West Branch has 35 acres of parks, 16 for every 1,000 residents
The biggest trail networks: Irons Park (0.6 mi). 1.1 miles of mapped trail cross West Branch, 0.7 per square mile of land. 78% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 54% of U.S. towns. What drives it
How much outdoors does West Branch have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, West Branch is ahead of 54% of U.S. towns. Trail miles hold the grade up; conserved land pulls it down.
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 Irons Park, with 0.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Tolfree Wellness Park
4 conserved acres
under 1% of West Branch’s land. Who manages West Branch’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 4 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
6 places to go in West Branch
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
0.0 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.
The best walking months in West Branch: May 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 31 | 41 | 55 | 68 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 58 | 44 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
February is the driest month (1.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 3.6 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in West Branch →
West Branch 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch | under 1% | 0.7 | 16 | 78% | B− |
| West Branch Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ogemaw Township | 2% | 2.4 | 353 | 3% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in West Branch
Where can I hike in West Branch?
The longest trail networks: Irons Park, 0.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of West Branch is conserved land?
under 1% 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 West Branch’s trails?
Irons Park and Tolfree Wellness Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near West Branch?
6,687 acres of parks and open public land lie inside West Branch or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 35 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does West Branch have?
Ahead of 54% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade. 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 West Branch 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 →