Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
5,584 acres53.1 mi of trail
North Country TrailLake Superior and Ishpeming RRRed PineJedi+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States · CC BY 2.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Marquette Township
Marquette Township has 212 miles of mapped trails, 3.8 for every square mile of land
2,095 acres are parks and preserves, 502 per 1,000 residents. 20% of Marquette Township’s land is conserved, about 7,258 acres. The biggest trail networks: Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit (53.1 mi), Heartwood Forestland (23.6 mi), South Vandenboom Recreation Area (11.8 mi).
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns · #22 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Conserved land
20%
7,258 acres · of 55.4 sq mi of land
Trails
212 mi
3.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,095 ac
502 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
56%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.0 mi
0.9 mi lanes · 5.1 mi paths
Highest peak
1,220 ft
Hogback Mountain
Lakes & rivers
15
2 beaches · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Marquette Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Marquette Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Marquette Township is ahead of 95% of U.S. towns, #22 of 701 in Michigan. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Marquette Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land20% of the land · typical MI town 5% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (212 mi) · MI 0.3 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land502 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,095 acres) · MI 33 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to home56% of residents within a half mile of a park · MI 50% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 95%
LessMore
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 97%
Water is 9% of Marquette Township’s area (6 of 61 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 19%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
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 Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit, with 53.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Heartwood Forestland
Managed by City of Marquette
1,285 acres23.6 mi of trail
Raging RiverOld Camp RidgeRough Rock RidgeEnchantment Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
South Vandenboom Recreation Area
Managed by Marquette Charter Township
379 acres11.8 mi of trail
Carp Eh DiemWest GreywallsDog-On-ItFKA+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Forestville Recreation Area
Managed by Northern Michigan University
157 acres4.7 mi of trail
Noquemanon TrailMildcatWildcatPine Knob+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Sugar Loaf Mountain Natural Area
Managed by Marquette County
113 acres1.8 mi of trail
Sugarloaf Easy TrailSugarloaf Difficult Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Sugarloaf Parking Area (North)
Echo Lake Nature Preserve
Managed by The Nature Conservancy
474 acres1.5 mi of trail
No dogs
Directionsto the trail signWebsite ↗
Schwemwood Park
Managed by Marqutte Charter Township
25 acres1.1 mi of trail
Schwemwood ConnectorEast SchweminSouthern Schwemwood TrailThe Woods
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
All 13 parks & preserves
Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit5,584 acres · 53.1 mi of trail · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsHeartwood Forestland1,285 acres · 23.6 mi of trail · City of Marquette
DirectionsSouth Vandenboom Recreation Area379 acres · 11.8 mi of trail · Marquette Charter Township
DirectionsForestville Recreation Area157 acres · 4.7 mi of trail · Northern Michigan University
Sugar Loaf Mountain Natural Area113 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Marquette County
DirectionsEcho Lake Nature Preserve474 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsSchwemwood Park25 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Marqutte Charter Township
DirectionsLions Field Recreation Area4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Marquette Charter Township
DirectionsMarquette Unit3,176 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLittle Garlic Balds Preserve240 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit (North)5,584 acres · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Marquette Underwater Preserve3,176 acres
Vandenboom Pump Track1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
7,258 conserved acres
20% of Marquette Township’s land. Water is left out: Marquette Township has 55.4 square miles of land and 5.5 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Marquette Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land6,517 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,210 ac
Town or city3 ac
Forest Stewardship Easement · 6,498 acPrivate Conservation · 728 acConservation Easement · 501 acLocal Park · 3 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 6,527 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Lake Nature Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 473 | Open |
| Little Garlic Balds Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 255 | Restricted |
| Lions Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
Things to do
