Aman Park

Until today, I'd never visited Aman Park, despite seeing it recommended in several guidebooks (including Best Easy Day Hikes Grand Rapids, Natural Michigan, and Hiking Michigan.)  The park is about an hour north of Kalamazoo and offers several trails of about a mile each.

As I drove through suburban sprawl west of Grand Rapids, the location didn't seem that promising, but the fast food and shopping plazas gave way to farms and camps shortly before the the park entrance.  The park shares an entrance with Indian Trails Youth Camp.

The park isn't huge, but Sand Creek gives it real character.  The creek has carved some nice hills and the park's trails take advantage of the change in topography.  The trails I took were clearly marked and seemed well-maintained.  There wasn't really enough snow for good x-country skiing but someone had been out early and left some tracks.  I left my skis at home and enjoyed a nice winter walk.

I'm not sure the park is enough of a destination to make the drive from Kalamazoo, but it would combine nicely with a visit to other attractions in Grand Rapids.  I certainly plan to return.  It's supposed to be great for Spring Wildflowers.

The park is about 6 miles west of downtown Grand Rapids on M-45.  (Grand Valley State University is a couple of miles further west on the same road.)

Aman Park
1895 Lake Michigan Dr NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
(address is approximate.)
Free

Manistee River Trail

  

Last weekend, we hiked the Manistee River Trail  in the Manistee National Forest.  It's about a 3 hour drive from Kalamazoo (160 miles north).  There are several access points to the trail, and we started at Red Bridge and hiked north to the trailhead at the Seaton Creek campground.  The trail runs for just over 10 miles along the Manistee River.

Despite the cool temperatures, Saturday was a popular day on the trail and we met many groups of hikers, about evenly split between backpackers and day hikers.  Several people were backpacking with their dogs-- often equipped with their own doggy-sized backpacks.  We passed several campsites full of tents, tarps, or hammocks.  Down below, we saw the occasional group of kayakers and canoeists enjoying the river.

The leaves were just starting to change, so we were periodically rewarded with a burst of bright autumn color.

While most of the trees were still green, mushrooms provided an alternative source of color.  We passed hundreds and hundreds of mushrooms and assorted fungi-- red, white, black, yellow, brown, orange, grey, and gold-- ranging from the size of pencil eraser to plate-sized. 

The trail climbed from the river's edge to high banks overlooking the water and back, so there was a good amount of uphill and downhill walking.  The trail crossed a number bridges over streams that feed the Manistee.  These streams provided water sources (filtering/purification recommended) for hikers.  More developed water supplies were available at the Seaton Creek campground and Red Bridge.  (Although both pumps may be closed seasonally.)  A few of the creeks featured small waterfalls.

The Manistee River trail connects to the North Country Trail via a long wooden suspension bridge.  The two trails combine to form a 23 mile loop, which makes for a popular weekend backpacking experience.  We didn't hike the North Country Trail this weekend, but my stepson and his wife backpacked the whole loop last summer.  They reported that the NCT side has much less water and is mostly in the woods, without views of the river.  In their opinion, the Manistee River Trail was the prettier and more interesting option.

We camped in the Seaton Creek campground the night before and the night after our hike.  It's a Forest Service facility operated by a concessionaire, American Land & Leisure.  The campground was very nicely maintained with clean campsites and outhouses.  We bought a bundle of firewood from the pleasant camp host.  Each of the 17 sites was roomy and well-separated from neighboring sites.  About halfway around the loop, a picnic area with a set of steep stairs gives access to Seaton Creek.  Trailhead parking is also available at the campground (for a fee.)

The USFS website for the campground was out-of-date; it was inaccurate about fees (which are actually charged whenever the campground is open, not just in the summer months) and opening/closing dates.  (Last weekend was the end of the season and the campground will remain locked until Spring.)  The Recreation.gov website for the campground was somewhat more accurate but harder to navigate.  We ended up asking the campground host.  Campsites were $16 per night.

