Cliff Lake Club
Nature preserve
1,967 acres10.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Big Bay Point Light Station · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Powell Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Powell Township
The biggest trail networks: Cliff Lake Club (10.9 mi), Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit (5.9 mi), Anne and Cameron Waterman Preserve (2.6 mi). 23% of Powell Township’s land is conserved, about 22,306 acres. 2,761 acres are parks and preserves, 3,120 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
23%
22,306 acres · of 153.7 sq mi of land
Trails
253 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,761 ac
3,120 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
36%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,581 ft
Mount Benison
Lakes & rivers
33
3 beaches · 2 boat launches
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 Cliff Lake Club, with 10.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
2,122 acres5.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Anne and Cameron Waterman Preserve
Managed by The Nature Conservancy
1,424 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dogs usually not allowed
No trailhead mapped yet
Mulligan Creek Highlands Reserve
Managed by The Nature Conservancy
273 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dogs usually not allowed
No trailhead mapped yet
Lighthouse Island
Nature preserve
38 acres0.4 mi of trail
North Point Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 13 parks & preserves
Cliff Lake Club1,967 acres · 10.9 mi of trail
Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit2,122 acres · 5.9 mi of trail · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Anne and Cameron Waterman Preserve1,424 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
Mulligan Creek Highlands Reserve273 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
Lighthouse Island38 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit2,670 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit (North)2,670 acres · Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Huron Islands Wilderness125 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Huron National Wildlife Refuge125 acres
Perkins Park45 acres · County of Marquette
DirectionsMarquette Underwater Preserve39 acres
Huron Islands Unit39 acres
Draver Park8 acres · Powell Township
DirectionsWho protects it
22,306 conserved acres
23% of Powell Township’s land. Water is left out: Powell Township has 153.7 square miles of land and 8.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Powell Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Private owners19,471 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,756 ac
State natural resources850 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service254 ac
Town or city84 ac
Other state land18 ac
Private Conservation · 20,816 acState Conservation Area · 938 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 254 acPrivate Park · 189 acPrivate Recreation or Education · 139 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huron Mountain Club Private Conservation | Private owners | 19,060 | Closed |
| Anne And Cameron Waterman Preserve @ Mt. Benison Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 1,382 | Restricted |
| Baraga State Forest Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 850 | Open |
| Raptor'S Roost Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 273 | Restricted |
| Huron National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 254 | Restricted |
| Bay Cliff Health Camp Private Recreation or Education | Private owners | 139 | Restricted |
| Big Bay Sportsman Club Private Park | Private owners | 128 | Open |
| Jean Farwell Wilderness Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 101 | Open |
| Bear Mountain Land Association State Conservation Area | Private owners | 83 | Open |
| Central Upper Peninsula Lands Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 73 | Open |
3 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
26 places to go in Powell Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Powell Township
3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Powell Township
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Powell Township
Big Bay Harbor Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Powell Township
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Powell Township
Mount Benison1,581 ft elevation · In Anne and Cameron Waterman Preserve
DirectionsIves Hill1,509 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Ida1,496 ft elevation
DirectionsHuron Mountain1,463 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Homer1,434 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Ives1,309 ft elevation
DirectionsBurnt Mountain1,263 ft elevation
DirectionsBald Mountain1,184 ft elevation
Directions6 more peaks
Trout Mountain1,184 ft elevation
DirectionsBreakfast Roll1,161 ft elevation
DirectionsMummy Mountain942 ft elevation
DirectionsGarlic Mountain853 ft elevation
DirectionsBald Hill843 ft elevation
DirectionsSaux Head Hill751 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Powell Township
Thomas Rock Natural Area
DirectionsCampgrounds in Powell Township
Bay Cliff Health Camp
DirectionsPerkins Park CampgroundIn Perkins Park
DirectionsPerkins Park CampgroundIn Perkins Park
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 33 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 5.1 miUnpaved · 32.5 mi
Hidden Grin Loop4.0 mi
Holy Moses3.0 mi
Bear Mountain Loop2.9 mi
Alder Creek Truck Trail2.2 mi
Sweet Pine2.1 mi
Wilson Creek Truck Trail1.8 mi
County Road KO1.7 mi
Peep-O-Day Loop1.7 mi
Meditation Loop1.5 mi
Wilson Creek1.3 mi
15 more trails
Powell Peak
1.0 miRidgeline Loop
0.9 miLadyslipper
0.9 miSon of a Birch
0.6 miBackside
0.6 miBig Bay Pathway
0.6 miThe Plunge
0.5 miCorkscrew
0.4 miHemlock
0.4 miPaper Route
0.4 miOld Lady Lucy
0.4 miNorth Point Trail
0.4 miOverlook
0.3 miGobblers Knob
0.3 miHoly Moses Connector
0.3 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Brandts PondCanyon LakeCliff LakeConway LakeDutch Johns PondFirst Bass LakelakeFlorence PondHowe LakelakeIves LakeLake AnnlakeLake IndependencelakeLily PondMcKenzie BayMountain LakelakePine LakelakeRegan LakeRush LakelakeSaux Head LakelakeSecond Bass LakelakeSecond LakelakeThird Bass LakelakeThird LakelakeTrout LakeBig Garlic RiverCliff RiverEast Branch Salmon Trout RiverHuron RiverLittle Huron RiverPine RiverRiver StyxSalmon Trout RiverWest Branch Salmon Trout RiverYellow Dog River
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
6Tennis
1Baseball
1Softball
1Basketball
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →3 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Powell Township: May, June and August
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) | 8.9 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.5 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 27 | 37 | 48 | 63 | 72 | 77 | 75 | 67 | 54 | 39 | 29 |
| Rain (in) | 2.1 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 2.2 |
February is the driest month (1.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 3.5 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Powell Township →
Next door
Powell Township and its neighbors
Powell Township has the second most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Arvon Township276 miPowell Township253 miMarquette Township212 miMichigamme Township205 miChampion Township164 miIshpeming Township97 miBig Bay3.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Big Bay | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ishpeming Township | 2% | 1.1 | 81 | 68% | B+ |
| Michigamme Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Champion Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Arvon Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Marquette Township | 20% | 3.8 | 502 | 56% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Powell Township
Where can I hike in Powell Township?
The longest trail networks: Cliff Lake Club, 10.9 miles; Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit, 5.9 miles; Anne and Cameron Waterman Preserve, 2.6 miles; Mulligan Creek Highlands Reserve, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Powell Township’s trails?
Cliff Lake Club and Copper Country State Forest- Baraga Unit don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Powell Township?
11,539 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Powell Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,761 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Powell 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 →