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Gaylord State Forest Area
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,795 Google reviews · Running trail in Wolverine, Michigan · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Gaylord State Forest Area's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Wooded expanse laced with mapped trails for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing & snow-shoeing.
What runners say about Gaylord State Forest Area
“Gaylord State Forest area Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Michigan maybe even in the whole world.”
I loved this State Forest. I hiked almost all the trails and it was beautiful. The trails were very clean and great signage to know where you are on the trails. There are stations setup with information about what you can see in that spot and I enjoyed reading about all the trees.
We hiked the 3-mile loop of Deadman's Hill Pathway, and it was quite enjoyable. Path was in very good condition, much better than a few years ago. There are wooden walkways now over places where creek flows, which used to be very soggy or navigated by walking on logs.
Love it. Gaylord State Forest area Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Michigan maybe even in the whole world. There are endless trails and nature and wildlife and whatever your imagination can come up with you'll find.
Had a great time hunting up near Pellston Michigan. The place I stayed at was called Braveheart, this is run by operation injured soldier which is down by South Lyon Michigan. This hunt was basically 100% disabled veterans from all conflicts.
Trail conditions & character
“Gaylord State Forest area Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Michigan maybe even in the whole world.”
“All sorts of different styles of riding also, mud, tight trail, steep rock climbing, sand hills, etc.”
“We hiked the 3-mile loop of Deadman's Hill Pathway, and it was quite enjoyable.”
“Not for beginners necessarily because it's pretty technical.”
Plan your run at Gaylord State Forest Area
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- Websitemichigan.gov
- Phone(989) 732-3541
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–5 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–5 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–5 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–5 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–5 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Running trails near Wolverine
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
