Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
53,219 acres62 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in West Branch Township
More than half of West Branch Township’s land is conserved: 77%
77% of West Branch Township’s land is conserved, about 53,415 acres. The biggest trail networks: Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit (62 mi). 53,655 acres are parks and preserves, 1,094,996 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
77%
53,415 acres · of 108.2 sq mi of land
Trails
75 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
53,655 ac
1,094,996 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
9
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 Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit, with 62 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit (South)
Managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources
4 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
West Branch Township Park
Park
1 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
53,415 conserved acres
77% of West Branch Township’s land. Who manages West Branch Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources52,440 ac
State fish & wildlife975 ac
State Conservation Area · 53,415 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Falls State Forest Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 52,319 | Open |
| Lake-36 Floodings State Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 975 | Open |
| MNRTF Parcel 148 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 121 | Restricted |
Things to do
3 places to go in West Branch Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in West Branch Township
Lower Dam Sfcg Boat LaunchIn Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit
DirectionsWest Branch Sfcg Boat LaunchIn Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit
DirectionsCampgrounds in West Branch Township
West Branch State Forest CampgroundIn Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit
DirectionsTrails & water
9 lakes & rivers
When to get out
The best walking months in West Branch Township: May 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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.6 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 27 | 38 | 50 | 65 | 75 | 79 | 77 | 69 | 54 | 39 | 28 |
| Rain (in) | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 1.8 |
February is the driest month (1.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 3.6 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in West Branch Township →
Next door
West Branch Township and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Forsyth Township186 miFelch Township185 miWells Township119 miEly Township107 miWest Branch Township75 miBreen Township65 miTilden Township39 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Felch Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Breen Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Forsyth Township | 1% | 1.0 | 323 | 54% | B+ |
| Tilden Township | 10% | 0.4 | 5,095 | 6% | B+ |
| Ely Township | 6% | 0.8 | 2,656 | 24% | B+ |
| Wells Township | — 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 West Branch Township
Where can I hike in West Branch Township?
The longest trail networks: Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit, 62 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on West Branch Township’s trails?
Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit and Escanaba River State Forest - Gwinn Unit (South) don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near West Branch Township?
173,126 acres of parks and open public land lie inside West Branch Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 53,655 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from West Branch 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 →