Photo: bigmikesndtech · CC BY 2.0Muskegon has 23 miles of mapped trails, 1.6 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Beachwood Park (3.7 mi), Pere Marquette Park (1.8 mi), Heritage Landing (1.8 mi). 82% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 710 acres are parks and preserves, 19 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns · #173 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Muskegon?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Muskegon have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Muskegon is ahead of 82% of U.S. towns, #173 of 701 in Michigan. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, conserved land lowest.
Water is 22% of Muskegon’s area (4 of 18 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 4%.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Beachwood Park, with 3.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Muskegon State Park
All 26 parks & preserves
485 conserved acres
5% of Muskegon’s land. Water is left out: Muskegon has 14.1 square miles of land and 4.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Muskegon’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 14 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Park Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 61 | Restricted |
| Beachwood Park Local Park | Town or city | 54 | Open |
| Natural Area Muskegon Dunes and Swales State Conservation Area | State parks | 50 | Open |
| Green Acres Park Local Park | Town or city | 33 | Open |
| Mcgraft Park Local Park | Town or city | 28 | Open |
| Mccrea Playground Local Park | Town or city | 26 | Open |
| Richards Park Local Park | Town or city | 24 | Open |
| Fisherman's Landing Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
| Veterans Memorial Park Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
| Kruse Park Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
44 places to go in Muskegon
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Plus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Plus 21 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Plus 15 boat launches without a name on the map.
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
3 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
18 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
13 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 13 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
1 more on the History page.
The best walking months in Muskegon: June 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) | 9.3 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 34 | 44 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 81 | 80 | 73 | 60 | 47 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 2.3 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 3.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Muskegon →
Muskegon and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon | 5% | 1.6 | 19 | 82% | A− |
| Muskegon Township | 18% | 0.2 | 154 | 40% | B+ |
| Muskegon Heights | 3% | 0.1 | 7 | 71% | C+ |
| North Muskegon | 7% | 1.4 | 19 | 78% | A− |
| Norton Shores | 9% | 1.6 | 66 | 63% | A |
| Laketon Township | 4% | 1.4 | 185 | 47% | A− |
| Fruitport Township | 1% | 0.2 | 26 | 37% | C+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Muskegon
Where can I hike in Muskegon?
The longest trail networks: Beachwood Park, 3.7 miles; Pere Marquette Park, 1.8 miles; Heritage Landing, 1.8 miles; Norman F. Kruse Park, 1.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Muskegon is conserved land?
5% 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 Muskegon’s trails?
Beachwood Park and Pere Marquette Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Muskegon?
18 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.3 of painted or protected lanes, 13 of off-road paths and 2.5 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Muskegon?
35,964 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Muskegon or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 710 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Muskegon have?
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #173 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 Muskegon neighbors.
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 →