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South Long Lake Forest Natural Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 47 Google reviews · Running trail in Traverse City, Michigan · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from South Long Lake Forest Natural 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.
What runners say about South Long Lake Forest Natural Area
“Beautiful place to take a walk and stretch after driving up to Traverse City the pretty way”
“I took my dog to walk the trails in November after a snowfall and it was lovely and quiet.”
“I took my dog to walk the trails in November after a snowfall and it was lovely and quiet.”
South Loop, Lake Forest Natural Area ━━━━ Well marked ── Shady ── Some easy rolling hills - enough in some spots to get your heart pumping a little ── Bugs weren’t bad unless you stopped walking ── Did 4a not on map ── Dry trail today.
It was a great ride! There is more trial than I initially thought. Clean, open trails are maintained well except for the washouts from the recent rain. Beautiful and quiet. Definitely recommend
I took my dog to walk the trails in November after a snowfall and it was lovely and quiet. The trail wasn't groomed but easy enough to walk in a pair of hiking boots. We'll be back.
Beautiful place to take a walk and stretch after driving up to Traverse City the pretty way
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful place to take a walk and stretch after driving up to Traverse City the pretty way”
“1miles ── Took us about 40min ── Only saw one other couple, with their dog ——— Porta John at parking lot”
“I took my dog to walk the trails in November after a snowfall and it was lovely and quiet.”
Plan your run at South Long Lake Forest Natural Area
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.
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–11 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–11 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–11 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–11 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–11 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–11 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–11 pm |
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