Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
11,468 acres35.2 mi of trail
Trail 39Rail Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Colfax Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Colfax Township
The biggest trail networks: Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit (35.2 mi). 2% of Colfax Township’s land is conserved, about 398 acres. 130 acres are parks and preserves, 180 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
2%
398 acres · of 35.6 sq mi of land
Trails
42 mi
1.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
130 ac
180 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
26%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.2 mi
0.2 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
4
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 Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit, with 35.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
398 conserved acres
2% of Colfax Township’s land. Who manages Colfax Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits146 ac
State fish & wildlife132 ac
State natural resources120 ac
State Conservation Area · 252 acUnknown Easement · 146 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 146 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 132 | Open |
| MNRTF Parcel State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 78 | Restricted |
| MNRTF Parcel 50 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 40 | Restricted |
| MNRTF Parcel 25 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 3 | Restricted |
Things to do
2 places to go in Colfax Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Colfax Township
Grass Lake Boat LaunchIn Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit
DirectionsCampgrounds in Colfax Township
Grass Lake State Forest CampgroundIn Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit
DirectionsTrails & water
2 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 37.2 mi
Trail 392.7 mi
Rail Trail0.9 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.2 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.2 mi
off-road bike paths
When to get out
The best walking months in Colfax Township: May to 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 31 | 41 | 54 | 67 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 71 | 57 | 44 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 2.3 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
February is the driest month (1.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.2 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Colfax Township →
Next door
Colfax Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Weldon Township100 miInland Township61 miGreen Lake Township43 miColfax Township42 miGrant Township25 miCleon Township15 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colfax Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Grant Township | 4% | 0.7 | 3 | 4% | C |
| Inland Township | 2% | 1.7 | 169 | 15% | B |
| Weldon Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Cleon Township | under 1% | 0.4 | 50 | 25% | C+ |
| Green Lake Township | 10% | 1.5 | 149 | 41% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Colfax Township
Where can I hike in Colfax Township?
The longest trail networks: Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit, 35.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Colfax Township’s trails?
Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Colfax Township?
0.2 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.2 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Colfax Township?
16,040 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Colfax Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 130 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Colfax 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 →