Michigan · Hiking

Island Lake Loop Trail

Island Lake Loop TrailPhoto: joannapoe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.8 mi
loop
96 ft
climb
1,408 ft
high point
Loop
route
May–Aug
best months

Is Island Lake Loop Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Huron-Manistee National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Huron-Manistee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Island Lake Loop Trail is a 1.8-mile loop in the Mio Ranger District of the Huron-Manistee National Forest in Michigan, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is rated easy, with a total elevation gain of 96 feet and a total loss of 186 feet over the course of the loop. The route starts at about 1,373 feet and reaches a high point of 1,408 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 10% grade near the beginning. Bikes are allowed on the trail, which has a natural surface, and horses are not. The trail makes an easy addition to a stay at Island Lake Campground, which sits just 0.1 mile away. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Mio show July highs around 81°F and lows near 56°F, while winter brings highs in the 20s and regular snow days from December through February. That station sits about 370 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the loop run a little cooler. Chimney Loop Campground and Wagner Lake Recreation Area are both about 3 miles away, and the Meadows-Hughes Lake Trail is about 3.3 miles off.

  • Best time to go · May–Aug

    Best time to visit Island Lake Loop Trail

    Best months: May–August. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      28° / 11°

      15 wet · 11 snow

    2. Feb

      32° / 10°

      12 wet · 9 snow

    3. Mar

      41° / 18°

      11 wet · 5 snow

    4. Apr

      54° / 30°

      12 wet · 2 snow

    5. May

      68° / 41°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 51°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 56°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      79° / 54°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 47°

      13 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 36°

      16 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      44° / 28°

      15 wet · 4 snow

    12. Dec

      33° / 18°

      14 wet · 9 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mio Wwtp, MI, 9.6 mi away at 1,037 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.