Photo: brewbooks · CC BY-SA 2.0Big Rapids Township has 166 acres of parks, 42 for every 1,000 residents
28% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 3.5 miles of mapped trail cross Big Rapids Township, 0.1 per square mile of land. 4% of Big Rapids Township’s land is conserved, about 738 acres.
Ahead of 45% of U.S. towns · #481 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
How much outdoors does Big Rapids Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Big Rapids Township is ahead of 45% of U.S. towns, #481 of 701 in Michigan. Park acres per resident hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is High Banks Park, with 0.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Community Pool
Clay Cliffs Nature Area
738 conserved acres
4% of Big Rapids Township’s land. Who manages Big Rapids Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 36 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manistee National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 250 | Open |
| Falcon Head Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 137 | Restricted |
| Katke Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 108 | Restricted |
| Forest Reserve State Conservation Area | Other state land | 108 | Open |
| Mecosta Fairgrounds Local Recreation Area | County | 34 | Restricted |
| Local Forest Local Resource Management Area | County | 30 | Open |
| Gravel Pit Local Other or Unknown | County | 19 | Closed |
| High Banks Park Local Park | Town or city | 16 | Open |
1 places to go in Big Rapids Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
2 lakes & rivers
3.7 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
The best walking months in Big Rapids Township: July and September
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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 32 | 42 | 56 | 68 | 78 | 82 | 79 | 72 | 59 | 45 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 2.4 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.3 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 3.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Big Rapids Township →
Big Rapids Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Rapids Township | 4% | 0.1 | 42 | 28% | C+ |
| Colfax Township | 6% | 0.1 | 376 | 15% | B− |
| Mecosta Township | 3% | 0.5 | 76 | 17% | B− |
| Norwich Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Green Township | 3% | 0.2 | 143 | 21% | B− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Big Rapids Township
Where can I hike in Big Rapids Township?
The longest trail networks: High Banks Park, 0.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Big Rapids Township is conserved land?
4% 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 Big Rapids Township’s trails?
High Banks Park and Community Pool don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Big Rapids Township?
3.7 miles of bike routes are on the map: 3.7 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Big Rapids Township?
42,271 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Big Rapids Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 423 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Big Rapids Township have?
Ahead of 45% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #481 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 Big Rapids Township neighbors.
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 →