Hiking on Drummond Island

Deciding which path to take when hiking on Drummond Island feels like a choose-your-own-adventure story. Our hiking options are limitless and the path you choose will always be the right one. For those looking for tree canopied lanes or a robust hike through state lands, we have it. Drummond Island has four established hiking trails. Free detailed maps are available at the Visitor’s Center.

Drummond Island Heritage Trail  (Map)
The Heritage Trail is a 3.0 mile nature hiking and snowshoe trail located at the Drummond Island Township Park. It provides a unique experience for birding, hiking or geocaching in the warmer months and snowshoeing in winter. There is great variety for a trail of this size. The Lower Level leads you through beautiful woodlands as it travels to the rocky beaches that define the Drummond Island shoreline. Trail use is free.

The varied forest terrain and location on the shore of Potagannissing Bay bring many different habitats together in a small geographical area. Flora lovers will enjoy the woodland flowers that mark the inner trial system and are seen in great numbers in the small natural forest openings. Traveling through many habitats, the trail is rich in woodland wildlife in every season. Look for whitetail deer and signs of other animals on your hike. Watch for forest birds along the trail, and waterfowl and loons on the bay.
The trail-head is located on the park entrance road, 0.3 miles from M134. Parking is available at the trail-head. Bathroom facilities are available at the Township Park in summer months. The trail is marked with wooden directional signs and “You Are Here” location maps. The majority of the trail can be hiked or snow-shoed easily by the novice. Trail maps are available at the trail-head and at the Drummond Island Tourism Association (DITA) office.

Clyde and Martha Williams Preserve Trail (Map)
The Williams Preserve is mostly forested with either upland mixed hardwood/conifer stands (including white pine and hemlock components); northern hardwood stands dominated by beech and maple (with minor component of ash, ironwood, basswood, and balsam fir); and lowland areas dominated by cedar, balsam fir, and paper birch. Fallow agricultural fields now vegetated with bracken fern, blackberry, and various tree seedlings and saplings are present in small areas. Soils in some areas are flat and sandy, and very rocky in others, with some large boulders. Fissured bedrock is visible at the surface in some spots. Ancient post-glacial lake shorelines are evident on the Preserve. An old stone wall built by early Island settlers is located in the east part of the Preserve. 

The trail, owned by the Little Traverse Conservancy, opened in late summer 2008. Its trail head is located on the east corner of the Maxton, Tourist Road intersection. A parking area is provided and it’s close proximity to Drummond's main lodging complexes should make this a popular trail.

Rainbow Cross Country Trail  (Map)
The Rainbow Cross Country Trail offers groomed cross country skiing in winter (only skiing, no snowshoeing, no trail fees) and hiking and birding in the non winter months. Located on state land on the Maxton Cross Road, this trail is 5.0 miles long. The main trail has a series of  loops off of the "Main Street" and back to it again. Short trail segments interconnect several loops, making it easy to return to the trail-head for shorter excursions or provide variety for extended trips.

Laid out over rolling terrain, through open spaces and hardwood forest, there is a mix of sun and shade. The contour varies from very even to mildly uneven. Outdoor enthusiasts, nature lovers and birders will enjoy the wealth of flora and fauna indigenous to this region. The changing terrain of canopied forest, open fields and an inland lake provide a variety of habitats shifting in every season. Expect a pot of gold? Maybe not, but you could expect to see a rainbow as the unusually high number of rainbows sighted on this trail is just part of what makes this trail unique.
 
The trailhead is located on the west side of Maxton Cross Road, 0.2 miles south of the intersection of Maxton Cross Road and Maxton Road. Parking is available at the trailhead. Bathroom facilities are not available at the trail but are available nearby. The trail is well marked with “You Are Here” location maps. 
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Nature Trails at Drummond Island Resort  (Map)
The Drummond Island Resort offers two hiking loops within the resort property. The shorter, 1 mile loop, is an interpretive trail and ideal for younger kids looking to explore with an adult. Off this trail pick up a 2.5 mile loop that borders the Resort's golf course. Easy access to the trails is located behind the main lodge area. In colder months, the marked hiking trails are ideal for snowshoeing

State Land Trails
Additionally, the Island features 117 miles of state land off-road vehicle trails. They purport to be potentially hikeable although these trails are described as demanding for off-road vehicles and are extremely rugged in areas. The snowmobile trail system grooms a total of 68 miles, 45 miles of which are state owned. The percentage of the snowmobile trail that is accessible to the public on foot is not known due to this trail system being contiguous with and often only accessible through private property.

For information about longer trails and spectacular vistas, stop and ask at the Visitor’s Center.

Trail	Distance	Location	Use
Heritage Hiking Trail	1.0 mile (Short Loop)	Drummond Island Township Park	Nature Hiking / Snowshoeing
​Rainbow Cross Country Trail	5.0 miles ​ (Shorter Loops)	Maxton Cut Across Road, Maxton Road	Cross Country Skiing
Williams Nature Preserve	1.3 miles	Maxton Road	Hiking, snowshoeing, and ungroomed CCX-skiiing
Drummond Island Resort Trail	1 - 15 miles	Drummond Island Resort, Maxton Road	1 and 2.5 mile hiking trails. 15 miles of groomed CCX ski trails.