Lake Lansing Park North
Managed by Ingham County
491 acres6.7 mi of trail
Blue/Green TrailGreen TrailBlue TrailRed/Blue/Green Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Dj1997 · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Meridian Township
Meridian Township has 51 miles of mapped trails, 1.7 for every square mile of land
2,483 acres are parks and preserves, 56 per 1,000 residents. 92% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Lake Lansing Park North (6.7 mi), Legg Park (4 mi), Central Park (3.4 mi).
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns · #44 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Conserved land
9%
1,678 acres · of 30.6 sq mi of land
Trails
51 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,483 ac
56 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
92%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
17 mi
5.1 mi lanes · 9.3 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
11
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Meridian Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Meridian Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Meridian Township is ahead of 94% of U.S. towns, #44 of 701 in Michigan. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, conserved land lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Meridian Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land9% of the land · typical MI town 5% · U.S. 4%B+Trails1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (51 mi) · MI 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land56 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,483 acres) · MI 33 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home92% of residents within a half mile of a park · MI 50% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 94%
LessMore
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 94%
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 Lake Lansing Park North, with 6.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Legg Park
Managed by Meridian Charter Township
115 acres4 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Central Park
Managed by Meridian Charter Township
284 acres3.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Towar Woods Preserve
Managed by Meridian Charter Township
124 acres2.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Eastgate Park
Managed by Meridian Charter Township
58 acres2 mi of trail
Beech Tree LoopEastgate Connection
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Davis/Foster Preserve
Managed by Meridian Charter Township
107 acres1.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
North Meridian Road Park
Managed by Meridian Township
61 acres1.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Ted Black Woods
Managed by Meridian Township
53 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the trailhead
All 53 parks & preserves
Lake Lansing Park North491 acres · 6.7 mi of trail · Ingham County
DirectionsLegg Park115 acres · 4 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsCentral Park284 acres · 3.4 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsTowar Woods Preserve124 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsEastgate Park58 acres · 2 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsDavis/Foster Preserve107 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
North Meridian Road Park61 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Meridian Township
Ted Black Woods53 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Meridian Township
DirectionsTacoma Hills Park21 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsHartrick Park62 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsSander Farm Preserved Natural Area34 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
Harris Nature Center46 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
Lake Lansing Park South28 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsTowner Road Park24 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsPonderosa Land Preserve95 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsHillbrook Park25 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsBrattin Woods Park22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsLake Lansing North Preserve76 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
Southwest Meridian Uplands Preserve60 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
Foster-Crouse Preserve19 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
Forest Hills Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsCentral Meridian Uplands Preserve61 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
East Meadows Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Serafine Addition of Southwest Uplands Preserve13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Meridian Charter Township
Marshall Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsAlbert A. White Memorial Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of East Lansing
DirectionsTihart Preserve91 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Hubbel Preserve55 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Red Cedar Natural Area53 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Meridian Central Wetland Preserve29 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Red Cedar River East Preserve26 acres · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsTihart/Cornell Wetland Preserve21 acres · Meridian Charter Township
North Ridge Preserve20 acres · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsSumbal Natural Area19 acres
DirectionsSower Woods Preserve19 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Forest Grove Preserve19 acres · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsWonch Park15 acres
DirectionsTowner Wetland Preserve14 acres · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsLake Lansing Marsh8 acres · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsBeal Pinetum7 acres
DirectionsLake Lansing South Preserve5 acres · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsNewton Road Park5 acres · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsTowar Park4 acres · Meridian Charter Township
DirectionsLake Lansing Boat Launch4 acres · Ingham County Parks
Mandenberg Woods4 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Indian Hills Park3 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Burcham Park2 acres
Ottawa Hills Park2 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Ferguson Park2 acres
DirectionsSpengler Marsh2 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Tank Wetland Preserve2 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Newman Equities Preserve2 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Orlando Park1 acres · Meridian Charter Township
Who protects it
1,678 conserved acres
9% of Meridian Township’s land. Who manages Meridian Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city923 ac
Private owners383 ac
County325 ac
Other state land47 ac
Local Park · 988 acPrivate Park · 383 acLocal Conservation Area · 171 acLocal Recreation Area · 89 acConservation Easement · 47 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Moore Park Local Park | Town or city | 306 | Open |
| Lake Lansing Park North Local Park | County | 286 | Open |
| Meridian Riverfront Park Local Park | Town or city | 196 | Open |
| Walnut Hills Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 183 | Restricted |
| Pine Lake Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 109 | Restricted |
| Meridian Road Park Local Park | Town or city | 67 | Open |
| Riverdowns Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 62 | Closed |
| Hartrick Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 61 | Open |
| Indian Hills Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 51 | Restricted |
| Sanford Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 43 | Closed |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
87 places to go in Meridian Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Meridian Township
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Meridian Township
1 public pool without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Meridian Township
73 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Meridian Township
Elevation Dog Park
DirectionsSmall Dog ParkIn Central Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Meridian Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Meridian Township
Observation DeckIn Lake Lansing Park North
DirectionsPlus 1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Meridian Township
Covered Picnic Table - Eagle Scout ProjectIn Lake Lansing Park North
DirectionsPlus 3 picnic areas without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Community gardens in Meridian Township
Lake O' The Hills Community GardenLake O' The Hills
DirectionsPlus 2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
12 named trails and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.6 miHorses · 5.5 miUnpaved · 28.8 mi
Blue/Green Trail2.3 mi
Green Trail0.9 mi
Beech Tree Loop0.9 mi
Blue Trail0.8 mi
Red/Blue/Green Trail0.5 mi
Orange Cutoff Trail0.5 mi
Eastgate Connection0.4 mi
Red Trail0.2 mi
Golden Eagle Nature Trail0.2 mi
Hartrick Park Trail0.2 mi
2 more trails
Deer Run
0.2 miYellow Cutoff Trail
0.1 miBiking & sports
17 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
5.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
9.3 mi
off-road bike paths
2.7 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
59Tennis
37Basketball
27Soccer
22Baseball
13Beach volleyball
11Pickleball
5Softball
4Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The best walking months in Meridian 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 33 | 44 | 57 | 69 | 79 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 60 | 47 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 3.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Meridian Township →
Next door
Meridian Township and its neighbors
Meridian Township has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Meridian Township51 miEast Lansing31 miHaslett26 miOkemos20 miBath Township14 miWilliamstown Township4.6 miAlaiedon Township1.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian Township | 9% | 1.7 | 56 | 92% | A |
| East Lansing | 10% | 2.3 | 12 | 98% | A |
| Haslett | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Okemos | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Bath Township | 19% | 0.4 | 256 | 70% | A |
| Williamstown Township | 1% | 0.2 | 30 | 28% | C |
| Alaiedon Township | under 1% | under 0.1 | 35 | 6% | C− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Meridian Township
Where can I hike in Meridian Township?
The longest trail networks: Lake Lansing Park North, 6.7 miles; Legg Park, 4 miles; Central Park, 3.4 miles; Towar Woods Preserve, 2.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Meridian Township is conserved land?
9% 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 Meridian Township’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Lake Lansing Park North (on leash), Legg Park (on leash), Eastgate Park (on leash) and Ted Black Woods. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Meridian Township?
17 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.1 of painted or protected lanes, 9.3 of off-road paths and 2.7 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Meridian Township?
14,826 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Meridian Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,483 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Meridian Township have?
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #44 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 Meridian 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 →