Bay View Woods Park
Park
170 acres4.2 mi of trail
Algonquin TrailOld Indian TrailGateway TrailDeer Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Protopian Pickle Jar · CC BY-SA 2.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Bear Creek Township
Bear Creek Township has 578 acres of parks, 88 for every 1,000 residents
39 miles of mapped trail cross Bear Creek Township, 1.0 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Bay View Woods Park (4.2 mi), Petoskey State Park (3.7 mi), Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit (2.6 mi). 30% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 66% of U.S. towns · #328 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Conserved land
3%
702 acres · of 39.6 sq mi of land
Trails
39 mi
1.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
578 ac
88 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
30%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
7.6 mi
2.0 mi lanes · 5.6 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
4
3 beaches · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Bear Creek Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Bear Creek Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Bear Creek Township is ahead of 66% of U.S. towns, #328 of 701 in Michigan. Park acres per resident hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Bear Creek Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land3% of the land · typical MI town 5% · U.S. 4%B−Trails1.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (39 mi) · MI 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land88 acres of park per 1,000 residents (578 acres) · MI 33 · U.S. 13AParks close to home30% of residents within a half mile of a park · MI 50% · U.S. 72%C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 66%
LessMore
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 53%
Water is 13% of Bear Creek Township’s area (6 of 46 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 2%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Bay View Woods Park, with 4.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Petoskey State Park
Park
319 acres3.7 mi of trail
Portage TrailOld Baldy Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
1,669 acres2.6 mi of trail
North Country Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Skyline Trail Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
111 acres1.6 mi of trail
Skyline Trail & North Country Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Krause Rd
Round Lake Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
57 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Fochtman Nature Preserve
Managed by Little Traverse Conservancy
197 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 15 parks & preserves
Bay View Woods Park170 acres · 4.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPetoskey State Park319 acres · 3.7 mi of trail
DirectionsMackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit1,669 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsSkyline Trail Nature Preserve111 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsRound Lake Nature Preserve57 acres · 1 mi of trail
Fochtman Nature Preserve197 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Little Traverse Conservancy
DirectionsSpring Lake Park20 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsReg and Vivian Sharkey Nature Preserve3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Little Traverse Conservancy
DirectionsJones Landing1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Schoof's Creek Natural Area47 acres
Orchis Fen Nature Preserve33 acres · Little Traverse Conservancy
Martha A. Curtis Nature Preserve29 acres · Little Traverse Conservancy
Hankin's Glen Nature Preserve13 acres
South Round Lake Nature Preserve8 acres
DirectionsVictories Square Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
702 conserved acres
3% of Bear Creek Township’s land. Water is left out: Bear Creek Township has 39.6 square miles of land and 6.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Bear Creek Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits335 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)213 ac
Private owners122 ac
State natural resources17 ac
Town or city8 ac
Other state land6 ac
Private Conservation · 335 acConservation Easement · 219 acPrivate Park · 112 acLocal Park · 19 acState Park · 17 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 219 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 5 of 17 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fochtman Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 196 | Unknown |
| Petoskey Bay View Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 112 | Restricted |
| Round Lake Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 55 | Open |
| Orchis Fen Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 34 | Closed |
| Curtis Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 23 | Unknown |
| Petoskey State Park State Park | State natural resources | 17 | Open |
| Hankin's Glen Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 13 | Unknown |
| South Round Lake Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 10 | Unknown |
| Unknown Park Local Park | Private owners | 8 | Open |
| Spring Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
3 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
22 places to go in Bear Creek Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Bear Creek Township
3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Bear Creek Township
SwingsetIn Petoskey State Park
DirectionsPlus 8 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Bear Creek Township
Round Lake Boating Access Site
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Bear Creek Township
Emmet County - Skyline Trail - Viewing PlatformIn Skyline Trail Nature Preserve
DirectionsSkyline Trail Viewing PlaformIn Skyline Trail Nature Preserve
DirectionsPlus 1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Bear Creek Township
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Bear Creek Township
Dunes CampgroundIn Petoskey State Park
DirectionsJellystone Park Petoskey
DirectionsOrganization CampgroundIn Petoskey State Park
DirectionsTannery Creek CampgroupIn Petoskey State Park
DirectionsTrails & water
16 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 6.8 miUnpaved · 16.9 mi
North Country Trail3.9 mi
Skyline Trail & North Country Trail1.4 mi
Red Loop0.8 mi
North Country National Scenic Trail0.6 mi
Old Indian Trail0.6 mi
Portage Trail0.6 mi
Algonquin Trail0.6 mi
Old Baldy Trail0.4 mi
Gateway Trail0.4 mi
Tunnel0.4 mi
6 more trails
Deer Trail
0.3 miPipeline Trail
0.3 miMemorial Trail
0.3 miNorth Country Trail (retired)
0.2 miOrchard Trail
0.2 miMeadow Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
7.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.0 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
5.6 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
15Tennis
11Soccer
3Pickleball
2Basketball
2Baseball
1Softball
1Beach volleyball
1Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The best walking months in Bear Creek Township: May to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 27 | 29 | 38 | 51 | 64 | 74 | 78 | 77 | 69 | 56 | 43 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
February is the driest month (1.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 78 °F). 4.2 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Bear Creek Township →
Next door
Bear Creek Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Springvale Township84 miLittle Traverse Township44 miBear Creek Township39 miMelrose Township31 miPetoskey29 miResort Township16 miBay View1.0 miConway0.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Township | 3% | 1.0 | 88 | 30% | B+ |
| Petoskey | 19% | 5.6 | 45 | 96% | A+ |
| Springvale Township | 2% | 1.9 | 65 | 17% | B |
| Melrose Township | 2% | 1.0 | 39 | 33% | B |
| Resort Township | 5% | 0.8 | 90 | 40% | B+ |
| Little Traverse Township | 12% | 2.4 | 276 | 53% | A |
| Bay View | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Conway | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Bear Creek Township
Where can I hike in Bear Creek Township?
The longest trail networks: Bay View Woods Park, 4.2 miles; Petoskey State Park, 3.7 miles; Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit, 2.6 miles; Skyline Trail Nature Preserve, 1.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Bear Creek Township is conserved land?
3% of its land, against a typical 5% for a Michigan town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Bear Creek Township’s trails?
Bay View Woods Park and Petoskey State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Bear Creek Township?
7.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.0 of painted or protected lanes and 5.6 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Bear Creek Township?
7,255 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bear Creek Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 578 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Bear Creek Township have?
Ahead of 66% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #328 of 701 in Michigan. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Bear Creek Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →