Eight New NoMi Trails to Explore This Spring

Walking a new path with Up North land conservancies

By Al Parker | May 11, 2024

With more than 4,020 miles of hiking trails and another 2,085 biking trails across the state—and many of those miles in northern Michigan—a great walk in the woods is never more than a stone’s throw away.

And thanks to the work of our local land conservancies, the number of northern Michigan trails is growing annually across the region. Here are eight new outdoor opportunities that have opened in the last year or so.

Little Traverse Conservancy

One of the newest trail projects in the whole state of Michigan is the Melvin Family Hiking and Biking Trails, which was officially launched by the Harbor Springs-based Little Traverse Conservancy (LTC) on April 26, 2024.

These are the first professionally-designed and built trails near Topinabee in Cheboygan County and are expected to lure mountain bikers and hikers users from across northern Michigan. Cruising along this trail gives bikers the opportunity to enjoy the scenic hills and woods between Burt and Mullet Lakes.

“This project has been an exceptionally fast and high quality experience thanks to the motivation and support of the Melvin family and many local donors who made it all happen,” said Kieran Fleming, executive director of LTC.

More than eight miles of trails were designed and built, giving mountain bikers of all skill levels a chance to enjoy unique trail features such as gravity trails, sidewinder segments, skills features, rollers, berms, and more. Separate hiking trails follow old logging roads and provide access for emergency vehicles.

Another recent LTC project brings a universally accessible trail to East Jordan. Wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and hikers will enjoy The Don and Eileen Klein Nature Trail, a scenic continuation of recent trail updates from downtown EJ to Sportsman’s Park where the Jordan River flows into Lake Charlevoix. The Klein Trail completes a 4-mile pathway and travels along the edge of the Jordan, across city and conservancy land, The new trail ultimately connects to a comfortably walkable railroad grade at the Rogers Family Homestead Nature Preserve. Just upstream from the preserve is a convenient public access/canoe launch that offers excellent paddling opportunities.

Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy

The GTRLC is abuzz about several new trails opened recently, including three in Grand Traverse County.

At Mitchell Creek Meadows (pictured), in the Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve, there’s a new three-quarter-mile trail made possible by Roger and Ann Looyenga in honor of their children and grandchildren. From the trailhead, the trail passes through wetlands, meadows, and forest restoration areas. At the first intersection, visitors can explore Glen’s Grove, a dense stand of white cedar sitting right on a groundwater seep. As you continue, a boardwalk and aggregate path meanders to the east through open areas before crossing a stream and looping through a riparian forest. This section of the trail includes a spur leading to an elevated platform that offers scenic views of the surrounding landscape, which once was a golf course.

At Pyatt Lake, the Bill Carls Nature Preserve has a new trailhead and parking area just off Peninsula Drive on Old Mission Peninsula. It provides easy access to this beautiful and ecologically significant place. Along with this upgrade, a new half-mile trail was also constructed through the northern section of Pyatt Lake, which connects to the original trail via Pyatt Road.

Another Grand Traverse County project has been underway at Turtle Cove Nature Preserve, the latest nature preserve opened by GTRLC. The Beverly and Spencer Silk Nature Trail loops for 1.7 miles through various habitats and terrains, including mesic northern forest, dry-mesic northern forest, steep lake bluff, and a riparian area along Arbutus Lake. Along the trail, hikers will enjoy mature white pines and a leatherleaf bog. While accessing the lake is discouraged, the shallow waters of Turtle Cove provide habitat for scores of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and other species.

In Benzie County, the third and final phase of trail construction has been completed at the Mt. Minnie Nature Preserve. The work was completed last summer and extends the existing trail by about half a mile to a total of 1.2 miles. This trail runs along a lush, forested ridge that sits between Big Platte and Little Platte Lakes, providing critical habitat for wildlife and offering scenic views of the lakes at several convenient stopping spots.

HeadWaters Land Conservancy

The sprawling HeadWaters Land Conservancy protects and restores land in 11 counties, including Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Roscommon, Presque Isle, Ogenaw, Oscoda, and Otsego. Since its inception in 1994, the conservancy has protected thousands of acres and in 2023 opened two new trails.

Near Hillman in Montmorency County, the Lake Avalon Nature Preserve Trail runs about two-thirds of a mile across flat terrain in the 40-acre preserve. A canopy of trembling aspen, red maples, and red and white oaks lend shelter from sun or rain to leisurely hikers and bird watchers. In the winter, it’s a captivating location for a snowshoeing adventure. Located right across the street from a public access site on the east shore of Lake Avalon, it’s a perfect spot for anyone looking to combine a brief hike with a paddling experience.

In Presque Isle County, not far from the village of Hawks, is the 0.82-mile Porcupine Run Nature Preserve Trail. It runs through the 20-acre preserve with roadside parking less than a mile from Lake Nettle. The beautiful topography provides for a relatively rigorous hike. One highlight is a small wetland complex in the southern portion of the property where tag alder and swamp conifers act as filters for spring snowmelt and summer rains. The alders are excellent hosts for several types of butterfly and moth larvae, which in turn attracts many varieties of birds. The trees’ flowers are profuse pollen producers. Opened just last year, the trail is already a popular site for avid birdwatchers. (And despite a relatively mild snow season, it drew a number of snowshoers over its first winter months.)