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Hiking Trails Under 5 km in Michigan

The directory currently contains 153 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Michigan. Their average mapped distance is 1.8 km and average recorded ascent is 21 m (69 ft); the longest route in the set is 5.0 km.

This subset represents 71% of the 214 quality-checked routes in Michigan. Its average distance is 1.8 km, compared with 18.3 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 21 m (69 ft), versus 72 m (236 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set has a mapped distance of 5 km or less. Time and suitability still depend on ascent, surface and conditions. Within this set, 132 routes (86%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 59 (39%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.5 km

Arbury Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

River Point Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

4 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Typical duration
27 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
58 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
13 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Wildlife watching
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
16 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
37 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
82 m
Typical duration
23 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
65 m
Typical duration
29 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Typical duration
15 min
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
34 m
Typical duration
9 min
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
62 m
Typical duration
25 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Typical duration
33 min
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
21 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Mountain
Navigation Structures at South Haven Harbor, Michigan, Mouth of the Black River at Lake Michigan South Haven
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Lake
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Mountain
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Lake
Sleeping Bear dunes from Empire Bluffs
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
42 m
Typical duration
21 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
9 min
  • Alpine meadow
Panoramic view of the Sleeping Bear Dunes 2015.
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
84 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Desert
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
9 min
  • Castle and ruins
Front and southern side of the Wright-Brooks House , located at 122 N. High Street in Marshall , Michigan , United States . Built in 1842, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places .
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Typical duration
30 min
  • River
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Typical duration
19 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
115 m
Typical duration
35 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
9 min
  • River
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Typical duration
20 min
  • River
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
36 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
30 m
Typical duration
23 min
A narrow boardwalk on the hiking trail from Daisy Farm Campground up to Mt. Ojibway on the Greenstone Ridge at Isle Royale National Park. I'm not sure if this wetland is an actual body of water or stream, but it's right next to Lake Ojibway
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
205 m
Typical duration
53 min
A camping shelter nestled in the woods along the Lake Superior shoreline at Isle Royale National Park's Daisy Farm Campground. There was an unexpected thunderstorm my night here, and I was very pleased to call this home instead of a tiny on
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
37 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
8 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Typical duration
19 min
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
157 m
Typical duration
1 hr 14 min
Moderate

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Typical duration
17 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.2 mi
Typical duration
5 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
5 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
11 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.2 mi
Typical duration
25 min
Easy

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
River Point TrailMichigan2.1 km0 m27 minEasyApril to October
River TrailMichigan4.6 km6 m58 minEasyApril to October
Arbury TrailMichigan0.5 km0 m7 minEasyApril to October
Sugar Bush TrailMichigan1.0 km0 m13 minEasyApril to October
Lake LoopMichigan2.1 km13 m28 minEasyApril to October
Ridge TrailMichigan1.3 km0 m16 minEasyApril to October
Northwoods TrailMichigan1.7 km15 m22 minModerateApril to October
Pebble Creek Ravine TrailMichigan1.9 km0 m24 minEasyApril to October
Galien River County Park TrailsMichigan0.9 km24 m14 minEasyApril to October
Cliff View TrailMichigan1.5 km37 m22 minModerateApril to October

River Point Trail, River Trail, Sugar Bush Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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