Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
1,215 acres5.4 mi of trail
MCCCT & Fred Thomas TrailMCCCT TrailFred Thomas Trial
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Indian River
Few parks or trails are on the map in Indian River
The biggest trail networks: Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit (5.4 mi), Seven Springs Nature Preserve (1.7 mi), Waubun Nature Preserve (0.6 mi). 5% of Indian River’s land is conserved, about 412 acres. 243 acres are parks and preserves, 119 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
5%
412 acres · of 12.9 sq mi of land
Trails
15 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
243 ac
119 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
71%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
7.5 mi
7.5 mi paths
Highest peak
883 ft
Griswold Mountain
Lakes & rivers
4
1 beach · 7 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 Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit, with 5.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Seven Springs Nature Preserve
Managed by Little Traverse Conservancy
73 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Waubun Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
15 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Hildner-Bearce Nature Preserve
Managed by Little Traverse Conservancy
12 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 10 parks & preserves
Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit1,215 acres · 5.4 mi of trail · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Seven Springs Nature Preserve73 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Little Traverse Conservancy
Waubun Nature Preserve15 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Hildner-Bearce Nature Preserve12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Little Traverse Conservancy
Robert Fergus Memorial Nature Preserve19 acres · Little Traverse Conservancy
Marina Park3 acres · Tuscarora Township
DirectionsDeVoe Beach2 acres · Tuscarora Township
DirectionsGete Mino Mshkiigan State Park1 acres · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Tuscarora Township Boat Launch1 acres · Tuscarora Township
DirectionsBair Family Nature Preserve1 acres · Little Traverse Conservancy
Who protects it
412 conserved acres
5% of Indian River’s land. Water is left out: Indian River has 12.9 square miles of land and 7.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Indian River’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Private owners166 ac
State parks124 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits114 ac
State natural resources5 ac
Town or city2 ac
Private Park · 166 acState Park · 129 acPrivate Conservation · 114 acLocal Park · 2 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 3 of 9 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian River Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 166 | Restricted |
| Burt Lake State Park State Park | State parks | 129 | Open |
| Seven Springs Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 73 | Unknown |
| Fergus Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 16 | Closed |
| Waubun Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 13 | Unknown |
| Bearce Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 11 | Unknown |
| DeVoe Beach Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
| Bair Family Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 1 | Open |
Things to do
16 places to go in Indian River
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Indian River
Devoe BeachIn DeVoe Beach
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Indian River
3 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Indian River
Mack Avenue - Carry-In
DirectionsPlus 6 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Indian River
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Indian River
Griswold Mountain883 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Indian River
Burt Lake State ParkMichigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsMarriott Camper Rentals LLC
DirectionsOrganizational Camping
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 4.5 mi
MCCCT & Fred Thomas Trail1.1 mi
MCCCT Trail1.0 mi
Fred Thomas Trial0.3 mi
Alden Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
7.5 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
7.5 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Indian River: 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 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°F) | 27 | 29 | 39 | 53 | 67 | 76 | 80 | 79 | 71 | 57 | 43 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 3.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Indian River →
Next door
Indian River and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Koehler Township72 miMentor Township64 miEllis Township54 miTuscarora Township44 miBurt Township30 miMullett Township18 miIndian River15 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian River | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Tuscarora Township | 2% | 1.5 | 100 | 55% | A− |
| Koehler Township | 6% | 1.7 | 472 | 9% | B+ |
| Burt Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ellis Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Mentor Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Mullett Township | under 1% | 0.9 | 233 | 34% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Indian River
Where can I hike in Indian River?
The longest trail networks: Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit, 5.4 miles; Seven Springs Nature Preserve, 1.7 miles; Waubun Nature Preserve, 0.6 miles; Hildner-Bearce Nature Preserve, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Indian River’s trails?
Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit and Seven Springs Nature Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Indian River?
7.5 miles of bike routes are on the map: 7.5 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Indian River?
22,996 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Indian River or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 243 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Indian River 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 →