Colwell Lake Trail
Colwell Lake Trail is a 2.1-mile trail in Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly 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 end | 46.2244° N, 86.4363° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.2244° N, 86.4363° 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
| Length | 2.1 miles, all of it evaluated accessible |
| Trail class | 4, highly developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | imported compacted material (firm) |
| Typical grade | 0-5 percent |
| Typical tread width | 36-48 inches |
| Minimum width | 36 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | At least one segment meets Forest Service accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 210 |
| Forest | Hiawatha National Forest (unit 0910) |
| States | Michigan |
| Detail published | management 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
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 05/01 to 12/01 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed |
| Mountain biking | Allowed 05/01 to 12/01 (month/day) |
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
- WildfireSilver Leaf
49 mi from the trail midpoint · 12 acres
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 SystemGreg Kudray, 2019Find at Bookshop.org
- Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes on and Around the North Country Trail - Michigan and WisconsinThomas Funke, 2016Find 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 Colwell Lake Trail?
The Forest Service records 2.1 miles under this name in Hiawatha National Forest, the sum of 1 segment. All of it is evaluated as accessible.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Colwell Lake Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Colwell Lake Trail start?
The line begins at 46.2244° N, 86.4363° W and ends at 46.2244° N, 86.4363° 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 Colwell Lake 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 Colwell Lake Trail?
Colwell Lake Campground (under 0.1 mi), Crooked Lake Campsite (0.4 mi) and Steuben Lake Campsites (1.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Colwell Lake Trail?
Trail class 4, which the Forest Service describes as highly 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 Colwell Lake Trail?
The typical grade is 0-5 percent. The typical tread is 36-48 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Colwell Lake Trail accessible?
The Forest Service has evaluated 2.1 miles of this trail as meeting its accessibility guidelines. The surface is imported compacted material.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Colwell Lake Trail?
Hiawatha National Forest, Forest Service unit 0910. The trail is in Michigan.
Is there a fire near the Colwell Lake Trail?
The interagency feed shows 1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Silver Leaf at 49 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Colwell Lake Trail 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.