Home › Michigan › Mt Pleasant › Nelson Park
Nelson Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 500 Google reviews · Running trail in Mt Pleasant, Michigan · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Nelson 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.
5-acre riverside park with a canoe landing & fishing deck, plus picnic areas & hiking/biking trails.
What runners say about Nelson Park
“The park looks great, has a great view of the river, as well as some very nice places to sit and watch the water.”
One of Mt Pleasant's best parks for picnics! We just had family photos taken here, and they turned out great! All trails are paved and great for walking and biking. The little covered bridge was a wonderful addition to the park! Note: There is no playground equipment, but there are restrooms.
Absolutely love this park. Beautiful park. Very well kept up and great walking paths and if you want to be extra adventurous there's lots trails to walk too.
Great park for photography and photo shoots in general. This place has a whole lot going for it. The park looks great, has a great view of the river, as well as some very nice places to sit and watch the water.
Also known as "Bear park" because there used to be a real live bear that lived in the park. There is a canoe landing to go kayaking and canoeing. This park doesn't have equipment fof kids to play on but they have small Pavillions anc nice view of the river.
Trail conditions & character
“The park looks great, has a great view of the river, as well as some very nice places to sit and watch the water.”
“Note: There is no playground equipment, but there are restrooms.”
Plan your run at Nelson Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- 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 — reported by runners
- Websitemt-pleasant.org
- Phone(989) 779-5300
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Tuesday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Wednesday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Friday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Saturday | 8 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 8 AM–11 PM |
Running trails near Mt Pleasant
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Island Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,856 reviews
Leisurely, clean park with a splash pad and a climbing structure, plus a playground and a 'slide farm'.
Mill Pond Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 592 reviews
90-acre wetlands bisected by the Chippewa River & featuring trails, picnic areas & a playground.
Chipp-A-Waters Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 683 reviews
Nature area offering wooded trails along the Chippewa River, a picnic pavilion & a playground.
Meridian Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 136 reviews
Picturesque, dog-friendly park along a river offering walking/cycling trails & fishing.