.