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John D. Besse Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 170 Google reviews · Running trail in Escanaba, Michigan · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from John D. Besse Park'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.
What runners say about John D. Besse Park
“Come on Escanaba business people, spend some of that covid money on the Ludington park and make it beautiful again.”
Had a great time with Ariel and Victoria. Lots of fun running in the grass. Seeing new friends to play. Learning to climb a different way on the slides. Fun fun !
This park is fairly new and the kids had a blast. There. Was a birthday party going on so the kids shared their pizza and the birthday party offered to share their cake. Will definitely be going back to this park. Ludington park is run down and is in dire need of a make over. And the spiders are bad there.
It's a lovely little park, it has bathrooms, a nice playground and a disc path. Love it there. Lots of families with kids.
I love that it's easy for my little one to walk up the slope to the slides. Good options for slides and swings etc.
Trail conditions & character
“A very nice park with a cushion surface compared to wood chips, sand or mulch that you find at other parks in the area.”
“There is a nice shady picnic area, a sunny green space, bathrooms, a disc golf course, and benches around the play area.”
Plan your run at John D. Besse Park
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- 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.
- At the trailheadrestrooms, water — reported by runners
- Websiteescanaba.org
- Phone+1 906-786-9402
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Escanaba
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
West Side Recreational Trail
4.2 ★★★★☆ 6 reviews
Recreational Non-Motorized Pathway
5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews