Favorite Michigan State Park hiking locations

As part of a short series on State Park Favorites, we chose our top four choices for Michigan state park hiking locations that you shouldn't miss. This was a tough list to narrow down because there are so many great places to hike in Michigan, many of them inside state parks. From an hour to a day, from flat and smooth to tougher climbs, Michigan state parks have hiking trails for you!
Below are links to the original videos of the four parks we decided to highlight. The original videos get into much more than hiking, providing information on the parks as a whole, their histories, and the camping and recreation opportunities available.
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: • Michigan State Parks 1...
Wilderness State Park: • Michigan State Parks 1...
Pinckney State Recreation Area: • Michigan State Parks 1...
Ionia State Recreation Area: • Michigan State Parks 1...
#hikecampgo #mistateparks
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[@heathersumner4766]

Thanks for highlighting the hidden gem that is Ionia state park! I live nearby but had never thought to check out the trail until I saw this video. Just made the hike this weekend :)

[@Trekers]

This is so great to hear. We're glad you enjoyed the trail. Thanks for letting us know!

[@mykehunt2430]

Just found your channel looking forward to more of yer treks

[@Trekers]

Awesome! Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@adventurecoalition3690]

Thanks sharing.

[@KeyserTheRedBeard]

awesome upload Trekers. I broke the thumbs up on your video. Maintain up the terrific work.

[@Trekers]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@MichaelSchoenhofer]

Loved the video. These are our favorites too!

[@Trekers]

Thanks for watching and commenting! We're glad you enjoyed the video and our selection of parks.

[@michellegiacalone1079]

"Undeveloped really means undeveloped." Mooses and wolves and bears, oh my!

[@Trekers]

😊

[@NickandRachel]

Really nice hike! Thanks for sharing

[@Trekers]

Thanks for watching!

[@NickandRachel]

@@Trekers no problem. We have a good time making outdoor content also

[@KayleeandGerald]

So many good parks and a,couple I have not been to! Thanks

[@Trekers]

Lots of great spots in Michigan to choose from. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@davewallner9731]

You two have really opened my eyes in regards to Michigan. It really looks stunningly beautiful . :) I imagine the winters can be very interesting, which leads me to a question regarding your rig. Would you have chosen your rig if it wasn't a 4x4? Have you ever driven a RWD version of your vehicle and compared? Do you use the 4x4 much in winter? Thanks.

[@Trekers]

That's great to hear; Michigan really has a lot of special features to enjoy. The winters in the southern Lower Peninsula are pretty mild compared to what they used to be. West Michigan tends to get dumped on with lake effect snow from time to time. Northern Lower Michigan still gets a pretty good winter snowfall, and parts of the Upper Peninsula get very heavy snow. We chose our rig because of the rig, the 4X4 was a nice bonus. We enjoy taking two-tracks in Michigan forests and finding places to boondock. The 4x4 doesn't really help with clearance issues, but it does offer traction when we need it. We've not driven a 2WD Roadtrek in the winter, but we have friends who do and they seem to do just fine. The weight helps push through most road conditions pretty well, from what we've heard. Any other questions, feel free to ask. Always happy to help. Thanks for watching and commenting! -Ari

[@davewallner9731]

@@Trekers Ari, thanks for taking the time to respond. From what I can see your 4x4 is pretty rare. I think I've only seen maybe 2 or 3 for sale on RVTrader . Your's is very nice. I would love to go to one of Michigan's state parks in the winter and try some cross country skiing some time! :)

[@Trekers]

You're welcome! And yes, due to the expense, not too many people opted to have the 4x4 conversion done from the factory. There are some beautiful trails up north to check out for cross-country skiing. And one of our favorite things is to camp at Taqhuamenon Falls State Park and snowshoe to the falls. They leave the electric on at the sites and will plow and level your site if you make a reservation. ⛄

[@zombiehordes4517]

Thanks for sharing! I wish I had people to go with. I wish I could travel like this all the time and go to different states aswell I'm all about the scenery. I kinda fear bears the farther north you go. If there was a college degree on hiking where I could make money hiking I'd be happy.great video and information thank you.