Directions:  Access to the trail is on well-maintained dirt roads off M-37 (south of Mesick.)  It was easy to follow the signs to the Seaton Creek campground.  The normal route to Red Bridge was blocked due to road construction, but the detour was well-marked.

Recreation.gov offers these directions to Seaton Creek: 

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
44.35778, -85.80917
44°21'28"N, 85°48'33"W

From the north: Follow M-37 south 6 miles from Mesick. Turn right on 26 Road (near Yuma) for 1.7 miles, then right on O'Rourke Drive for 1.3 miles, then right on Forest Road 5993 for 0.4 mile to the site.

From the south: Take M-37 north 9 miles from its intersection with M-55. Turn left on 26 Road for 1.7 miles, then right on O'Rourke Drive for 1.3 miles, then right on Forest Road 5993 for 0.4 miles to the site.

Google Maps uses different names for some of the smaller roads but accurately guided us in.  The street signs posted on those small dirt roads were closer to Google Maps' names, but still not 100% consistent.  The large brown recreation signs pointing to the campground were very clear.

More Information:
Backpacker.com Michigan's Manistee River Trail

Manistee County: map links and Hiking the Loop 

Michigan Trail Maps Manistee River Trail and North Country Trail (to order a paper map)

Grand Rapids Day Hikes

Best Easy Day Hikes Grand Rapids
Kevin Revolinski
2012

This guidebook is part of the Falcon Guide Where-To-Hike series.  It's a slim volume (about 90 pages) that would easily fit in a jacket pocket.  It includes descriptions of 20 trails near Grand Rapids, with a small map of each trail system.  All of the trails are reasonably close to Kalamazoo.  Several of the trails are in parks on Lake Michigan or in popular State Recreation Areas, but over half of the trails were new to me.

Here are a selection of trails from the book:

1. Otis Sanctuary
1.9 mile lollipop

2. Millennium Park
4.4 mile lollipop

3. Pickerel Lake
3.4 mile loop

4. Cooper Creek/Spencer Forest
 3.0 mile lollipop

5. Aman Park
3.7 mile loop

6. Hofma Park
3.0 mile loop 

7. Swan Creek (Allegan State Game Area)
5.9 mile loop

8. Warren Townsend
1.6 mile double loop 

Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, other booksellers, and libraries.

Hiking Michigan

Hiking Michigan (2nd edition)

Roger Storm and Susan Wedzel

2009

This guidebook presents 146 day hikes throughout the state of Michigan, including several hikes on islands in the Great Lakes.  Each entry includes a trail map, a thumbnail state map showing its location, information about the park or recreation area, description of the trails, and a list of nearby points of interest.  Some hikes are illustrated with black&white photos.  The hikes are divided into three regions-- the Upper Peninsula, the Northern Lower Peninsula, and the Southern Lower Peninsula-- with about a third of the book devoted to each region.  I particularly liked the book's "Trail Finder" section, an expanded table of contents that includes distance, difficulty, and features for each trail.   

Hiking Michigan near Kalamazoo

1. Kalamazoo Nature Center
Beech-Maple Riverwalk Trail 1.1 miles
Fern Valley Trail 0.6 miles
"Cooper's Glen, as the area used to be known, is named after James Fennimore Cooper, who visited the area in 1847 and 1848.  While he pursued business interests in the vicinity, he collected information on natural features for a novel, Oak Openings."
Other points of interest:  Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, Kal-Haven Sesquicentennial State Park

Kalamazoo Nature Center

2. Yankee Springs Recreation Area
Hall Lake Trail 2.5 miles
Long Lake Trail 5.2 miles
"Almost 5,200 acres of diverse terrain, once the hunting grounds of the Algonquian Indians, provide varied recreation experiences." 
Other points of interest: Barry State Game Area

Yankee Springs Recreation Area

3. Sarett Nature Center
River-Gentian-Two-Board trails 0.5 miles
Lowland-Upland Trails loop 2.1 miles 
"You cross boardwalks, bridges with benches, and overlook towers, walking along woodchip and natural trails.  You meander on ridges high above the Paw Paw River and cut through wetlands in this variety of habitats." 
Other points of interest: Tiscornia Park, Silver Beach County Park

