Midland City Forest
Park
529 acres23.2 mi of trail
South LoopGnu LoopNorth LoopClassic Cross-country Skiing Path+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: O. David Redwine · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Midland
Midland has 75 miles of mapped trails, 2.2 for every square mile of land
96% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 2,063 acres are parks and preserves, 48 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Midland City Forest (23.2 mi), Stratford Woods Park (3.1 mi), Chippewa Nature Center (2.7 mi).
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns · #23 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Conserved land
9%
1,896 acres · of 34.5 sq mi of land
Trails
75 mi
2.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,063 ac
48 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
96%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
25 mi
8.3 mi lanes · 14 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
4
1 beach · 5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Midland?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Midland have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Midland is ahead of 95% of U.S. towns, #23 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 Midland’s overall grade.
Conserved land9% of the land · typical MI town 5% · U.S. 4%B+Trails2.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (75 mi) · MI 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land48 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,063 acres) · MI 33 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home96% 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 95%
LessMore
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 97%
Water is 5% of Midland’s area (2 of 36 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 8%.
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 Midland City Forest, with 23.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Stratford Woods Park
Park
93 acres3.1 mi of trail
Pollinator TrailPollinator Loop Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Chippewa Nature Center
Nature preserve
490 acres2.7 mi of trail
Ridge Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sygo Nature Preserve
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
572 acres2.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Poseyville Preserve
Park
22 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 81 parks & preserves
Midland City Forest529 acres · 23.2 mi of trail
DirectionsStratford Woods Park93 acres · 3.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChippewa Nature Center490 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsSygo Nature Preserve572 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsPoseyville Preserve22 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsChippewassee Park26 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsEmerson Park43 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCentral Park16 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsDow Chemical Founder's Garden7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsPlymouth Park40 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverside Golfside Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSmithfield Park34 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsTowsley Dike Park34 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsKaufman Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Cook Elementary Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsTittabawassee River Overlook Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsThrune Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Saint Charles Park46 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFournie Park44 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNelson Woods14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Little Forks Conservancy
DirectionsOptimist Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTittabawassee Riverfront Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsAdams Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Briarwood Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Sunset Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Grove Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLongview Spray Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSmith Park34 acres
DirectionsBlake Park34 acres
DirectionsHuron Park28 acres
DirectionsSiebert Park14 acres
DirectionsValley Park13 acres
DirectionsCaldwell Boat Launch8 acres · City of Midland
DirectionsRussel Park7 acres
DirectionsWyndemere Park7 acres
Currie Bennett Park7 acres
Northwest Park6 acres
DirectionsWallen Park6 acres
DirectionsOttawa Park6 acres
St. Mary's Park6 acres
Chestnut Hill Park5 acres · City of Midland
DirectionsHillgrove Park4 acres
Wheeler Park4 acres
DirectionsMaryland Park4 acres
Longacres Park4 acres
DirectionsCleveland Park4 acres
DirectionsParkwood Park3 acres
DirectionsRevere Park3 acres
Barstow Woods Park3 acres
DirectionsLowell Park3 acres
Putnam Park3 acres
DirectionsWinger Park3 acres
DirectionsGarden Park3 acres
DirectionsMeadowbrook Park3 acres
Lalkwood Park3 acres
Hintz Park2 acres
DirectionsBurlington Park2 acres
Greenfield Park2 acres
Dartmouth Park2 acres
Lincoln Park2 acres
Chatham Park2 acres
Birchwood Park2 acres
Wyllys Park2 acres
Glencoe Park2 acres
Griese Park2 acres
Parkdale Park1 acres
Glenoak Park1 acres
DirectionsDevonshire Park1 acres
Mac Park1 acres
DirectionsOak Park1 acres
Manor Park1 acres
Crane Park1 acres
Kent Park1 acres
Theis Park1 acres
Hart Park1 acres
DirectionsNoeske Park1 acres
Arbury Park1 acres
DirectionsDartmoor Park1 acres
Washington Woods Park1 acres
DirectionsNelson Park1 acres
Castle Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,896 conserved acres
