Grass River Natural Area
Nature preserve
601 acres5 mi of trail
Rail Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Clerk8751 · CC BY 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Helena Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Helena Township
The biggest trail networks: Grass River Natural Area (5 mi). 8% of Helena Township’s land is conserved, about 834 acres. 10 acres are parks and preserves, 9.0 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
8%
834 acres · of 16.2 sq mi of land
Trails
13 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
10 ac
9.0 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
21%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
6 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Helena Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
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 Grass River Natural Area, with 5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Helena Township Park
Managed by Helena Township
5 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
834 conserved acres
8% of Helena Township’s land. Water is left out: Helena Township has 16.2 square miles of land and 6.9 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Helena Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits828 ac
Town or city3 ac
Other state land2 ac
Local Conservation Area · 754 acUnknown Easement · 74 acLocal Park · 3 acConservation Easement · 2 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 77 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass River Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 754 | Closed |
| Alden Beach Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
| Helena Township Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
Things to do
18 places to go in Helena Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Helena Township
Archie Valleau Landing
DirectionsPublic Access
DirectionsPublic Access
DirectionsPublic Access
DirectionsPublic Access
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Helena Township
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Helena Township
Dewitt Marina Boat LaunchFee
DirectionsKayak LaunchIn Grass River Natural Area
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Helena Township
Finch Creek OverlookIn Grass River Natural Area
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Helena Township
3 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
1 named trail and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 8.3 mi
Rail Trail0.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
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.
Courts & fields
5Tennis
1Baseball
1Beach volleyball
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Helena Township: May to 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 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 31 | 41 | 54 | 67 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 58 | 44 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 2.4 |
February is the driest month (1.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.2 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Helena Township →
Next door
Helena Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Forest Home Township46 miCuster Township41 miClearwater Township27 miMilton Township17 miHelena Township13 miRapid City5.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Forest Home Township | 7% | 1.9 | 467 | 41% | A |
| Milton Township | 2% | 0.7 | 235 | 15% | B |
| Custer Township | 4% | 1.2 | 48 | 5% | B |
| Clearwater Township | 13% | 0.9 | 969 | 47% | A |
| Rapid City | — 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 Helena Township
Where can I hike in Helena Township?
The longest trail networks: Grass River Natural Area, 5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Helena Township’s trails?
Grass River Natural Area and Helena Township Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Helena Township?
7,068 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Helena Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 10 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Helena 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 →