Photo: Joshuay04 · CC BY-SA 4.0Howell has 89 acres of parks, 8.9 for every 1,000 residents
93% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 3% of Howell’s land is conserved, about 93 acres. 1.4 miles of mapped trail cross Howell, 0.3 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 56% of U.S. towns · #403 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Howell?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Howell have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Howell is ahead of 56% of U.S. towns, #403 of 701 in Michigan. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Howell City Park, with 0.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Northwest Fields and Playground
All 15 parks & preserves
93 conserved acres
3% of Howell’s land. Who manages Howell’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 6 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel Pit Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 53 | Closed |
| City Park Local Park | Town or city | 12 | Open |
| Barnard Community Center Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 11 | Open |
| Unknown Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 4 | Open |
| West Street Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Bennet Field Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 2 | Open |
| Baldwin Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
| Argyle St Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
12 places to go in Howell
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
1 swimming spot without a name on the map.
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
1 named trail and 1 lakes & rivers
4.4 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
5 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
The best walking months in Howell: 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 31 | 34 | 44 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 82 | 80 | 74 | 61 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 3.7 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Howell →
Howell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howell | 3% | 0.3 | 9 | 93% | B |
| Howell Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Oceola Township | 3% | 0.3 | 9 | 53% | C+ |
| Marion Township | 4% | 0.1 | 59 | 48% | B− |
| Genoa Township | 10% | 0.7 | 59 | 42% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Howell
Where can I hike in Howell?
The longest trail networks: Howell City Park, 0.2 miles; Northwest Fields and Playground, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Howell is conserved land?
3% of its land, against a typical 5% for a Michigan town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Howell’s trails?
Howell City Park and Northwest Fields and Playground don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Howell?
4.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 4.4 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Howell?
16,127 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Howell or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 89 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Howell have?
Ahead of 56% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #403 of 701 in Michigan. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Howell neighbors.
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 →