The Best Cross-Country Skiing Trails in Leelanau County
Winter … ski time by Ken Scott
With miles upon miles of trails, the Leelanau Peninsula is perfect from cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and other wintertime exploration! Here are some of our favorites – please add you own in the comments!
- Bayview Trail – Offers about 10 miles of mixed easy and intermediate skiing with two short advanced sections. Terrain varies from beech-maple forest to open farm country and Lookout Point offers a spectacular view of Lake Michigan and the surrounding countryside. (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)
- Chippewa Run – 1 1/4 miles of easy trail just outside of Empire. (Leelanau Conservancy)
- Good Harbor Bay Trail – Nearly flat, easy trail featuring light woods and a short section of low coastal dunes. (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)
- Houdek Dunes – 3/4 or 1- 1/2 mile loops offering east to moderate cross-country skiing through a diverse landscape featuring open fields and light forest. (Leelanau Conservancy)
- Krumweide Forest Reserve – 1.8 mile trail follows a gated forestry road and makes a gradual, gentle ascent up along an impressive ridge, making a large loop to the valley below. (Leelanau Conservancy)
- Old Indian – easy to intermediate, mainly flat and straight with some gentle hills and curves and one steep downhill run with a sharp turn on the advanced loop. Winds through a coastal forest to a scenic view of Lake Michigan and neighboring sand dunes. (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)
- Pierce Stocking – Intermediate trail includes Shauger Hill Hiking Trail and the unplowed Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Trail offers incredible views of Lake Michigan and the dunes. (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)
