The snow lies deep in Michigan’s most popular recreation areas come winter, and many of the state’s loveliest waterside trails are transformed into pristine snowshoe paths in the off season.
Swap your hiking boots for a pair of snowshoes this winter and venture out on one of these spectacular Michigan escapes.
Chippewa Nature Center (Midland)
Difficulty: Easy
Dormant trees bear tiny buds and seed pods, promises of next spring’s growth. The snow-covered forest floor reveals brushes of wing prints and the divots of animal tracks, and if you look closely, you can see tunnels sculpted by mice and chipmunks that have burrowed beneath the snow in search of buried food or shelter.
Naturalists at the Chippewa Nature Center love introducing the hidden beauties of winter to snowshoers along the park’s 19 miles of trails. It’s a location well-suited to beginners, given the park’s reasonably flat elevation along the Pine and Chippewa rivers.
Snowshoers of all levels can explore the winter woods on trails that wind through the forest of white and red pine, maple, and beech. Along the way, visitors frequently spot juncos, cardinals, and Bohemian waxwings, and observe signs of winter residents such as deer, coyotes, and owls.
Tip: Register for a guided 90-minute snowshoe walk or a self-guided snowshoe sampler to try snowshoeing free of charge.
Pigeon Creek Park (West Olive)
Difficulty: Easy
Centrally located between Grand Haven, Holland, Muskegon, and Grand Rapids, Pigeon Creek Park truly shines in the winter. Criss-crossed by dedicated cross-country and snowshoe trails, and home to a wildly popular sledding hill, the Ottawa County park draws winter sports enthusiasts from west Michigan and beyond.
A deep layer of snow buries the landscape at this park, which lies just inland from Lake Michigan. On a quiet winter’s day, the sun glints off the frost-covered hardwood branches overhead and snow carpets the banks of the Pigeon River. Evergreens border the gently hilly forest landscape and shelf fungi on tree trunks support tiny drifts of fallen snow.
Tip: The Pigeon Creek Lodge, open only during good snow conditions, offers snowshoe and ski rentals, concessions, restrooms, and a fun place to warm up between snowshoe outings.
Ludington State Park (Ludington)
Difficulty: Moderate
The approach to Ludington State Park is among the most beautiful of any state park, passing alongside Lake Michigan and wending its way through windswept dunes. The park is no less beautiful in winter.
The park only offers snowshoers access to 4 miles of trails this winter because its northern reaches are closed for enhancements until July 1, but visitors can also venture off trail across the ancient dunes. It’s nearly impossible to get lost on snowshoes — just follow your tracks back to your starting point.
Along the way, enjoy landscapes marked by towering hardwoods, frozen swaths of dune grass, and the icy Sable River, a magnet for the park’s deer that connects Hamlin Lake and Lake Michigan.
Tip: Check the park’s website for details on four guided lantern-lit snowshoe hikes 6-8 p.m. along the south side of the river. A bonfire and hot chocolate are part of the event.
The Swedetown Trails (Calumet)
Difficulty: Moderate
Thanks to Lake Superior, the snow is famously deep in the Keweenaw Peninsula. That means that no matter the level of snow elsewhere in Michigan, you’re likely to find great snowshoeing here.
Some 8.5 miles of dedicated snowshoe trails meander up and over the rolling wooded hills of Swedetown. Two miles of trails are dog-friendly and wide enough to accommodate a side-by-side conversation with a friend, but it’s also worth exploring the park’s narrower trails, where the path offers the feel of a winter wilderness experience, weaving between densely packed evergreen trees that spill their snow like frozen confetti on passers-by. The Swedetown Chalet offers changing rooms and a warming station between hikes.
Tip: Make a weekend of your visit to the Keweenaw with stops at McLain State Park, Mount Bohemia, and the grounds of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge — all excellent snowshoeing destinations.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park (Paradise)
Difficulty: Challenging
Tahquamenon Falls State Park ranks as one of Michigan’s most popular destinations in summer. The crowds thin as the snowfall increases, making this park a perfect spot to enjoy the beauty of winter.
The River Trail, which extends 4 miles one way through the park’s thick forest and along the banks of the Tahquamenon River, leads snowshoers from the Upper
to the Lower Tahquamenon Falls.
The river valley’s sometimes steep
ups and downs render this trail challenging any time of year, but in winter, a thick carpet of snow smooths over twisted tree roots and turns staircases into ramps. Snowshoe over wetland boardwalks to see the park’s namesake
waterfalls, framed by snow and amber-colored icicles.
Tip: Begin your trek at the Lower Falls and enjoy a lunch break at the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub near the Upper Falls before returning.
Plan it!
As a cold-weather courtesy, avoid snowshoeing on dedicated cross-country ski routes because the snowshoes’ teeth will damage groomed trails.
Chippewa Nature Center
chippewanaturecenter.org
Pigeon Creek Park
miottawa.org/parks/
Ludington State Park
michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/
Swedetown Trails
swedetowntrails.org
Tahquamenon Falls State Park
michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/
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