Sarett Nature Center

4. Warren Dunes State Park/Warren Woods Natural Area
Nature-Blue Jay-Beach- Mt Randal Trails loop 4 miles
Warren Woods Natural Area 1.1 miles
"Both parks evolved through the foresight of Edward K. Warren who, in the 1870s, purchased the land that is now called Warren Woods Natural Area,  His effort preserved one of the few remaining virgin beech-maple forests in Michigan.  He continued to purchased undeveloped land, including land that eventually became Warren Dunes State Park."
Other points of interest: Grand Mere State Park

Warren Dunes State Park
Warren Woods Natural Area

5. Saugatuck Dunes State Park
North Trail 2 miles
BeachTrail 1.4 miles
Livingston Trail 2 miles
South Trail 4.6 miles
"Lake Michigan awaits those who are not intimidated by the 1-mile trek over the sandy dunes from the parking lot."
Other points of interest: DeGraaf Nature Center Preserve, Star of Saugatuck

Saugatuck Dunes State Park

6. PJ Hoffmaster State Park
Loop of Homestead and Dune Climb Staircase 2.4 miles
Walk-a-mile trail 1.6 miles
"A vigorous hike along the Dune Climb Stairway to a platform on top of the towering dune provides a panoramic overlook of the vast open waters of Lake Michigan."
Other points of interest: Gillette Sand Dune Visitor Center, Muskegon State Park

PJ Hoffmaster State Park

7. Muskegon State Park
Dune Ridge Trail loop 1.7 miles
Lost Lake Trail 1.7 miles 
"Muskegon State Park's 2 miles of sandy Lake Michigan beach rank with some of the most beautiful in the world."
Other points of interest: Duck Lake State Park, PJ Hoffmaster State Park

Muskegon State Park

8. Aman Park
Yellow Trail 1.1 miles
Red Trail 1.4 miles
"Wildflowers are spectacular in spring, and the diverse terrain and varied plants of the park produce continual showings throughout the year, from skunk cabbage and marsh marigold to beech and aspen, and even to the gray of leafless branches pocketed with ice crystals.  All seasons show off something in this retreat."
Other points of interest:Pigeon Creek Park, Meijer Gardens, Kent Trails, Blandford Nature Center

Aman Park

9. North Country National Scenic Trail
Birch Grove Trail 9 miles
"When completed the trail will stretch some 4,600 miles across seven northern states from Lake Champlain in New York to Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota.  Michigan has the longest segment of any state and over half of that distance is complete and certified."

North Country National Scenic Trail

10. Manistee National Forest
Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary Trail 1.2 miles
"Protected species include trailing arbutus, bird's foot violet, bittersweet, flowering dogwood, trillium, club mosses, Michigan holly, American lotus, gentian, and pipsissewa."
Other points of interest: Birch Grove Schoolhouse

Manistee National Forest Loda Lake Sanctuary

11. Whitehouse Nature Center
River's Edge Trail 0.9 miles
Prairie Trail 1 mile
Situated along the East Branch Kalamazoo River, only .25 mile from the main campus of Albion College, are the diverse lands of the Whitehouse Nature Center."
Other points of interest: Marshall

Whitehouse Nature Center

12. Pinckney Recreation Area
Crooked Lake Trail 5.1 miles
Losee Lake Hiking Trail 3.3 miles
"The rolling topography of hills and ridges interspersed with numerous inland water bodies is typical of a landscape shaped by glacial activity."
Other points of interest: Park Lyndon

Pinckney Recreation Area


13. Waterloo Recreation Area
Waterloo-Pinckney Hiking Trail (Portage Lake to Sackrider Hill) 5.8 miles
Oak Woods-Waterloo-Pinckney Hiking Trail -Hickory Hills 4.7 miles
"The landscape was shaped more than 10,000 years ago in the last glacial period.  Receding ice, often more than 1 mile thick, formed the moraines (ridges), kames (hills), and kettles (lakes, ponds, and low-lying areas) that characterize the area, providing an abundance of recreational opportunities today."
Other points of interest: Gerald E Eddy Discovery Center, Waterloo Area Farm Museum, Phyllis Haehnle Audubon Sanctuary

