Gourdneck State Game Area
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
1,676 acres2.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Portage
13% of Portage’s land is conserved: 2,669 acres
2,690 acres are parks and preserves, 55 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Gourdneck State Game Area (2.1 mi), West Lake Nature Preserve (2 mi), Eliason Nature Reserve (1.3 mi). 16 miles of mapped trail cross Portage, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns · #170 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Conserved land
13%
2,669 acres · of 32.2 sq mi of land
Trails
16 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,690 ac
55 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
71%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
91 mi
48 mi lanes · 39 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
7
2 beaches · 8 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Portage?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Portage have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Portage is ahead of 82% of U.S. towns, #170 of 701 in Michigan. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Portage’s overall grade.
Conserved land13% of the land · typical MI town 5% · U.S. 4%A−Trails0.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (16 mi) · MI 0.3 · U.S. 0.4BPark land55 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,690 acres) · MI 33 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home71% 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 82%
LessMore
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 76%
Water is 8% of Portage’s area (3 of 35 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 12%.
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 Gourdneck State Game Area, with 2.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
West Lake Nature Preserve
Managed by City of Portage Parks and Recreation
114 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Eliason Nature Reserve
Managed by City of Portage Parks and Recreation
133 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bishop's Bog Preserve
Managed by City of Portage Parks and Recreation
192 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Schrier Park
Managed by City of Portage Parks and Recreation
27 acres0.5 mi of trail
Bishops Bog Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Portage Creek Bicentennial Park
Managed by City of Portage Parks and Recreation
210 acres0.4 mi of trail
Portage Bicentennial Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 22 parks & preserves
Gourdneck State Game Area1,676 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsWest Lake Nature Preserve114 acres · 2 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsEliason Nature Reserve133 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsLakeview Park26 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsBishop's Bog Preserve192 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsSchrier Park27 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsHarbors West park5 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsPortage Creek Bicentennial Park210 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsLexington Green Park22 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPortage Creek Bicentennial Park - Milham Entrance21 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLiberty Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsMillennium Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWestfield Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsCentral Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsRamona Park67 acres · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsSouth Westnedge Park27 acres
DirectionsOakland Drive Park15 acres · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsHaverhill Park8 acres · City of Portage Parks and Recreation
DirectionsLong Lake Public Access6 acres · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsAustin Lake Public Access3 acres · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsPortage Creek Bicentennial Park - North Trailhead1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,669 conserved acres
13% of Portage’s land. Water is left out: Portage has 32.2 square miles of land and 2.9 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Portage’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State fish & wildlife1,606 ac
Town or city846 ac
Private owners213 ac
Other state land3 ac
State Conservation Area · 1,606 acLocal Park · 601 acLocal Conservation Area · 246 acPrivate Park · 212 acConservation Easement · 3 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gourdneck State Game Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 1,606 | Open |
| Portage Creek Bicentennial Park Local Park | Town or city | 206 | Open |
| Moors Golf Club Private Park | Private owners | 162 | Restricted |
| Bishops Bog Preserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 140 | Open |
| Eliason Nature Reserve Local Park | Town or city | 136 | Open |
| West Lake Nature Preserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 105 | Open |
| Ramona Park Local Park | Town or city | 69 | Open |
| Schrier Park Local Park | Town or city | 53 | Open |
| Oakland Hills Golf Course Private Park | Private owners | 51 | Restricted |
| South Westnedge Park Local Park | Town or city | 27 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
61 places to go in Portage
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Portage
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Portage
Oakland Hills Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Portage
46 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Portage
2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Portage
Plus 5 boat launches without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Portage
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Community gardens in Portage
God's GardenFee
DirectionsTrails & water
3 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.4 miUnpaved · 3.0 mi
Portage Bicentennial Trail0.2 mi
Bishops Bog Trail0.1 mi
Woodchip Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
91 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
48 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
39 mi
off-road bike paths
4.4 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
53Tennis
45Baseball
26Basketball
24Soccer
18Pickleball
7Tracks
4Football
3Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Portage: April and 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 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 35 | 46 | 59 | 71 | 80 | 84 | 81 | 75 | 62 | 47 | 36 |
| Rain (in) | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.1 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Portage →
Next door
Portage 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage | 13% | 0.5 | 55 | 71% | A− |
| Kalamazoo | 9% | 0.9 | 18 | 95% | A |
| Pavilion Township | 1% | 0.1 | 22 | 9% | C− |
| Texas Township | under 1% | 0.8 | 55 | 38% | B− |
| Schoolcraft Township | 6% | 0.2 | 92 | 47% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Portage
Where can I hike in Portage?
The longest trail networks: Gourdneck State Game Area, 2.1 miles; West Lake Nature Preserve, 2 miles; Eliason Nature Reserve, 1.3 miles; Lakeview Park, 1.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Portage is conserved land?
13% 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 Portage’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Lakeview Park (on leash), Harbors West park (on leash) and Portage Creek Bicentennial Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Portage?
91 miles of bike routes are on the map: 48 of painted or protected lanes, 39 of off-road paths and 4.4 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Portage?
11,026 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Portage or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,690 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Portage have?
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #170 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 Portage 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 →