YouTube Video:

Link: https://youtu.be/lBHdnUgpCUo?si=h3U36yA7YrpTcS_2

To learn more about how we rate the trails, go here.

The Algonquin Trail at Grass River Natural area near Alden, Michigan is a beautiful trail that winds through pines and young forest. The forest is beautiful and so peaceful!

Weather and Season:

Although the forecast called for rain later in the day, the clouds were just moving in when we set out in the evening. It was a beautiful partly cloudy day in May of 2024! The trail was slightly muddy in a few spots from recent rains, but otherwise clear from puddles.

Rating:
Weather- 9
Seasonal- 10

Perfect season to go in, but the weather was also perfect for lots of mosquitoes!

Permits and Regulations:

Dogs are allowed on this trail. To our knowledge, no permit is required, except for hunting. Hunting is allowed in the area, and the Algonquin trail is an access trail for areas that can be hunted. You can find out more about this at Grass River’s website.

We did not see any poisonous plants in the area, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Poison ivy, for example, is often common in woods in Michigan. “leaves of three; leave them be.” There are other poisonous plants in Michigan as well, so just be aware and make sure you aren’t touching something that could be dangerous to your health.

The nearest hospital is approximately a 30 minute drive from Grass River. Most cell phone service providers seem to work at GRNA, and 911 could be called in an emergency in most areas. There is also a nature center building further up the drive from where we parked that can be accessed during open hours for further support if something were to come up.

Permits and Regulations Rating: 7

Safety could be a concern if someone needed to be close to medical facilities.

Facilities

Grass River Natural Area has a nature center building with a small store and restrooms open to the public during their business hours. The building also holds classes and events throughout the year. The Algonquin trailhead is located shortly after pulling into the drive for Grass River, so to access the facilities, one must drive further up the road and hike a short trail off the parking lot. There are also outhouses on short trails just off the parking lot for the nature center building, but there are no facilities directly off the Algonquin trail.

Facilities Rating: 7

I would give the Facilities at the nature center a 9. But the lack of facilities close to the trail could make it difficult for someone trying to hike yet needing an accessible restroom close to the trail.

Gear

We wore everyday clothing out on the trail and tennis shoes, but wish we’d taken mosquito spray, as they were pretty intense. I also took my camera and camera backpack.

Equipment you might consider taking:

• Small hiking pack
• Snacks
• Water
• Cell phone for emergencies
• Camera
• Mosquito gear (Spray, netting, or whatever you use to keep mosquitos off)
• Tick gear
• Good hiking shoes/boots
• Hat and/or sunglasses

Gear Rating: 7

The gear needed on this trail is pretty average, but someone needing special equipment may have a harder time.

Highlights of the Trail:

Favorite Part:

My favorite part of this trail is the variety of land it covers. From pine trees, to young forest, mushrooms, ferns, and more, there is so much to see!

Cool Sightings:

We saw some mushrooms, and moss!

Length:

The trail is 1.1 miles in length. It took us about 40 minutes to walk it, and neither of us are fast walkers.

Highlights Rating: 8

The trail had a variety of landscape, and was just over a mile in length.

Critters:

Critters to Admire:

We saw a few birds on the walk, but no animals. We also heard many birds singing. This included an American Robin and Red-eyed Viero. There are a variety of animals and birds that call Grass River home, so there’s always a chance to see something new!

Critters to be Wary of:

We did encounter many mosquitoes on the trail. Although ticks have been high in number this year, we did not encounter any on this trip.

Other animals to keep in mind while hiking in an area like this include bear and coyote. Most animals that could be dangerous will stay away from people for the most part, but there are incidents where people have been attacked, although I haven’t heard of any on this particular trail.

Critter Favorites:

Our favorite finding was a very large footprint! It was likely from a rather large dog, although we couldn’t rule out wolf either. We don’t typically have wolves in lower northwest Michigan, but there have been some sightings.

Critter Rating: 7

The mosquitoes made it hard to hike part of the trail, and we didn’t see a lot. But the birds were singing a lot, there were no ticks spotted, and there was evidence of other animals in the area.

Accessibility:

Physical and Features:

Physically, the trail had roots throughout that made it difficult to keep from stumbling at times. There were a few small hills, but the trail was mostly flat, other than the roots through the ground. There were no benches along the trail, and it would be difficult to get a wheelchair through the woods.

Ben walks with a cane, and was able to use the cane to help maintain balance with the roots and, at times, uneven ground. Grass River Natural Area does have several other trails that are more accessible though, including a trail for those with vision impairments, that includes a guiding rope and signs in Braille.

Trail Head and Map:

There is a small parking lot in front of the start of the Algonquin trail. The trail starts from the parking lot, with a sign that provides a map of the trail.

Trail Difficulty Rating: 7

Although the roots and down trees made the path challenging at times, it was accessible for the most part. There were no steep hills, just a few small ones, and most of the trail was flat. Signs told us where to go, and we were able to walk around any puddles.

Leave No Trace

There is no garbage disposal near the trailhead. Garbage cans can be accessed at the nature center, further up the drive. Remember…”Pack in, Pack out.”

Leave No Trace Rating: 9

Although there is no garbage can at the trailhead, one could drive to the nature center a short distance to take care of any waste.

Final Rating:

Overall Rating: 7
Average Rating: 7.8

Although the trail had roots in several places, uneven ground, and lots of mosquitoes, it was still a great trail to hike! It would be difficult for someone in a wheelchair to take this trail, but there are other options in the same area. Grass River Natural Area offers a variety of great trails to hike year-round. We look forward to going again!