Elbert Dunes South Natural Area
Managed by Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
62 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Gilmore Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Gilmore Township
The biggest trail networks: Elbert Dunes South Natural Area (1.6 mi). 13% of Gilmore Township’s land is conserved, about 597 acres. 476 acres are parks and preserves, 653 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
13%
597 acres · of 7.1 sq mi of land
Trails
2.8 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
476 ac
653 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
63%
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.
Betsie River State Game Area
Nature preserve
442 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Historic Elberta Waterfront Park
Park
10 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Life Station ParkingWebsite ↗
Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve
Managed by Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
3 acres0.2 mi of trail
Green Point
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 6 parks & preserves
Elbert Dunes South Natural Area62 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
DirectionsGreen Point Dunes Nature Preserve3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
DirectionsHistoric Elberta Waterfront Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBetsie River State Game Area442 acres
Dudley Penfold Memorial Park3 acres
DirectionsAnderson Park1 acres
Who protects it
597 conserved acres
13% of Gilmore Township’s land. Water is left out: Gilmore Township has 7.1 square miles of land and 0.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Gilmore Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State fish & wildlife444 ac
State Department of Land119 ac
Other state land117 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits19 ac
State natural resources9 ac
Town or city5 ac
State Conservation Area · 453 acUnknown · 119 acAgricultural Easement · 117 acUnknown Easement · 19 acLocal Park · 5 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betsie River State Game Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 444 | Open |
| Fruithaven, Nanni Farm Unknown | State Department of Land | 47 | Open |
| Fruithaven, Heavens to Betsie Farm Unknown | State Department of Land | 39 | Open |
| Fruithaven, Scott Farm Unknown | State Department of Land | 32 | Open |
| 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 Gilmore Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Gilmore Township
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Gilmore Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Gilmore Township
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Gilmore Township
Elberta Bluffs702 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 1 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 2.2 mi
Green Point0.2 mi
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 Gilmore Township: 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 | 64 | 73 | 78 | 76 | 69 | 56 | 43 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 2.3 |
February is the driest month (1.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 78 °F). 4.1 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Gilmore Township →
Next door
Gilmore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmore Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Elberta | — 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+ |
| Blaine 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 Gilmore Township
Where can I hike in Gilmore Township?
The longest trail networks: Elbert Dunes South Natural Area, 1.6 miles; Historic Elberta Waterfront Park, 0.1 miles; Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve, 0.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Gilmore Township’s trails?
Elbert Dunes South Natural Area and Betsie River State Game Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Gilmore Township?
0.5 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.5 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Gilmore Township?
7,009 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Gilmore Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 476 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Gilmore 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 →