Proud Lake State Recreation Area
Park
1,927 acres18.8 mi of trail
Proud Lake-Hickory Glen ConnectorRed/Blue TrailsCampground ConnectorMarsh Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Huron River Fishing Site Parking
Kittie C. McCoy House · Photo: Traveler100 · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Commerce Township
Commerce Township has 87 miles of mapped trails, 3.2 for every square mile of land
25% of Commerce Township’s land is conserved, about 4,408 acres. 3,509 acres are parks and preserves, 80 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Proud Lake State Recreation Area (18.8 mi), Victory Park (9.5 mi), Wise Woods Park (8.7 mi).
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #15 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Conserved land
25%
4,408 acres · of 27.5 sq mi of land
Trails
87 mi
3.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,509 ac
80 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
77%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
24 mi
1.0 mi lanes · 23 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
24
16 beaches · 49 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Commerce Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Commerce Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Commerce Township is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #15 of 701 in Michigan. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Commerce Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land25% of the land · typical MI town 5% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (87 mi) · MI 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land80 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,509 acres) · MI 33 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home77% of residents within a half mile of a park · MI 50% · U.S. 72%B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 96%
LessMore
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 98%
Water is 8% of Commerce Township’s area (2 of 30 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 23%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A 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 Proud Lake State Recreation Area, with 18.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Wise Woods Park
Park
263 acres8.7 mi of trail
North Wise Crossingpump track
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hickory Glen Park
Park
156 acres7.6 mi of trail
MTB Trail (Spincycle)MTB Trail (East Loop)MTB Trail (The Original Mile)MTB Trail (Todd's Way)+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Richardson Community Center and Park
Park
77 acres2.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Robert H. Long Nature Park
Park
117 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 33 parks & preserves
Proud Lake State Recreation Area1,927 acres · 18.8 mi of trail
DirectionsVictory Park328 acres · 9.5 mi of trail
DirectionsWise Woods Park263 acres · 8.7 mi of trail
DirectionsHickory Glen Park156 acres · 7.6 mi of trail
DirectionsDodge Park #5111 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsRichardson Community Center and Park77 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMaple Glen Park99 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRobert H. Long Nature Park117 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsClara Miller Park30 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsMill Race Park10 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsMeandering Walk Park7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Hill 'N Dale Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Historical Byer's Homestead2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBicentennial Park10 acres
DirectionsFox Lake Park8 acres
Snowy Ridge Park4 acres
DirectionsWolverine Lake Access Site3 acres · State of Michigan
DirectionsLake Pine Park3 acres
DirectionsPromenade Park2 acres
Union Lake Public Access2 acres · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsUnion Lake Access2 acres
DirectionsLedgewood A-Lot2 acres
Russell Beach Park2 acres
DirectionsLong Lake Public Access1 acres · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsSherwood Capri Park1 acres
DirectionsPine Cove Park1 acres
Double Privilege Park1 acres
Payne's Manor Pointe Park1 acres
DirectionsLimited Common Area Park1 acres
Nantucket / Pennylake Beach Park1 acres
Spring Lake Heights Beach1 acres
Oakwood Grove 2 Park1 acres
Oakwood Grove Park1 acres
Who protects it
4,408 conserved acres
25% of Commerce Township’s land. Water is left out: Commerce Township has 27.5 square miles of land and 2.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Commerce Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources2,526 ac
Private owners1,069 ac
Town or city559 ac
Other state land332 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits62 ac
State Recreation Area · 2,526 acPrivate Park · 1,069 acLocal Park · 559 acConservation Easement · 394 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 264 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proud Lake State Recreation Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 2,414 | Open |
| Beacon Hill Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 186 | Restricted |
| Hickory Glen Park Local Park | Town or city | 150 | Open |
| Multi Lakes Conservation Club Private Park | Private owners | 149 | Open |
| Links at Pinewood Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 136 | Restricted |
| El Dorado Golf & Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 132 | Restricted |
| Harley's Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 122 | Restricted |