33 places to go in Marquette Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Marquette Township
Hidden BeachIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Marquette Township
1 playground without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Marquette Township
Forestville Basin Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Marquette Township
Little Garlic FallsIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsLower Carp FallsIn Heartwood Forestland
DirectionsLower Morgan Meadows Falls
DirectionsMorgan FallsIn Heartwood Forestland
DirectionsMorgan Meadows Falls
DirectionsScenic views in Marquette Township
BarebackIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsBuschell Vista Overlook
DirectionsMarquette Township OverlookIn South Vandenboom Recreation Area
DirectionsMorgan Falls OverlookIn Heartwood Forestland
DirectionsOak Hill LookoutIn Heartwood Forestland
DirectionsTop Of The WorldIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsWetmore Pond Viewing PlatformIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsPlus 6 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Marquette Township
Hogback Mountain1,220 ft elevation · In Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsSugarloaf Mountain1,040 ft elevation · In Sugar Loaf Mountain Natural Area
DirectionsCampgrounds in Marquette Township
Little Garlic Campsite
DirectionsLittle Garlic River CampsiteIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsLittle Presque Isle CabinsIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsLittle Presque Isle CabinsIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsLittle Presque Isle CabinsIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsLittle Presque Isle CabinsIn Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit
DirectionsLittle Presque Isle CabinsFee · In Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsNTN Forestville Campground
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 15 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 73.9 miHorses · 2.3 miUnpaved · 85.3 mi
North Country Trail13.4 mi
Noquemanon Trail10.8 mi
Lake Superior and Ishpeming RR4.3 mi
Animoosh3.1 mi
Red Pine2.8 mi
Jedi2.7 mi
Raging River2.3 mi
Shoreline Trail2.3 mi
Mead Bypass2.1 mi
Carp Eh Diem2.1 mi
15 more trails
Bagwaji
2.0 miOld Camp Ridge
1.9 miBareback
1.7 miHolyoak Trail
1.7 miWildcat
1.7 miHogback North
1.7 miZueg's
1.6 miRough Rock Ridge
1.6 miCounty Road HJ
1.6 miMildcat
1.6 miWest Greywalls
1.6 miCounty Road HS
1.5 miLowe's Trail
1.5 miUpper Blue Heron
1.4 miRickles
1.4 miBiking & sports
6.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.9 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
5.1 mi
off-road bike paths
NTN Marquette South TrailsBike route
23 miNTN Marquette North TrailsBike route
13.2 miLake Superior and Ishpeming RRBike route
4.3 miRed PineBike route
2.8 miJediBike route
2.7 miBeagle Club RoadBike route
2.4 miHogback NorthBike route
1.7 miCourts & fields
2Tennis
1Basketball
1Baseball
1Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Granite Island Light StationBuilding · listed 1983
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Marquette Township: May and 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) | 8.9 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 27 | 36 | 48 | 62 | 72 | 76 | 75 | 67 | 53 | 39 | 28 |
| Rain (in) | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 76 °F). 3.6 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Marquette Township →
Next door
Marquette Township and its neighbors
Marquette Township has the second most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Powell Township253 miMarquette Township212 miSands Township162 miIshpeming Township97 miMarquette81 miNegaunee Township37 miTrowbridge Park0.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette Township | 20% | 3.8 | 502 | 56% | A+ |
| Marquette | 6% | 7.2 | 20 | 84% | A |
| Negaunee Township | 1% | 0.9 | 55 | 11% | B− |
| Sands Township | under 1% | 2.4 | 226 | 56% | B+ |
| Ishpeming Township | 2% | 1.1 | 81 | 68% | B+ |
| Powell Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Trowbridge Park | — 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 Marquette Township
Where can I hike in Marquette Township?
The longest trail networks: Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit, 53.1 miles; Heartwood Forestland, 23.6 miles; South Vandenboom Recreation Area, 11.8 miles; Forestville Recreation Area, 4.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Marquette Township is conserved land?
20% 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 Marquette Township’s trails?
Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit and Heartwood Forestland don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Marquette Township?
6.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.9 of painted or protected lanes and 5.1 of off-road paths. Named routes: NTN Marquette South Trails, NTN Marquette North Trails and Lake Superior and Ishpeming RR.
Is there public land near Marquette Township?
4,893 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Marquette Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,097 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Marquette Township have?
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #22 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 Marquette 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 →