Michigan · Trail 905

Bay de Noc - Grand Island

Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail is a 40.3-mile trail in Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Hiawatha National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.

Map

One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.

One end45.9313° N, 86.9189° W · Directions ↗
Other end46.3329° N, 86.7993° W · Directions ↗

The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 2 segments.

The trail

Length40.3 miles
Trail class3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade0-5 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
National designationNational Recreation Trail or other national designation
Trail numbers905
ForestHiawatha National Forest (unit 0910)
StatesMichigan
Detail publishedmanagement level, with uses

Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.54 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.91 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.07 inches of precipitationApril: 2.79 inches of precipitationMay: 3.39 inches of precipitationJune: 3.52 inches of precipitationJuly: 3.33 inches of precipitationAugust: 2.89 inches of precipitationSeptember: 4.04 inches of precipitationOctober: 4.42 inches of precipitationNovember: 3.37 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.70 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 16.2°F averageFebruary: 16.8°F averageMarch: 25.5°F averageApril: 36.9°F averageMay: 49.7°F averageJune: 59.0°F averageJuly: 63.9°F averageAugust: 63.2°F averageSeptember: 56.3°F averageOctober: 44.2°F averageNovember: 32.6°F averageDecember: 22.5°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Chatham 1 SE, 14 miles from the trail midpoint at 875 feet, station USW00054810 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 37 inches a year.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed year-round
Mountain bikingAllowed year-round

A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.

Trailheads

The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.

Trails nearby

Camping nearby

Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Silver Leaf

    36 mi from the trail midpoint · 12 acres

  • Wildfire
    Ridge

    49 mi from the trail midpoint · 496 acres · 50% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Guidebooks for Hiawatha National Forest and Michigan

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Field Guide Hiawatha National Forest Ecological Classification System
    Greg Kudray, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Rail-trails Michigan & Wisconsin
    Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes on and Around the North Country Trail - Michigan and Wisconsin
    Thomas Funke, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail?

The Forest Service records 40.3 miles under this name in Hiawatha National Forest, the sum of 2 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail?

Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail start?

The line begins at 45.9313° N, 86.9189° W and ends at 46.3329° N, 86.7993° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail in a wilderness area?

No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Where can I camp near the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail?

Au Train Lake Campground (4.5 mi) is within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists it with site counts and booking links.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail?

Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

How steep and how wide is the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail?

The typical grade is 0-5 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail accessible?

No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail a national trail?

Yes. The record marks it as a National Recreation Trail.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail?

Hiawatha National Forest, Forest Service unit 0910. The trail is in Michigan.

Source: Hiawatha National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Bay de Noc - Grand Island Trail?

The interagency feed shows 2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Silver Leaf at 36 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 2 segments named Bay de Noc - Grand Island in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0910. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.