[@Trekers]

Don't fear the bears -- it's just about being aware of your surroundings, being prepared with bear spray and knowing what to do in case you do see one. In the many years we have hiked in different states, including northern Michigan where we had heard there were bears, we have yet to see one on the trail. Have fun with hiking wherever you go. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Karen-pk3uv]

me too. I'd really love it if I knew people that enjoyed hiking and exploring as much as I do. There are several career paths you could take that involve hiking

[@kymberliX]

Your top two favorites are my top two favorites, also. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park was the place where I got to try out my first mosquito net hat. I thought the bugs would make the trip unbearable, but with the net hat I was able to enjoy every hike. I would like to visit your #3 and #4 choices some day.

[@Trekers]

There is definitely something special about Porcupine Mountains, but you are right, people need to be prepared for bugs anytime they are up in the UP when it isn't covered in snow. 😄 Thanks for watching! -Ari

[@johnnylightning1491]

Well guys you did it again. I didn't even remember Wilderness State Park, but I might have missed a couple of shows. It looks like someplace I would like to go. Does it have a developed campground? Thanks for all you do for the state park system.

[@Trekers]

Wilderness State Park is a great spot. As for camping, it has all the options, from rustic walk-in to full hookup RV spots. Here is the blog post we did on it with some additional information: trekers.org/wilderness-state-park/. Thanks for watching and commenting, and supporting our efforts as always! -Ari

[@RoadtrippinwithTakacs]

Awesome choices! Lake of the Clouds and Ionia sound great. The mosquitoes park doesn't sound as fun. 😂 Loved the views at LOTC. Thanks for sharing. Subscribed to follow your adventures. I hope our channels grow together. 💪

[@Trekers]

Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing. That's a trifecta! 😀

[@RoadtrippinwithTakacs]

@@Trekers 😁👍💪🔥

[@SteveMikre44]

Perhaps a short list of handicapped accessible parks is a episode idea...

[@Trekers]

That's a good idea, @Steve Mikre. We did try to take notice of ADA facilities at the state parks and talk about them when they stood out, generally because they were really good or really lacking. We found the system was very much hit or miss and it seemed to be influenced more by local management of the parks than by any department-wide mandate. Thanks for watching and for the suggestion! -Ari

[@thetravelingbuddy6104]

New to your channel, have you ever hiked the lake Lansing trails very nice I live in Lansing.

[@Trekers]

Oh yeah, we've hiked in there. Plus the system in Meridian Township out by Harris Nature Center has another nice set of trails.

[@SadlyKaren]

I think Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is one of my favorite parks for hiking also. Pinkney, which is closer to home for me, is also a favorite. Although, not a Michigan State Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore also has many trails and is a favorite hiking area for me as well. Thanks for the great information about Ionia Recreation Area. As soon as we get a break from all this rain, I will be visiting that area.... Awesome info as always!

[@Trekers]

Thanks, Karen. And yes to the rain ending! Lots of places around us in mid-Michigan are flooded right now. 😕

[@Karen-pk3uv]

I know it's a total longshot and there is a super strong likelihood you won't really have an answer, but I figured I'd ask anyways lol: Are there any state or national parks in Michigan that are similar to Yosemite?

[@Trekers]

Not that we're aware of, but we don't know that much about Yosemite either. The most remote in terms of lack of development and great hiking is Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Upper Peninsula.

[@Karen-pk3uv]

@@Trekers thank you 😊

[@KUEHLKUEST]

Well hello from fellow Michiganders! We found your channel searching for other Michigan hikers...great info ....glad we found you...we have supported and subscribed...be sure to check us out too....cheers Colleen and Jonny

[@Trekers]

Awesome, thank you! Looking forward to checking out what you're up to. Safe travels!

[@ForesterViking27]

Not my type of state park i would enjoy.....

[@Trekers]

One thing we learned during our project was how many different things the 103 state parks in Michigan have to offer. Is there a certain type of park you're looking for, in terms of things to do or location? Michigan probably has it covered. 😀

[@ForesterViking27]

@@Trekers they don't have anything like Yosemite or Sequoia....it just barely any hills and what they call a forest. :/

[@Trekers]

@@ForesterViking27 Have you been to the Upper Peninsula? Especially in the Porcupine Mountains, you can find plenty of forest. Bigger hills there than the rest of Michigan, too, but alas, Michigan doesn't have any real mountains like you would find in other states. There also are several larger forests in some of the northern lower Michigan parks like Negwegon State Park. I suppose most state parks would never rival a place like Yosemite, but we enjoy what we can get, especially compared to what many other states have to offer. Thanks for replying -- always good to share ideas. Keep on trekin'!