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14 Hiking Trails in Petoskey

Petoskey, Michigan is located in the beautiful northern Lower Peninsula and is known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities. If you are looking for hiking trails in the area, there are many options to consider.

Allan and Virginia McCune Nature Preserve offers 3 ½ miles of trails to explore hardwood forests, red pine plantations, meadow, creek, and a cedar swamp. Two parking areas are available. Allan and Virginia McCune Nature Preserve Trail Map
Bay View Woods offers nearly 4 miles of trails that are well marked and easy to walk. The nature preserve is 168 acres and home to a variety of flora, fauna, and bird life. There are also geological features rarely found in Michigan. Bay View Woods Trail map
Bayfront Park in downtown Petoskey and offers a network of trails that take you along the shoreline of Little Traverse Bay. The trails offer beautiful views of the bay and the surrounding landscape.
Bear River Valley Recreation Area is just a few miles north of Petoskey and offers a network of trails through a beautiful wilderness setting. The trails wind through a mix of forests and along the Bear River, offering a variety of scenic views. Bear River Valley Recreation Area Parking and Access Locations Map
Bubbling Springs Nature Preserve is a mix of wetlands, uplands, and shoreline. There is a small parking area, and a short trail leads towards the springs portion of the preserve. Bubbling Springs Trail Map
Cherry Lane Nature Center is a combination of two Preserves, Randall Ferguson Preserve and Cherry Lane Preserve. The nature area offers rolling hills, open meadows, and market trails. Cherry Lane Trail Map
Fields Preserve is close to the headwaters of Schoof’s Creek and has marked trails and parking. The creek is an important Walloon Lake Feeder stream and includes a natural spring as well as hardwood forest with open fields and cedar swamp. Fields Trail Map
Indian Garden Natural Area combines the Terrell, Millikan, and Moore Preserves and Woodland Partnership Preserve for a total of 106 acres. The preserve has well-maintained trails, glacially-sculpted hills, a woodland stream, and small open meadow. Ideal for hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing and snow shoeing. Upland hardwood forest, scattered evergreen with hill terrain and market trails. Season creek along trail. Indian Garden Natural Area Trail Map
Little Traverse Wheelway or the “Bike Path” as it is locally called runs 26 miles from Charlevoix to Harbor Springs. The part of the trail between Petoskey’s Bayfront Park to Petoskey State Park follows closely the path of the original Little Traverse Wheelway that went from Petoskey to Harbor Springs in the 1880s and 1890s. Little Traverse Wheelway Trail Map
North Central Michigan College Natural Area can be accessed from the southeast corner of the parking near the Student and Community Resource Center (Lot #6 on campus maps). A dozen different biotic communities, both upland and wetland, can be found within the boundaries of the Natural Area, making it an excellent place for environmental studies, photography, and wildlife observation. North Central Michigan College Natural Area Trail Map
North Country Trail: This long-distance trail passes through Petoskey and offers a variety of hiking opportunities through a mix of forests and along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. North Country Trail Petoskey Area Trail Maps
North Western State Trail (NWST) offers 32 miles of trails between Petoskey and Alanson. The trail runs along the former Grand Rapids and Indiana line of Pennsylvania Railroad (once known as “The Fishing Line”). The railroad opened in 1882 and continued in some areas until 1992. North Western State Trail Map
Oden Island Nature Preserve is composed of large old-growth trees and fragile wetlands. Parking is found at the trailhead. Approximately one mile of foot trails skirt the island’s eastern perimeter. Look for two benches along the way for enjoying lakeside views. Oden Island Trail Map
Petoskey State Park is just outside of Petoskey and offers a variety of trails that take you through a mix of forests and along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. There are trails for all skill levels, ranging from easy, flat trails to challenging, steep trails. Petoskey State Park Trail Map

Overall, Petoskey and the surrounding area offer a variety of hiking trails for all skill levels and interests. Whether you are looking for a challenging hike through the wilderness or an easy walk along the lake, you will find a trail that is right for you.

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Marisa Fancy moved to Northern Michigan from SE Michigan in 1995 with her husband, Steve and their four children. Every year when they would vacation in Northern Michigan, they would dream of being able to move “Up North.”

Marisa discovered the amazing trails in Northern Michigan after her first husband died and she was looking for ways to cope with her grief. The trails provided her with the peace, comfort and solitude that helped her survive. Later, after meeting Guy who would become her second husband, she learned to golf and found another passion she could enjoy in beautiful Northern Michigan.

Marisa has been the family historian, writer, and poet for as long as she can remember. She has always loved to write and has now found a creative outlet for it other than family. You can read her articles in Adventures in Northern Michigan, Northern Michigan History and Golf Up North.