Running trails in Benzie County

A look at some of the best offroad running trails in Benzie County

BY ROBERT MYERS VENTURE STAFF WRITER

Summer can be busy and sometimes a little hot, but with the cooler days of fall returning, there might be no better time to break out the running shoes.

Amidst an ongoing pandemic, many struggled to keep up with past workout routines, but running offers a way for individuals to stay in shape without worrying about whether their gym is open.

Check out this list of some of the top local running trails, as recommended by some of the area's local runners.

Benzie Central’s Cross Country Course

Every fall this course hosts the largest cross country meet in the region, and it is known as one of the faster cross country courses is the state. The flat course features dirt and grass covered trails as it travels through woods and fields for an easy 3.1 mile run around the Benzie Central High School campus.

To access the trail, drive to Benzie Central High School on Homestead Road and park in the school parking lot. From there walk out back behind the school to find the starting line next to the football field.

Betsie River Pathway

This lesser known location features multiple trail options running through the Pere Marquette National Forrest just southwest of Thompsonville. The trails are narrow in places, but with few elevation changes, they make for an easy run as they pass through mixed forests and open meadows.

To find the Betsie River Pathway, turn off M-115 onto Longstreet just west of Crystal Mountain and head south. From the parking lot runners can choose the five miles of trails on the east side of the road or the three miles of trails, briefly passing by the Betsie River, on the west side of the road.

Betsie Valley Pathway

Lake Ann Pathway

Betsie Valley Trail

This trail is the most improved of the county trails. It begins at Frankfort Beach and then passes by Betsie Lake, the Betsie River and Crystal Lake as it follows the old Ann Arbor Railroad path across the county to Thompsonville. The course is flat and easy to run. The western portion is paved, but the trail becomes gravel as it heads into Beulah and rougher as it continues eastward to Thompsonville.

The multi-use day trail is owned by the Department of Natural Resources and stretches a total of 22 miles across the county.

Dry Hills Trail

For the toughest trail the county has to offer, head to the C.S. Mott Arcadia Dunes Nature Preserve and go for a run on the Dry Hills Trail. This 10-mile loop will provide an honest assessment of one’s physical condition with its many curves and hills. The roller coaster-type trail follows the wooded glacial moraine across the southern part of the county and is popular among mountain bikers.

To find the trail, turn off M-22 onto St. Pierre Road about two miles north of Arcadia, and park in the St. Pierre Trailhead parking lot. The preserve also has a number of easier trails accessible at the St. Pierre Trailhead or across the street at the Baldy Trailhead.

Lake Ann Pathway

The Pere Marquette State Forest off Reynolds Road outside of Lake Ann offers a number of scenic paths for running. Two sets of trails are separated by Reynolds Road, and both prove equally scenic.

On the east side, the trail runs along Lake Ann, while the west side trails pass alongside several smaller lakes and feature a boardwalk that follows along the Platte River.

There are some smaller hills, but nothing major, making this trail and easy to moderate.

Old Indian Trail

Part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Old Indian Trail provides several miles of trails that can be run in different loops.

The pathway is wide and relatively flat, making this one of the county’s easiest trail runs.

The trail is mostly wooded, except for an offshoot that passes through small dunes and leads down to Lake Michigan.

To find the trail, look for the trailhead parking lot just north of Sutter Road along M-22.

Platte Plains Trails

For more trail options in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, continue heading north along M-22. While there are several points to access the interconnecting trails located north of the Platte River, one popular point is the Otter Creek Trailhead located on Esch Road, just south of the Leelanau County line.

There, runners can hit the 15-plus miles of trails that pass along Otter Creek and several small lakes, all within a mile or two of the Lake Michigan shoreline, which can be easily reached on many offshoot trails. Though the trails can be a bit narrow at times, there are no major inclines to speak of, making this an easy way to explore a large portion of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

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holds a lot of fish. Whether you are after lake trout or a Master Angler rock bass, Crystal Lake has what you're looking for. Murphy said many people don't realize success can be found there even without the luxury of a boat. "There are lots of places for access," she said. "... They put floating docks on the east side of Crystal Lake at the town of Beulah, Michigan. They redid it a couple years ago and they have docks to fish from."

Upper Herring Lake, Loon Lake, Platte Lake and Bass Lake all have public access docks that can produce a lot of fish. Bass Lake stands out as particularly picturesque, Murphy said. "Bass Lake is in the park at Trails End (Road), north of the Platte River," she said. "It has a platform built on it. You can just go casting there. I send a lot of people there. It's just beautiful because it's in the park and secluded."

Those looking to fish in some current need look no further than the Betsie River and Platte River. And if you're seeking a trophy salmon, the Betsie is the way to go. "The Betsie River is natural reproduction — one of the only natural reproduction for salmon in the state, and that's huge," Murphy said. "That's why we're having such great returns. "The fish that are caught coming through the bay, if they're clipped, they're planted," she continued. "But the biggest salmon that we catch out of the boats or in the bay — 30 pounds plus — all of them are natural. Not the planted ones."

And fortunately for Benzie County anglers, there are plenty of spots one can fish the Betsie River without a boat.

"There are many, many public accesses along the rivers that you're not trespassing on people's property," Murphy said. "Like that

The pier at the Manistee North Pierhead Lighthouse is often lined with anglers during the salmon run. railroad bridge — the railroad used to go over it and now it's a fishing platform at the mouth of the Betsie. Along the Betsie Valley Bike Trail, there are places where you can just cast into the Betsie River when the fish are running. ... There are miles and miles of river." To say there are ample fishing opportunities in Benzie County — even without access to a boat — would be putting it mildly. Anyone can pop into the Frankfort Tackle Box and Christine or her husband Brian will happily point them in the right direction.

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