| Robert H. Long Park Local Park | Town or city | 116 | Open |
| Proud Lake Nature Study Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 106 | Open |
| Bay Pointe Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 102 | Restricted |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
116 places to go in Commerce Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Commerce Township
Lake Sherwood
DirectionsNantucket / Pennylake HOA BeachIn Nantucket / Pennylake Beach Park
DirectionsRussell BeachIn Russell Beach Park
DirectionsSherwood CapriIn Sherwood Capri Park
DirectionsSpring Lake Heights Annex Beach
DirectionsTwin Sun Lakes Common Area to Marina & Swim Area
DirectionsPlus 10 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Commerce Township
Scarlet's Smile PlaygroundIn Dodge Park #5
Directions41 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Commerce Township
Mickies Dog ParkIn Victory Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Commerce Township
Canoe/Kayak Boat LaunchIn Indiana Road Ending Public Lake Access
DirectionsKayak & Canoe Put-In
DirectionsKayak/Canoe Launch
DirectionsLong Lake Boat LaunchIn Long Lake Public Access
DirectionsNantucket / Pennylake Boat Launch
DirectionsNorth Commerce Lake Boat Launch - Creedmore
DirectionsSurfwood Boat Launch
Directions49 boat launches are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Scenic views in Commerce Township
5 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Commerce Township
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Commerce Township
Lower Pines Organizational CampgroundIn Proud Lake State Recreation Area
DirectionsRed Oaks Organizational CampgroundIn Proud Lake State Recreation Area
DirectionsUpper Pines Organizational CampgroundIn Proud Lake State Recreation Area
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 24 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 39.6 miHorses · 1.5 miUnpaved · 37.6 mi
Proud Lake-Hickory Glen Connector2.0 mi
Red/Blue Trails1.7 mi
Campground Connector1.7 mi
Marsh Trail1.2 mi
Blue Trail0.9 mi
Wellness Path0.9 mi
MTB Trail (Spincycle)0.9 mi
North Wise Crossing0.8 mi
Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail0.8 mi
MTB Trail (East Loop)0.7 mi
15 more trails
MTB Trail (The Original Mile)
0.5 miMTB Trail (Todd's Way)
0.5 miMTB Trail (Party Store)
0.5 miMTB Trail (Hairpin Alley)
0.4 miXC Race Course
0.4 miMTB Trail (Disney)
0.4 miChief Pontiac Trail
0.4 miWoods Trail
0.4 miMTB Trail (Trenches)
0.4 miMTB Trail (Stolen Bridge)
0.3 miMTB Trail (2005 Trailschool)
0.3 miMTB Trail (Red House)
0.3 miMTB Trail (Par 3)
0.3 mi#18-#12
0.2 miMTB Trail (K2 Ledge)
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Bass LakelakeBerry LakepondCarroll LakelakeCarus LakeClark LakelakeCranberry LakelakeFox LakelakeHawk LakelakeLake SherwoodlakeLittle Carroll LakeLong LakelakeLower Straits LakelakeMoss LakelakeNorth Commerce LakePelletier LakepondProud LakelakeReed LakeSouth Commerce LakeStuart LakeTray LakeTwin Sun LakeslakeWolverine LakeWoodbridge LakeHuron River
Biking & sports
24 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.0 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
23 mi
off-road bike paths
Hickory Glen MTB TrailBike route
6.3 miProud Lake-Hickory Glen ConnectorBike route
2 miCampground ConnectorBike route
1.7 miOther TrailsBike route
0.7 miCourts & fields
36Baseball
29Tennis
14Soccer
14Pickleball
12Basketball
6Softball
5Football
4Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The best walking months in Commerce Township: August 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 31 | 34 | 44 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 80 | 74 | 61 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 2.1 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 3.8 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Commerce Township →
Next door
Commerce Township and its neighbors
Commerce Township has the second most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Milford Township101 miCommerce Township87 miWhite Lake Township78 miWest Bloomfield Township65 miWixom14 miWalled Lake2.6 miWolverine Lake1.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commerce Township | 25% | 3.2 | 80 | 77% | A+ |
| Walled Lake | 1% | 1.2 | 4 | 99% | B |
| West Bloomfield Township | 8% | 2.4 | 13 | 87% | A |
| Wixom | 15% | 1.5 | 50 | 88% | A |
| Wolverine Lake | 4% | 1.1 | 10 | 99%+ | A− |
| White Lake Township | 28% | 2.3 | 150 | 61% | A |
| Milford Township | 26% | 3.1 | 323 | 68% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Commerce Township
Where can I hike in Commerce Township?
The longest trail networks: Proud Lake State Recreation Area, 18.8 miles; Victory Park, 9.5 miles; Wise Woods Park, 8.7 miles; Hickory Glen Park, 7.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Commerce Township is conserved land?
25% 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 Commerce Township’s trails?
Proud Lake State Recreation Area and Victory Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Commerce Township?
24 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.0 of painted or protected lanes and 23 of off-road paths. Named routes: Hickory Glen MTB Trail, Proud Lake-Hickory Glen Connector and Campground Connector.
Is there public land near Commerce Township?
36,727 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Commerce Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,540 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Commerce Township have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #15 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 Commerce 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 →