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The Petoskey Area encompasses Emmet and Charlevoix Counties and is a region of little bays and a lot of high places. Its Lake Michigan shoreline is indented by Little Traverse Bay, Sturgeon Bay and Cecil Bay while towering inland are the largest ski resorts in the Lower Peninsula. For trail users, this translates into watery views and lofty panoramas.
The region is blessed with considerable public land including four state parks – Fisherman’s Island, Young, Petoskey and Wilderness – large tracts of the Mackinaw State Forest and more than 6,200 acres of natural areas held in trust by the Little Traverse Conservancy. Petoskey Area is split in half by 90 miles of the North Country Trail, including some of the most scenic sections in the Lower Peninsula, while skirting 26 miles of its Lake Michigan shoreline, from Charlevoix to Harbor Springs, is the paved Little Traverse Wheelway.
Trail opportunities are almost endless. From spring through fall hikers and mountain bikers gather at state forest pathways or Avalanche Preserve Recreation Area for the challenge of the rugged terrain and the stunning views at the top. Backpackers follow miles of the North Country Trail or spend the night at walk-in campsites deep inside Wilderness State Park. Families enjoy interpretive trails and nature centers at places like Thorne Swift Nature Preserve while inline skaters are seen the length of the paved trail at Bear River Valley Recreation Area.
In the winter Petoskey Area receives an abundance of lake effect snow that often arrives by late November and stays around until March. Many of the trails then become destinations for winter enthusiasts. Snowshoers and backcountry skiers can enjoy a wilderness-like experience while setting their own tracks while others have no problem finding a Nordic center that grooms for classic and skate skiing and features a warming lodge at the end of the trail.
Shorelines, high places and a path in the woods; the Petoskey Area is a paradise for trail users.
Location Map of Petoskey Area Trails
Hiking
Avalanche Walking Trail
Bear River Valley Recreation Area
Camp Pet-O-Se-Ga
Deer Flats Trail (Young SP)
Driggers Memorial Preserve
Fisherman's Island SP
McCune Nature Preserve
Nebo-Swamp Line (Wilderness SP)
North Point Nature Preserve
Oden Island Nature Preserve
Oden State Fish Hatchery
Old Baldy Trail (Petoskey SP)
Pondside Trail (Wilderness SP)
Portage Trail (Petoskey SP)
Ransom Nature Preserve
Red Pine-Big Stone (Wilderness SP)
Skyline Trail
Susan Creek Nature Preserve
The Headlands
The Hill Nature Preserve
White Birch Trail (Young SP)
Mountain Biking
Avalanche Mountain Bike Trail
Bear River Valley Recreation Area
The Headlands
Wildwood Hills Pathway
Paved Trails
Bear River Valley Recreation Area
Little Traverse Wheelway
Backpacking
O'Neal Lake Loop (Wilderness SP)
Nordic Skiing
Birchwood Farms
Driggers Memorial Preserve
Goodhart Farms Ski Trails
Mt. McSauba Recreation Area
Petoskey SP Ski Trail
Spring Brook Pathway
Wildwood Hills Pathway
Young State Park Ski Trails
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