Grand Traverse County Civic Center
Managed by Grand Traverse County Parks & Recreation
44 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Traverse City
99% of residents live within a half mile of a park in Traverse City
12 miles of mapped trail cross Traverse City, 1.4 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Grand Traverse County Civic Center (1.2 mi), Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area (0.8 mi), Dr. James Decker Munson Arboretum (0.6 mi). 197 acres are parks and preserves, 13 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 80% of U.S. towns · #196 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Conserved land
3%
165 acres · of 8.3 sq mi of land
Trails
12 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
197 ac
13 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
18 mi
5.4 mi lanes · 12 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
7 beaches · 5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Traverse City?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Traverse City have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Traverse City is ahead of 80% of U.S. towns, #196 of 701 in Michigan. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, conserved land lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Traverse City’s overall grade.
Conserved land3% of the land · typical MI town 5% · U.S. 4%B−Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (12 mi) · MI 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land13 acres of park per 1,000 residents (197 acres) · MI 33 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home99% 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 80%
LessMore
Michigan towns of 2,500+ (701)Ahead of 72%
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ 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 Grand Traverse County Civic Center, with 1.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area
Managed by City of Traverse City
127 acres0.8 mi of trail
Womens Walk
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Dr. James Decker Munson Arboretum
Park
13 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hickory Meadows
Managed by Grand Traverse Conservation District
7 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail signWebsite ↗
Clinch Park
Managed by City of Traverse City
10 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Open Space Park
Managed by City of Traverse City
8 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 32 parks & preserves
Grand Traverse County Civic Center44 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Grand Traverse County Parks & Recreation
DirectionsGrand Traverse Commons Natural Area127 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsDr. James Decker Munson Arboretum13 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsHickory Meadows7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Grand Traverse Conservation District
DirectionsClinch Park10 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsOpen Space Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsFulton Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsAshton Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
Senior Center Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsHannah Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsClancy Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
Slabtown Corner2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsKayak Launch Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsHull Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsEast Bay Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsLay Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Traverse City
DirectionsSilverbrook Acres58 acres · City of Traverse City
Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve11 acres
DirectionsWest End Park11 acres · City of Traverse City
DirectionsMitchell Creek Nature Sanctuary4 acres · Grand Traverse Regional Land Convervancy
Bryant Park4 acres · City of Traverse City
F & M Park4 acres · City of Traverse City
DirectionsHistoric Barns Park3 acres · Traverse City Garfield Township Recreational Authority
DirectionsSunset Park2 acres · City of Traverse City
DirectionsDutmers Natural Area2 acres · City of Traverse City
Highland Park1 acres · City of Traverse City
Darrow Park1 acres · City of Traverse City
Huron Hills Park1 acres · City of Traverse City
Grand Traverse Area Veterans Memorial Park1 acres · City of Traverse City
DirectionsMini Park1 acres · City of Traverse City
Indian Woods Park1 acres · City of Traverse City
DirectionsThe Piazza1 acres · The Village at Grand Traverse Commons
DirectionsWho protects it
165 conserved acres
3% of Traverse City’s land. Who manages Traverse City’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city72 ac
County45 ac
Private owners27 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits14 ac
Other state land6 ac
Local Park · 72 acLocal Recreation Area · 45 acPrivate Park · 27 acUnknown Easement · 10 acConservation Easement · 6 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civic Center Local Recreation Area | County | 45 | Open |
| Traverse City Golf and Country Club Private Park | Private owners | 27 | Restricted |
| Trilby Field Local Park | Town or city | 10 | Open |
| Fulton Park Local Park | Town or city | 8 | Open |
| Ashton Park Local Park | Town or city | 8 | Open |
| Clinch Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
| Hull Park Local Park | Town or city | 5 | Open |
| Mitchell Creek Nature Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 4 | Open |
| Veterans Park Local Park | Town or city | 4 | Open |
| Hannah Park Local Park | Town or city | 4 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
52 places to go in Traverse City
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Traverse City
7 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Traverse City
Campbell Community PlaygroundIn Grand Traverse County Civic Center
DirectionsWilliam G. Milliken WaterscapeIn Clinch Park
Directions34 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Traverse City
Wags West Dog ParkIn Slabtown Corner
DirectionsBoat launches in Traverse City
5 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Traverse City
3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Traverse City
Challengers Island Garden
DirectionsSalvation Army Daycare Garden
DirectionsTrails & water
3 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.8 miUnpaved · 3.1 mi
Womens Walk0.4 mi
Boardman Lake Trail0.2 mi
Fitness Court Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
18 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
5.4 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
12 mi
off-road bike paths
0.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
21Tennis
17Baseball
16Basketball
12Pickleball
9Tracks
3Softball
2Soccer
2Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →7 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 5 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Perry Hannah HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itCity Opera HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itBoardman Neighborhood Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1978
About itNorthern Michigan AsylumDistrict · listed 1978
About itCentral Neighborhood Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itAmerican Legion Memorial BridgeStructure · listed 2000
About itSouth Union Street-Boardman River BridgeStructure · listed 2000
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Traverse City: May to 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 30 | 40 | 52 | 65 | 74 | 79 | 77 | 70 | 57 | 44 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 3.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Traverse City →
Next door
Traverse City and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
East Bay Township143 miGarfield Township63 miPeninsula Township33 miTraverse City12 miElmwood Township5.1 miGreilickville3.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City | 3% | 1.4 | 13 | 99% | A− |
| Garfield Township | 5% | 2.4 | 50 | 83% | A |
| Peninsula Township | 18% | 1.2 | 190 | 65% | A |
| East Bay Township | 5% | 3.6 | 212 | 64% | A |
| Elmwood Township | 5% | 0.3 | 39 | 53% | B |
| Greilickville | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Traverse City
Where can I hike in Traverse City?
The longest trail networks: Grand Traverse County Civic Center, 1.2 miles; Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area, 0.8 miles; Dr. James Decker Munson Arboretum, 0.6 miles; Hickory Meadows, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Traverse City is conserved land?
3% 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 Traverse City’s trails?
Grand Traverse County Civic Center and Grand Traverse Commons Natural Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Traverse City?
18 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.4 of painted or protected lanes, 12 of off-road paths and 0.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Traverse City?
8,189 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Traverse City or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 197 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Traverse City have?
Ahead of 80% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #196 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 Traverse City 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 →