9% of Midland’s land. Water is left out: Midland has 34.5 square miles of land and 2.0 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Midland’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,263 ac
Private owners537 ac
Other state land99 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1 ac
Local Park · 1,118 acPrivate Park · 535 acLocal Recreation Area · 145 acConservation Easement · 97 acState Conservation Area · 2 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 91 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland City Forest Local Park | Town or city | 547 | Open |
| Currie Municipal Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 419 | Restricted |
| Midland Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 114 | Restricted |
| Midland Soccer Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 77 | Open |
| Towsley Dike Park And Disc Golf Course Local Park | Town or city | 54 | Open |
| Emerson Park Local Park | Town or city | 47 | Open |
| St. Charles Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 45 | Open |
| Plymouth Park Local Park | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Fournie Park Local Park | Town or city | 37 | Open |
| Stratford Woods Park Local Park | Town or city | 34 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
91 places to go in Midland
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Midland
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Midland
Midland Christian School Playground
DirectionsThe Fun ZoneIn Plymouth Park
Directions78 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Midland
Barstow Woods
DirectionsChippewassee Dog ParkIn Chippewassee Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Midland
Bob G. Caldwell Municipal Boat LaunchIn Caldwell Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Fishing spots in Midland
1 fishing spot without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Midland
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Midland
Circle Area Community GardenFee · City of Midland
DirectionsTrails & water
21 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 19.0 miHorses · 6.2 miUnpaved · 9.2 mi
South Loop5.0 mi
Gnu Loop3.1 mi
North Loop2.8 mi
Ridge Trail1.5 mi
Classic Cross-country Skiing Path1.2 mi
Frog Holler1.2 mi
Discovery Trail0.8 mi
Wetland Trail0.8 mi
Towsley Dike Trail0.7 mi
Good Chemistry0.5 mi
11 more trails
Pollinator Trail
0.5 miBird Box Loop Trail
0.3 miBird Box Trail
0.3 miRidge Loop Trail
0.2 miNorth Loop Alternate
0.2 miNorthern Wetland Trail
0.2 miSouth Loop Connector
0.2 miElemental
0.2 miN. Wetland Loop Trail
0.2 miNorth to South Connector
0.2 miBridge to Canopy Walk
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
25 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
8.3 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
14 mi
off-road bike paths
2.7 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
47Baseball
47Tennis
45Soccer
32Basketball
4Beach volleyball
3Softball
2Football
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →25 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Bradley HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itMidland County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1986
About itAlden Hanson HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itCharles MacCallum HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itDonald L. Conner HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itEarl Stein HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itF. W. Lewis HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itGeorge Greene HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itHoward Ball HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itJames T. Pardee HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About it13 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Midland: July and 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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 33 | 43 | 56 | 69 | 79 | 83 | 80 | 73 | 60 | 46 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
February is the driest month (1.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 3.6 inches fall in August, the wettest month. The climate in Midland →
Next door
Midland and its neighbors
Midland has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Midland75 miLarkin Township19 miHomer Township15 miMidland Township15 miLincoln Township12 miWilliams Township7.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland | 9% | 2.2 | 48 | 96% | A |
| Homer Township | 9% | 0.7 | 241 | 35% | A− |
| Midland Township | 15% | 2.0 | 273 | 43% | A |
| Larkin Township | 1% | 0.6 | 28 | 17% | C+ |
| Lincoln Township | 4% | 0.5 | 186 | 50% | B+ |
| Williams Township | 2% | 0.2 | 19 | 22% | C+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Midland
Where can I hike in Midland?
The longest trail networks: Midland City Forest, 23.2 miles; Stratford Woods Park, 3.1 miles; Chippewa Nature Center, 2.7 miles; Sygo Nature Preserve, 2.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Midland 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 Midland’s trails?
Midland City Forest and Stratford Woods Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Midland?
25 miles of bike routes are on the map: 8.3 of painted or protected lanes, 14 of off-road paths and 2.7 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Midland?
11,871 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Midland or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,063 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Midland have?
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #23 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 Midland 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 →