Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
16,847 acres72.8 mi of trail
Bill Nicholls TrailAlston TrailEm26V
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Elm River Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Elm River Township
The biggest trail networks: Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit (72.8 mi). 29% of Elm River Township’s land is conserved, about 16,908 acres. 17,052 acres are parks and preserves, 67,936 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
29%
16,908 acres · of 91.3 sq mi of land
Trails
228 mi
2.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
17,052 ac
67,936 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
85%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
25
1 beach · 6 boat launches
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 Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit, with 72.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
16,908 conserved acres
29% of Elm River Township’s land. Who manages Elm River Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources16,642 ac
State parks174 ac
State fish & wildlife93 ac
State Conservation Area · 16,735 acState Park · 174 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baraga State Forest Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 16,642 | Open |
| Twin Lakes State Park State Park | State parks | 174 | Open |
| Pike Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 93 | Open |
Things to do
10 places to go in Elm River Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Elm River Township
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Elm River Township
Clear.lake Boat LaunchIn Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit
DirectionsElm River Township Ramp Boat Launch
DirectionsEmily Lake Boat LaunchIn Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit
DirectionsPike.lake Boat Launch
DirectionsSandy.lake Boat LaunchIn Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit
DirectionsTwin Lake S P Boat Launch
DirectionsPicnic areas in Elm River Township
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Elm River Township
Emily Lake State Forest CampgroundIn Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit
DirectionsTwin Lakes State ParkMichigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsTrails & water
6 named trails and 25 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 37.7 mi
Bill Nicholls Trail12.2 mi
Alston Trail4.4 mi
Nature Trail1.5 mi
Em26V0.6 mi
Em260.2 mi
Elm0.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Bob Hall LakeBohmier LakeCemetery LakeClear LakelakeDonken LakelakeEmily LakelakeHorseshoe LakeLake FifteenlakeLake FourteenlakeLake GeraldlakeLake OngielakeLake RolandlakeMorrison LakeMud LakePike LakelakePine Dam LakeSandy LakeSeventeenmile LakeStonington LakeWinona LakeElm RiverMisery RiverNorth Branch Misery RiverWest Branch Otter RiverWest Branch Sante River
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.
Bill Nicholls TrailBike route
12.2 miCourts & fields
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Elm River Township: May and 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) | 8.9 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.9 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.5 |
| High (°F) | 22 | 26 | 37 | 49 | 64 | 73 | 77 | 75 | 68 | 53 | 38 | 27 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 1.9 |
February is the driest month (1.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 3.7 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Elm River Township →
Next door
Elm River Township and its neighbors
Elm River Township has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Elm River Township228 miStanton Township215 miLaird Township187 miPortage Township168 miBohemia Township143 miAdams Township117 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elm River Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Laird Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Bohemia Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Portage Township | 18% | 1.5 | 3,534 | 51% | A |
| Stanton Township | 1% | 1.8 | 338 | 6% | B |
| Adams Township | 2% | 2.5 | 238 | 68% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Elm River Township
Where can I hike in Elm River Township?
The longest trail networks: Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit, 72.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Elm River Township’s trails?
Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Elm River Township?
104,836 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Elm River Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 17,052 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Elm River 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 →