Elbert Dunes South Natural Area
Managed by Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
63 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: TCP04 · CC BY 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Elberta
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park in Elberta
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Elbert Dunes South Natural Area (1.6 mi). 3% of Elberta’s land is conserved, about 13 acres.
Conserved land
3%
13 acres · of 0.7 sq mi of land
Trails
2.6 mi
3.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
25 ac
141 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.5 mi
0.5 mi paths
Highest peak
702 ft
Elberta Bluffs
Lakes & rivers
1
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 Elbert Dunes South Natural Area, with 1.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Historic Elberta Waterfront Park
Park
9 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Life Station ParkingWebsite ↗
Anderson Park
Park
1 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
13 conserved acres
3% of Elberta’s land. Water is left out: Elberta has 0.7 square miles of land and 0.3 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Elberta’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources9 ac
Town or city5 ac
State Conservation Area · 9 acLocal Park · 5 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| MNRTF Parcel 1 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 9 | Restricted |
| Waterfront Park Local Park | Town or city | 5 | Open |
Things to do
5 places to go in Elberta
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Elberta
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Elberta
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Elberta
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Elberta
Elberta Bluffs702 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.5 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.5 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
1Basketball
1Baseball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Elberta: 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 | 30 | 39 | 51 | 63 | 73 | 77 | 76 | 69 | 56 | 44 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 2.9 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 4.0 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Elberta →
Next door
Elberta 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elberta | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Gilmore Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Frankfort | 4% | 0.1 | 35 | 99%+ | B+ |
| Crystal Lake Township | 6% | 0.3 | 511 | 52% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Elberta
Where can I hike in Elberta?
The longest trail networks: Elbert Dunes South Natural Area, 1.6 miles; Historic Elberta Waterfront Park, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Elberta’s trails?
Elbert Dunes South Natural Area and Historic Elberta Waterfront Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Elberta?
0.5 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.5 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Elberta?
6,043 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Elberta or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 25 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Elberta 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 →