Find a Piece of the UP Close to Home
This easy loop hops islands and sand dunes beside Lake Michigan.
Michigan Trails
Michigan, located in the Midwest region of the U.S., is made up of two peninsulas: the Upper and Lower peninsulas. In the west, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is hilly and mostly forested, while its eastern side is flat and often swampy. The Lower Peninsula is generally flat.
Michigan is home to Isle Royale National Park. Located above Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, this half-million acre park consists of 400 islands with a variety of hiking and camping options.
Latest in Michigan Trails
Basecamp Weekend: Grand Island, MI
Spend a weekend on the water on this circumnavigation of a lonely island in Lake Superior.
Find Gold at Mosquito Beach, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
This rugged Michigan landscape is better than any treasure.
Discover a Winter Wonderland in the Porcupine Mountains
Do winter camping the luxe way with a wood-stove-heated hut in Michigan.
America’s Best Huts: Beaver Island Shelter
Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
Test the Waters in Porcupine Mountains State Park
Enjoy fishing, cascades, and the Great Lakes in this Michigan wilderness.
Climb Ice in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
Detroit, MI: Hoist Lakes, Huron-Manistee National Forest
Wind past a half-dozen jade pools on this loop in fall-perfect Huron-Manistee National Forest in Central Michigan. BY STUART PECK
Grand Rapids: Saugatuck Dunes South Loop
Escape to a secluded strip of rippling dunes on this 5.2-miler, which rewards your efforts with panora- mas from high above Lake Michigan.
Grand Rapids: Big Sable Point
Climb to a historic lighthouse and spot a mysterious shipwreck in Lake Michigan on this 4.3-mile loop in Ludington State Park.
Watersmeet, MI: Clark Lake
This 8.2-mile Sylvania Wilderness overnight loops around a glacial lake with sandy beaches and huge virgin-growth trees. It's one of the best hiking spots in the upper Midwest.
Lansing: Deerfield Park
This pleasant 4-mile loop runs through a peaceful hardwood forest, then roughly parallels the banks of the Chippewa River to a wooden covered bridge.
Grand Rapids, MI: Ludington Canoe Trail
Connect dune-lined shores, secluded inlets, and marshlands Hamlin Lake on this 4.9-mile paddle in Ludington State Park.
Chicago, IL: Warren Dunes State Park Loop
Connect wooded dunes, bottomland forest, and a pristine beach on this 3.7-mile loop along Lake Michigan in Warren Dunes State Park.
Grand Rapids, MI: Manistee River Loop
Explore the cedar groves and 100-year-old white pines in the Manistee River Valley on this 22-mile overnight.
Ontonagon, MI: North Country Trail
Discover mesmerizing views and solitude on the North Country Trail.
Grand Rapids, MI: Hall Lake Trail
Inspire your inner thru-hiker on this easy 2-miler in Yankee Springs Recreation Area that samples the North Country Trail with a climb to a glacier-formed depression.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Miners Beach to Little Beaver Lake
Trace the shoreline of Lake Superior past beaches and lakefront overlooks on this 13.8-mile point to point in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI: North Manitou Island
Circumnavigate a wilderness island on this 15-mile loop on North Manitou Island.
Manistee River Trail Loop: Manistee State Forest, MI
Have one of the best backpacking adventures in the Lower Peninsula on this tranquil 17.5-mile loop through the Manistee National Forest.
Readers' Choice 2012: Your Neck of the Woods – Midwest Hikes
Climb dunes, find instant solitude, camp atop riverside bluffs, ascend to surprising above-treeline views, and hike along the St. Croix River.
Rip & Go: Lake of the Clouds to Summit Peak – Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, MI
Hike a high escarpment above a northern forest and Lake Superior.
60 Minute Fixes: Detroit
Adventurous types can still find magic in the rivers, lakes, and paths of Detroit.
High Points: Mt. Arvon, Michigan
The view is nothing to write home about, but this newly crowned high point deserves a visit.