Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
3,790 acres13.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Franklin Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Franklin Township
The biggest trail networks: Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit (13.1 mi). 3% of Franklin Township’s land is conserved, about 783 acres. 612 acres are parks and preserves, 773 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
3%
783 acres · of 35.3 sq mi of land
Trails
37 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
612 ac
773 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
24%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
7
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 Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit, with 13.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Au Sable State Forest - Roscommon Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
12 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
783 conserved acres
3% of Franklin Township’s land. Who manages Franklin Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Private owners610 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits170 ac
State fish & wildlife3 ac
Private Recreation or Education · 342 acPrivate Park · 268 acConservation Easement · 170 acState Recreation Area · 3 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 170 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottontail-Whitetail Club Private Park | Private owners | 268 | Open |
| Smittys Party Private Recreation or Education | Private owners | 166 | Open |
| Whitetail Hunting Camp Private Recreation or Education | Private owners | 138 | Open |
| Camp Juwana Private Recreation or Education | Private owners | 38 | Open |
| Gladwin Game Unit and Field Trial Area of State Forest State Recreation Area | State fish & wildlife | 3 | Open |
Trails & water
7 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The best walking months in Franklin Township: July 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 | 14.7 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 31 | 42 | 55 | 68 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 58 | 44 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 3.6 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Franklin Township →
Next door
Franklin Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Roscommon Township250 miNester Township147 miSherman Township41 miFrost Township38 miFranklin Township37 miHamilton Township15 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Sherman Township | 23% | 1.2 | 5,048 | 5% | A− |
| Roscommon Township | 13% | 2.4 | 1,488 | 21% | A |
| Frost Township | 3% | 1.1 | 565 | 27% | B+ |
| Hamilton Township | 5% | 0.4 | 599 | 15% | B |
| Nester 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 Franklin Township
Where can I hike in Franklin Township?
The longest trail networks: Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit, 13.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Franklin Township’s trails?
Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit and Au Sable State Forest - Roscommon Unit don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Franklin Township?
49,833 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Franklin Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 612 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Franklin 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 →