Michigan · Hiking

The Dragon Trail - Segment #3

2.8 mi
round trip
1,003 ft
climb
890 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is The Dragon Trail - Segment #3 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.

The Dragon Trail - Segment #3 is a 2.8-mile moderate hike in Michigan's Newaygo State Park, which sits within the White Cloud Ranger District of the Huron-Manistee National Forest. The land is managed by State Park and Recreation, and the trail is part of a larger network of segments that make up The Dragon Trail. The route is an out-and-back that covers about 5.6 miles round trip, with a high point of 890 feet and a low of 827 feet. The steepest stretch comes early on, around 0.38 miles from the start, where the grade reaches about 13 percent. The total elevation gain is 101 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Big Rapids show July highs around 81°F with lows near 57°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. Big Bend Township Park, a campground, is less than a mile away, and The Dragon Trail - Segment #1 is about 0.9 miles off. The Muskegon River, roughly 1.7 miles away, offers river fishing, and Rosy Run Trail is about 2.1 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit The Dragon Trail - Segment #3

    Best months: June–September. 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° / 13°

      16 wet

    2. Feb

      31° / 12°

      13 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 20°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      55° / 31°

      13 wet

    5. May

      68° / 43°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 53°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 57°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      79° / 55°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 47°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 36°

      14 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 28°

      14 wet

    12. Dec

      33° / 19°

      15 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Big Rapids Wtp, MI, 15 mi away at 898 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

The Dragon Trail - Segment #1Photo: Larry Pieniazek, Lar (commons) or User:Lar (wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Dragon Trail - Segment #1

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The Dragon Trail - Segment #10Photo: Larry Pieniazek, Lar (commons) or User:Lar (wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors