Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
1,428 acres7.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Photo: Trimalchio · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Fairbanks Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Fairbanks Township
The biggest trail networks: Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge (7.8 mi), Lake Superior State Forest - Shingleton Unit (2.4 mi), Fayette State Park (2.2 mi). 30% of Fairbanks Township’s land is conserved, about 9,071 acres. 6,265 acres are parks and preserves, 21,022 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
30%
9,071 acres · of 47.3 sq mi of land
Trails
25 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
6,265 ac
21,022 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
55%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
3
1 beach · 2 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 Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge, with 7.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Lake Superior State Forest - Shingleton Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
1,981 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Fayette State Park
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
721 acres2.2 mi of trail
Old County Road 483
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Three Wilderness Islands Nature Sanctuary
Managed by Michigan Nature Association
42 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
9,071 conserved acres
30% of Fairbanks Township’s land. Water is left out: Fairbanks Township has 47.3 square miles of land and 251.9 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Fairbanks Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources6,107 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service2,635 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,225 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)257 ac
County177 ac
State Conservation Area · 5,261 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 2,635 acConservation Easement · 924 acState Park · 846 acPrivate Conservation · 558 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 912 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shingleton State Foreset Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 4,969 | Open |
| Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 2,635 | Restricted |
| Fayette State Park State Park | State natural resources | 846 | Open |
| Haunted Forest Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 558 | Restricted |
| Natural Area Point Detour State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 292 | Open |
| Sac Bay County Park Local Park | County | 177 | Open |
Things to do
10 places to go in Fairbanks Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Fairbanks Township
Slag BeachIn Fayette State Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Fairbanks Township
Fayette.sp Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Fairbanks Township
4 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Fairbanks Township
1 peak without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Fairbanks Township
Fayette State Park CampgroundIn Fayette State Park
DirectionsPlus 1 campground without a name on the map.
Trails & water
1 named trail and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 9.2 mi
Old County Road 4830.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
History along the way
History →3 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 14 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Fairbanks Township: May, June 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) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 25 | 28 | 36 | 47 | 60 | 70 | 75 | 75 | 67 | 55 | 42 | 31 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 75 °F). 3.5 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Fairbanks Township →
Next door
Fairbanks Township 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Garden Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Nahma Township | — 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 Fairbanks Township
Where can I hike in Fairbanks Township?
The longest trail networks: Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 7.8 miles; Lake Superior State Forest - Shingleton Unit, 2.4 miles; Fayette State Park, 2.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Fairbanks Township’s trails?
Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Superior State Forest - Shingleton Unit don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Fairbanks Township?
47,770 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Fairbanks Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 6,265 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Fairbanks 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 →