Waterloo Recreation Area

14. Hidden Lake Gardens
 Pine Tree Trail 1.3 miles
Hikers' Trail 2.8 miles
"The 755-acre garden exhibits valuable plant collections and creates landscape pictures, fulfilling the objective of the Michigan State University-owned Hidden Lake Gardens."
Other points of interest: Bicentennial Woods, Walter J Hayes State Park, Walker Tavern Historic Complex

Hidden Lake Gardens

Available from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, other booksellers and some libraries.

Hall Lake

Hall Lake in Yankee Springs State Recreation Area, about a 45 minute drive north of Kalamazoo, offers opportunities for hiking and paddling.  We walked the Hall Lake Trail on a hot summer day and enjoyed the cool shade of the woods.  The trail started at the intersection of Gun Lake Road and the dirt road for the Long Lake Outdoor Center and then skirted the western edge of Hall Lake, sharing the route with the North Country Trail, and then loopsedback to the trailhead.  The entire loop took just under an hour to walk.  In winter, the Hall Lake trail is part of the Yankee Springs ski trail.

After our hike, we put our kayaks in at the Hall Lake boat launch (a few hundred yards east on Gun Lake Road).  The lake was small but mostly natural.  There were no structures along the lake, just the occasional car visible on the road.  Three small islands added interest.  A Great Blue Heron fished in the shallows while Turkey Vulture circled overhead.  The lake itself was too small to make the drive worthwhile but it combined nicely with some of the parks other attractions.

60 Hikes within 60 miles Chicago

60 Hikes within 60 miles Chicago
Ted Villare
2008

This guidebook by the author of Easy Hikes Chicago presents a wide variety of hikes in Illinois, Indiana, southern Wisconsin, and southwest Michigan. The hikes are organized geographically, with separate sections on Cook County, DuPage County and destinations west, North Chicagoland and Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana and environs, and South Chicagoland and the Illinois River valley. The complete list of hikes is available on the author's website. Each hike is described in detail, with a map and a profile graph showing changes in elevation, and a black & white photo. You can see sample chapters online. (More photos, in color, of most hikes are available on the author's website.)

A nice feature of the book is its 20 lists of hikes for particular purposes: good hikes for young children, hikes for seasonal wildflower viewing, river hikes, good hikes for runners, good hikes for cross-country skiers, accessible by public transportation, and more.

Some hikes, reasonably close to Kalamazoo

1. Warren Dunes State Park Loop
"One of the most beautiful spots on Lake Michigan's southern shore, Warren Dunes is a perfect place to combine a trip to the beach with a ramble through rugged wooded dunes and bottomland forest."
4.2 miles
Bridgeman, MI
photos


2. Indiana Dunes State Park Loop: Dune Ridge Loop
"Indiana Dunes is one of the most beautiful and dramatic settings in the Chicago region. This hike is especially notable for its variety: after hiking through forest, wetland, and wooded dunes, you'll pass over spectacular sand dunes bordering the shoreline."
4.5 miles
Chesterton, IN
slideshow

3. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Ly-co-ki-we Hike
"The name "Ly-co-ki-we"-- which means "sandy ground" in the Miami Indian language-- offers an inkling of what you'll encounter on this trail. Although you won't be climbing any monstrous sand dune, you will follow a couple of gentle dune ridges as they gradually rise and fall. Like other sandy ridges in the area, these mild slopes mark the shores of a once larger version of Lake Michigan."
12.2 miles
Chesterton, IN
photos

4. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Cowles Bog Trail
"One of the more famous spots at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Cowles Bog is well known for its beauty and historical significance in the filed of environmental science."
4 miles
Chesterton, IN
photos

5. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: West Beach Loop
"It's not just the high dunes and a long sandy beach that makes hiking at West Beach such a satisfying experience. What makes this hike so engaging is how the landscape and plants magically transform every half mile or so."
3.15 miles
Chesterton, IN
photos

6. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Bailly/Chelberg Hike
"Get a glimpse of early settlement life in northwestern Indiana by touring the homesteads of two frontier families. You'll also see wooded ravines, rich bottomland forest that grows beside the Little Calumet River, and a curious old cemetery."
3.3 miles
Chesterton, IN
photos

7. Oak Ridge Prairie Loop
"Oak Ridge County Park allows visitors to sample a variety of appealing environments within a fairly small area. During the hike, the landscape moves from lakeshore to woodland to prairie to marshland.
3.15 miles
between Griffith & Merillville, IN
photos

8.Deep River Hike
"This hike takes you along the edge of the Deep River as it meanders through a large, diverse hardwood forest. At some point during your visit, stop in at the gristmill that was first built next to the river in 1837."
2.9 miles
Hobart, IN
photos

Available from Amazon, Barnes&Noble, other bookstores and libraries. Kindle and Nook versions are available.

Easy Hikes Chicago

Easy Hikes Close to Home Chicago
by Ted Villaire
2010

This slim guidebook presents 18 short hiking trails near Chicago. Each trail description includes an overview, a map, directions to the trailhead, and a more-detailed discussion of the trail. Most of the trails are in northeastern Illinois with a few in Southern Wisconsin or Northern Indiana. All are within a day's drive of Kalamazoo.

The author's website provides more information about the book, including a complete list of the hikes and a few sample chapters.

The trails listed in the book's third section, "South Chicagoland and Indiana" are closest to West Michigan.

Easy Hikes Close to Kalamazoo

1. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Bailly-Chellberg Hike
length 3.3 miles
"Get a glimpse of early settlement life in northwestern Indiana by touring the homesteads of two frontier families. You'll also see wooded ravines, rich bottomland forest that grows beside the Little Calumet River, and a curious old cemetery."
directions: from I-94 take exit 22B to US 20, parking is on the left, 4.1 miles.
Indiana Dunes website

2. LaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area Loop
length 5.2 miles
"If you like riverside hikes and sprawling marshlands, you'll find them in abundance on this hike, one of the great undiscovered hikes in Chicagoland." The author also describes this hike in chapter in his guidebook 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Chicago. See this pdf. [West half closed for hunting season Oct 1 - Dec 1.]
directions: from I-94, go south on US 41 until you reach IN 10 (County Road 1000). West on IN 10 about 2.4 miles to sign for Parking Lot 3A.
LaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area website

3. Thorn Creek Hike
length 2.5 miles
"This lightly used nature preserve is a gem: after exploring the ravines, the pine plantations, the wooded hills, and the streams,= surrounded by bottomland forest, be sure to check out the former country church that now serves as a nature center."
directions: I-94 to I-57. South on I-57 to exit 339 (about 18.5 miles) to Park Forest [I got confused following the book's directions from this point: I'd suggest Google maps or GPS for the last few miles.].
Thorn Creek Nature Center
247 Monee Road, Park Forest, IL 60466
708-747-6320

Available from Amazon, other booksellers and libraries.

Cowles Bog Trail

The Cowles Bog Trail in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is about a two hour drive from Kalamazoo. I stopped there recently on the way home from a trip to Chicago. The trail is about 4 miles long, with a couple of options. Parking is down a narrow dirt road, on the right, just before the guardhouse for the Dune Acres gated community. (There is another lot close to US 12.) See the National Park Service map (pdf).

The first mile of the trail is very level, lined with Sassafras, Red Maple, and White Birch and includes a short board walk over a wet section (which apparently is not truly a bog.) The next mile is hilly, through wooded dunes which eventually lead to a steep climb down to the beach on Lake Michigan.

