There’s no better way to spend a summer day than walking the beach.
Michigan’s lakeside trails wend beneath leafy hardwoods, brightened by colorful wildflowers and berry bushes. And always, just a few feet away, lies the promise of a splash in the surf.
From easy state park strolls to scenic bike paths and challenging backpacking routes, Michigan is criss-crossed by trails. Here are a few of my favorites that also can be hiked in various segments.
Nordhouse Dunes
Wilderness Area Trail
Length: 6-mile loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Knee-high dune grass, thick stands of maple and birch, and sweeping views of Lake Michigan await hikers in the Nordhouse Dunes. Given its location just north of Ludington State Park, one of the state’s most popular, this trail offers surprisingly few encounters with other people. That may be due to the trail’s moderately demanding terrain, up and over 4,000-year-old dunes that rise 150 feet above lake level.
For those who are up to the challenge, the trail offers plenty of rewards. The route ascends the ancient dunes, their once-bare crests now thick with hardwoods, before dropping into depressions that hide small ponds. Watch for the deer, fox, porcupines, and other wildlife that shelter here before continuing toward the lakeshore. There, seagulls soar, the endangered Pitcher’s thistle and piping plover thrive, and the Lake Michigan surf promises a refreshing dip.
Tip: If the 6-mile loop proves too challenging, stick to the trail’s 1.5-mile beach segment, accessed via the national forest campsite on West Forest Trail Road.
Saugatuck Dunes State Park’s
Livingston Trail
Length: 2.5 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
With 2.5 miles of unblemished beach and 1,000 acres of coastal dunes, Saugatuck Dunes State Park ranks as one of West Michigan’s most popular.
The state park features four primary trails; the Livingston Trail is among the best for a true wilderness experience on easy terrain. The trail rolls gently up and over the ridgeline of ancient, forested dunes, which are furnished with stairsteps of exposed tree roots, shaded by towering hardwoods, bordered by nodding columbines and asters, and supplied with tempting red raspberries — if previous hikers and the resident deer haven’t beat you to them.
The Livingston Trail ends at Lake Michigan, where you’ll find a beautiful swimming beach and miles of golden sand. It’s a perfect spot for soaking up the sun before heading back.
Tip: The Saugatuck Dunes are home to 13 miles of hiking trails. Extend your hike by walking up the beach to return to the parking area via an alternate trail.
The North Country Trail
in Pictured Rocks
National Lakeshore
Length: 42 miles one way
Difficulty: Moderate
The approximately 42 miles of trail that follow Lake Superior in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore piggyback on the North Country Trail — which, at 4,600 miles, is the nation’s longest national scenic trail.
Here, the trail climbs over russet sandstone ridges and descends onto isolated beaches, traverses forest floors shaded by white pines (and carpeted with their needles), and passes splashing waterfalls. All along the way, there’s the beauty of Lake Superior.
Many of the Pictured Rocks’ most popular landmarks lie along the trail, including Munising Falls, Miners Castle, Miners Beach, Chapel Rock, Spray Falls, and the Au Sable Light Station. But don’t discount quieter trailside charms: the solitary views of mirror-calm Lake Superior; delicate Jack-in-the-pulpit and trout lilies; and downed, moss-covered tree trunks (perfect picnic spots).
Tip: Parking areas near Munising Falls, Miners Castle, Miners Beach, and the
Au Sable Light offer easy access for shorter day trips.
Suzy’s Cave Trail on Isle Royale
Length: 4.3 miles round trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Over gnarled tree roots and across spongey evergreen needles, alongside the calm waters of Tobin Harbor, and past clumps of thimbleberries, Suzy’s Cave Trail promises some of Isle Royale’s finest scenery with little of the challenging hiking or weather exposure Isle Royale is famous for.
The trail departs from Rock Harbor near the seaplane dock, rising and dipping over rocky ledges and roots through an aromatic evergreen forest on a gradual upward climb.
Tobin Harbor is dotted with tiny tree-covered islands where loons, kayakers, and even playful otters like to splash around. The hike’s endpoint is Suzy’s Cave, from which the trail takes its name — it’s an inland rock arch created by the pounding Lake Superior surf when water levels were higher. The cave makes a lovely, cool picnic spot before returning to Rock Harbor.
Tip: Return to Rock Harbor the way you came, or make a loop, returning by way of the Harbor Trail, alongside Lake Superior.
Bridge to Bay Trail
Length: 50 miles one way
Difficulty: Easy
Following a diverse system of boardwalks, riverwalks, bike paths, and city streets, the Bridge to Bay Trail follows the St. Clair River and the Lake Huron shore near the base of Michigan’s Thumb, with glimpses of lighthouses and Great Lakes freighters along the way. Because the route is entirely paved, it’s popular with cyclists and pedestrians.
The Bridge to Bay Trail begins on Lake St. Clair in New Baltimore. Graceful sailboats dot the lake to the south as the trail heads to Algonac and the St. Clair River, which parallels the trail all the way to Port Huron.
Rest in charming villages such as Marine City and St. Clair over coffee or ice cream; stop for photo opportunities at lighthouses in Algonac, Marine City, and Port Huron; and marvel at the passing Great Lakes freighters on one of many riverside park benches.
Tip: Most of the Bridge to Bay’s quietest roads and designated vehicle-free stretches lie between the towns of Algonac and Port Huron.
Plan It!
Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area
fs.usda.gov
Saugatuck Dunes State Park
michigandnr.com/parksandtrails
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
nps.gov/piro
Suzy’s Cave Trail
nps.gov/isro
Bridge to Bay Trail
bridgetobay.org
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