Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
3,702 acres11.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Mason Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Mason Township
The biggest trail networks: Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit (11.2 mi). 79 acres are parks and preserves, 85 per 1,000 residents. 13 miles of mapped trail cross Mason Township, 0.4 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
1%
176 acres · of 32.1 sq mi of land
Trails
13 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
79 ac
85 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
13%
of residents within ½ mile
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 Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit, with 11.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
176 conserved acres
1% of Mason Township’s land. Who manages Mason Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service97 ac
Private owners39 ac
Town or city39 ac
Conservation Easement · 97 acPrivate Park · 39 acLocal Park · 39 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 97 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Arenac Sportsmens Club Private Park | Private owners | 39 | Open |
| Township of Mason Park Local Park | Town or city | 39 | Open |
When to get out
The best walking months in Mason Township: 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 31 | 42 | 54 | 67 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 59 | 45 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
February is the driest month (1.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 3.4 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Mason Township →
Next door
Mason Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Deep River Township30 miClayton Township18 miMason Township13 miArenac Township12 miBurleigh Township4.7 miRichland Township3.3 miTurner Township1.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Clayton Township | 3% | 0.6 | 687 | 24% | B |
| Turner Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Richland Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Arenac Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Burleigh Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Deep River Township | 2% | 0.8 | 96 | 35% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Mason Township
Where can I hike in Mason Township?
The longest trail networks: Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit, 11.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Mason Township’s trails?
Au Sable State Forest - Gladwin Unit doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Mason Township?
11,871 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Mason Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 79 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Mason 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 →