I had the beach to myself on a pleasant Sunday, except for the looming steel mills and the loud hissing from industrial smokestacks. With the Chicago skyline barely visible across Lake Michigan, it's clearly not a pristine wilderness experience. The area is important for birds, and I did see a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers flying through the trees. The Park Service has a restoration project to remove invasive species and improve the habitat for native plants and animals.

In some ways it's as interesting to see the resilience of nature amidst heavy industry, as it is to visit a more purely natural setting. It definitely made a nice outing.


Cowles Bog Trail
N. Mineral Springs Road
Chesterton, IN 46304
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Michigan Trail Atlas

Michigan Trail Atlas : the Guide to Cross Country Skiing and Hiking Trails
by Dennis R. Hansen with Danforth Holley.
1988

This ambitious guidebook attempts a comprehensive list of trails in Michigan and succeeds in finding several hundred of them. The state is divided into four regions: Southern Lower Peninsula, Northern Lower Peninsula, Eastern Upper Peninsula, and Western Upper Peninsula. The book lists 106 trails in the Southern Lower Peninsula alone. Directions, a sketch map, and a brief description are provided for each trail. The book concludes with a section on cross-country ski technique, reflecting its origins as a ski guide.

Trails near Kalamazoo

1. Kal-Haven Trail
2. Prairie View Park
3. Coldbrook County Park
4. Fort Custer Recreation Area
5. Kellogg Forest
6. Allegan State Game Area
7. Yankee Spring Recreation Area

Trails in Southwest Michigan

1. Russ Forest Park
2. Dr. T.K. Lawless Park
3. Madeline Bertrand County Park
4. St Patrick's County Park (IN)
5. Love Creek County Park and Nature Center
6. Grand Mere State Park
7. Tabor Hill Vineyard
8. Warren Woods State Park
9. Warren Dunes State Park

My library had this older version of the guide. A 2002 edition added mountain biking to the title and covers more trails. I couldn't find it from the major online retailers but it may be available directly from the author.

50 Hikes in Michigan Part 2

50 Hikes in Michigan
2nd edition with 10 extra hikes
Sixty Walks, Day Trips, and Backpacks in the Lower Peninsula
by Jim DuFresne 1999

In an earlier post I listed several hikes near Kalamazoo from this book's "Heartland" section. Author Jim DuFresne also recommends trails throughout the entire state. I've selected a few hikes from his Lake Michigan section that aren't too far from Kalamazoo.

Lake Michigan hikes

1. Mt Randal Trail, Warren Dunes State Park
4 miles
"This 1,952-acre park offers to hikers a 4-mile loop that includes a bit of everything: a stroll along Lake Michigan, stretches through forests, knee-bending climbs up mountains of sand."

Access: From I-94 exit 16. South on Red Arrow Highway about 2 miles. Camping. Crowded in mid-summer
Warren Dunes State Park

2. Warren Woods, Warren Woods Natural Area
2 miles
"The natural area is open daily from 8 AM-dusk year-round, but the best time to come is late September through mid-November when the leaves take on their autumn colors. Birders arrive in the spring, however, to look for warblers and other songbirds, while skiers enjoy the trails during the winter when there is sufficient snow. The trail is easy to follow and makes an ideal family outing."

Access: posted trailhead on Warren Woods Rd, 7 miles east of Warren Dunes State Park. Or unmarked access from Elm Valley Rd.
Warren Woods Natural Area

3. Baldtop, Grand Mere State Park
2 miles
"The unique land formations and flora that attract naturalists to the park are the reasons Grand Mere was designated a National Natural Landmark. The glaciers that scooped out the Great Lakes 10,000 years ago also carved out a number of smaller depressions along the western edge of the state, which evolved into interdunal lakes, ponds, and wetlands."

Access: South of St Jospeh. Exit 22 from I-94, then west on John Beers Rd which becomes Grand Mere Road. Then south on Thorton Dr to park.
Grand Mere State Park


4. North Trails, Saugatuck State Park
2.5 miles
"Saugatuck State Park is an 899-acre preserve that includes 2 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, windblown dunes, scenic vistas, and, right in the middle of this seemingly undeveloped wooded tract, the Michigan Dunes Correctional Facility."

