Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
10,631 acres15.3 mi of trail
Grants Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth". · Public domain–Not graded
Outdoors in Bois Blanc Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Bois Blanc Township
The biggest trail networks: Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit (15.3 mi). 12% of Bois Blanc Township’s land is conserved, about 2,615 acres. 2,590 acres are parks and preserves, 76,175 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
12%
2,615 acres · of 35.1 sq mi of land
Trails
31 mi
0.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,590 ac
76,175 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
13%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
7
1 boat launch
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 Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit, with 15.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve
Nature preserve
1,536 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Bois Blanc Island Nature Sanctuary
Managed by Michigan Nature Association
243 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Jahn, Martin and Reinhardt Family Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
164 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit10,631 acres · 15.3 mi of trail · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsStraits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve1,536 acres
Bois Blanc Island Nature Sanctuary243 acres · Michigan Nature Association
Jahn, Martin and Reinhardt Family Nature Preserve164 acres
Vosper Nature Preserve146 acres
Who protects it
2,615 conserved acres
12% of Bois Blanc Township’s land. Water is left out: Bois Blanc Township has 35.1 square miles of land and 14.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Bois Blanc Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources2,062 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits555 ac
State Conservation Area · 2,062 acPrivate Conservation · 555 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed Forest Natural Area, Bois Blanc State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 987 | Open |
| Northshore Natural Area, Bois Blanc I State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 810 | Open |
| Bois Blanc Island Sanctuary Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 273 | Open |
| Snake Island-Mud Lake Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 263 | Open |
| Jahn, Martin and Reinhardt Family Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 161 | Open |
| Vosper Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 121 | Open |
| Bois Blanc Island Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 3 | Restricted |
Things to do
1 places to go in Bois Blanc Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Bois Blanc Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Grants Trail0.6 mi
Skidder Path0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
1Tennis
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Bois Blanc 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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 26 | 28 | 37 | 49 | 62 | 71 | 76 | 75 | 69 | 55 | 43 | 32 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 76 °F). 4.1 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Bois Blanc Township →
Next door
Bois Blanc Township and its neighbors
Bois Blanc Township has the second most mapped trails of the 2 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bois Blanc Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Mackinac Island | — 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 Bois Blanc Township
Where can I hike in Bois Blanc Township?
The longest trail networks: Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit, 15.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Bois Blanc Township’s trails?
Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit and Straits of Mackinac Underwater Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Bois Blanc Township?
24,792 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bois Blanc Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,590 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Bois Blanc 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 →