Access: Exit I-196 at exit 41 onto Blue Star Memorial Highway, west. Then immediately turn right on 64th St. Go north 1 mile to 138th Ave. Left on 138th to park. Popular with x-country skiers.
Saugatuck State Park


5. Homestead Trail, P.J. Hoffmaster State Park
2.7 miles
"In Michigan, we are blessed with a shoreline that showcases 275,000 acres of sand dune formations, the largest display of freshwater dunes in the world. They stretch from the tip of the state's thumb off Saginaw Bay to the giant perched dunes above Lake Superior and include the country's most famous dunes, the Sleeping Bear Dunes,off Lake Michigan. Perhaps the best place to learn and study about these truly remarkable formations is at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, where you can combine a visit to Gillette Nature Center, Michigan's Sand Dune Interpretive Center, with a hike through the various life zones of a dune along the Homestead Trail."

Access: From I-96, take exit 4 (Fruitport) south on 148th Ave, Then right (west) on Pontaluna Rd. 6 miles on Pontaluna to park.
P.J. Hoffmaster State Park

6. Dune Ridge Trail, Muskegon State Park
6.5 miles
"The trail system is a series of loops that wind through an amazing variety of landscapes including open dunes, interdunal ponds, stands of century-old pines, and an area called Devil's Kitchen, where the mist rises and swirls as if Satan is stirring his caldron. The northern portion of the system surrounds the park's Winter Sports Complex and was cut as cross-country ski trails."

Access: from US 31 exit 118 onto MI 120. Take MI 120 southwest to Memorial Drive which goes into the park. Three campgrounds.
Muskegon State Park


7. Silver Lake Sand Dunes, Silver Lake State Park
6 to 7 miles
"One of the most unusual hikes in the Lower Peninsula isn't on a trail at all. This trek is a journey through Silver Lake State Park's trailless backcountry, a mile-wide strip of dunes between Silver Lake and Lake Michigan. There's not another hike like this in Michigan or even the Midwest because no other stretch of dunes is so barren."

Access: From US 31, south of Ludington, exit west onto Shelby Rd. Six miles to County Rd B15 (18th Ave). Right on B15 (north) for 5 miles. Pass park headquarters and park campground, then left on Hazel Rd. Follow signs to ORV parking lot.
Silver Lake State Park

Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many libraries.

50 Hikes in Michigan

50 Hikes in Michigan
2nd edition with 10 extra hikes
Sixty Walks, Day Trips, and Backpacks in the Lower Peninsula
by Jim DuFresne 1999

This guidebook, by popular Michigan outdoor writer Jim DuFresne, divides Michigan's lower peninsula in an interesting manner, Southeast, Heartland, Lake Michigan, Pere Marquette, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Tip of the Mitt, and Lake Huron. Each chapter has a trail map and detailed trail description. Kalamazoo, along with Grand Rapids and Lansing, is in the Heartland section.

Heartland hikes

1. Doane Lake, Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park
2 miles
"Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park is one of those little-known preserves in rural Michigan that many hikers would enjoy visiting--if they only knew the place existed. Hidden in central Cass County, the park is a place that is enjoyed only by locals and the few lost travelers who stumble upon it accidentally. Of course, that's one of its attractions: a large park with lakes, ponds, and streams in a wooded tract that is lightly used and suffers few crowds other than the occasional familiy reunion."
Access: 30-40 minutes from Kalamazoo between Jones and Vandalia. From MI 60, turn south on Lewis Lake Rd, then east on Monkey Run Rd. Fee.
Lawless County Park

2. Bishop's Bog Preserve Trail, Portage South-Central Greenway
4.5 miles round trip
"Bishop's Bog Preserve Trail is aptly named. It passes through the heart of a bog that's so wet in the spring that the floating trail has the wiggle of a waterbed and every step results in small eruptions between the plastic planking that will soak your boots. But wet socks and damp toes are a small price to pay for this quick and unusual escape from the city."
Access:From I-94 exit 76 onto Westnedge Ave. South on Westnedge about 4 miles. Turn east on South Shore Drive to West Lake Nature Preserve. Bishops Bog trail starts across street in South Westnedge Park
Bishop's Bog Preserve

3. Long Lake Trail, Yankee Springs Recreation Area
6 miles point-to-point, 7.2 mile loop
"The rugged terrain, inland lakes, interesting bogs, and unusual depressions known as Devil's Soup Bowls provide Yankee Springs Recreation Area with ideal hiking qualities. Its location, almost centered between the urban areas of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek, makes it a popular park with everybody."
Access: From US 131, exit 61 and take A-42 east 7 miles to Gun Lake Rd. Then right. Trailhead is just north of the park headquarters.
Yankee Springs Recreation Area

4. Swan Creek Trail, Allegan State Game Area
5.2 miles
"Swan Creek Trail is best done during the off-season-- either in early May when fiddleheads are popping through the forest floor and the flowering dogwood is in full bloom,or in the fall, when one can witness one of the largest migratory gatherings of waterfowl in the state. In mid-July, you'll find the wildlife scarce, the fishing slow, and the mosquitos and black flies ferocious."
Access: West of Allegan, about halfway between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. From US 131 exit 55 to MI 222. Follow 222 west 10 miles to merge with M-89. Follow M-89 to Monroe Rd. West on Monroe to 118th Ave. Parking at the dam.
Allegan State Game Area

5. Grand River Trail, William M. Burchfield Park and Riverbend Natural Area
3.7 miles
"The hike is best done in the fall when the hardwood trees that border the Grand River take on their orange and red hues, the old farm fields become waves of golden grass, and the deer blend so well with the forest that they're spotted only when when they flag their tails. This stroll takes you through Michigan farm country as well as along the state's longest river."
Access: Just south of Lansing. From I-96 exit 101 onto Mi 99 south. Then left (south) on Waverly Rd, then left (east) on Holt Rd. 1 mile to Grovenberg Rd, turn right (south) 2 miles to park entrance.
Burchfield Park pdf

6. Green Trail, Lake Lansing Park-North
3.3 miles
"The 410-acre preserve is across the street from the popular lake and features day-use facilities, picnic areas, shelters, and volleyball and baseball fields. But the vast majority of the park is a natural setting, an intriguing mix of pines, mature oak, and maple woodlands, and extensive wetlands and marshes accessed by a 5-mile system of footpaths and boardwalks."
Access: From I-96 exit 110 north into Okemos. Turn east on Grand River AVe, then north at Marsh Rd. Take Marsh Rd through Haslett then east on North Lake Dr. 1.5 miles to park.
Lake Lansing Park-North

7. Wildwood Pathway, Deerfield County Park
3 miles
"Near its north entrance, Deerfield features the usual park amenities: swimming area and beach, shelters, tables, grill, and a short interpretive path. But by crossing the Chippewa on a swingbridge, you can leave behind the picnic area and enter a quiet woodland. the 8-mile network of trails includes some surprising sights, such as a wooden covered bridge, scenic vistas above the river, and even a pleasant set of backcountry campsites along the banks of the Chippewa."
Access: West of Mount Pleasant, about an hour from Lansing. From US 27 exit Business 27 through Mt Pleasant. Turn west on Remus Rd (MI 20). 6.5 miles on MI 20 to park. Fee.
Deerfield County Park

8. North Country Trail-- Baldwin Segment, Manistee National Forest
13.2 miles
"Passing from Lake County into Newago County, this portion of the North Country Trail begins in hardwood forests, skirts around Sterling Marsh, and ends by traversing rolling hills for excellent views of several small and undeveloped lakes."
Access: 90 minutes from Grand Rapids. From the town of Baldwin, go south on MI 37 for 3 miles then west on 76th St (Big Star Lake Rd.) 2.5 miles to trail, just before Jenks Rd. Backcountry camping permitted. Vehicle permit required to park.
North Country Trail Manistee

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