AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Mallard Lake Green Oak Township Michigan.JPG
Dwight Burdette · CC BY 3.0
Island Lake State Recreation Area

Island Lake–Mallard Lake, 4 lakes

9.1 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 3 hr 8 min

Island Lake–Mallard Lake, 4 lakes is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Island Lake State Recreation Area near Green Oak, MI. The route passes Mallard Lake, Orchard - View Colony Beach and Island Lake. It is mostly level, with 188 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi866 – 929 ft10.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.48386, -83.71613
Nearest town Green Oak, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Island Lake–Mallard Lake, 4 lakes

9.1 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 3 hr 8 min

Elevation 866–928 ft

Out & Back · Island Lake State Recreation Area

Trailhead: 42.48386, -83.71613

Weather Sep 23: Overcast, high 66°F / low 50° · precip 8% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 7:24 AM · sunset 7:32 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftPass Mallard Lake.
  3. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  5. 150 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  7. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  8. 450 ftBear left, heading E.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  10. 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
  11. 0.2 miBear left onto Reynold's Wrap, heading NE.
  12. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
  15. 0.1 miTurn right onto Purple Trail, heading N.
  16. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  17. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  18. 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
  19. 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  20. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  21. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  22. 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
  23. 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
  24. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  25. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  26. 500 ftTurn right onto Meadow Picnic, heading NE.
  27. 450 ftTurn left onto Island Lake Pathway, heading N.
  28. 0.7 miSharp left, heading N.
  29. 400 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  30. 250 ftBear right onto Yellow Trail, heading NW.
  31. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Blue Trail, heading NE.
  32. 0.1 miTurn right onto Yellow & Blue Trail, heading N.
  33. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Yellow Trail, heading S.
  34. 200 ftBear right onto Blue Trail, heading SW.
  35. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  36. 0.2 miPass Orchard - View Colony Beach.
  37. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
  38. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  39. 400 ftPass Island Lake.
  40. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Island Lake Trail Connector, heading W.
  41. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  42. 200 ftTurn right, heading W.
  43. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  44. 50 ftReach Island Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  45. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  46. 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
  47. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  48. 50 ftTurn right onto Blue Trail, heading N.
  49. 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  50. 0.6 miBear left onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
  51. 200 ftContinue straight onto Yellow & Blue Trail, heading E.
  52. 0.2 miTurn left onto Blue Trail, heading E.
  53. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
  54. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  55. 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  56. 450 ftSharp right onto Island Lake Pathway, heading SE.
  57. 0.7 miTurn right onto Meadow Picnic, heading N.
  58. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  59. 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
  60. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  61. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  62. 150 ftBear right, heading S.
  63. 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
  64. 50 ftTurn left onto Purple Trail, heading SW.
  65. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  66. 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  67. 100 ftBear left, heading SE.
  68. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  69. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  70. 0.1 miSharp left, heading E.
  71. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  72. 200 ftTurn right onto Reynold's Wrap, heading E.
  73. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  74. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  75. 300 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  76. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  77. 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  78. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  79. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  80. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  81. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  82. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/island-lake-mallard-lake-out-back-5-sights-15-km-42bb

Trail surface

27% other15% paved6% gravel3% dirt49% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 66°F50°
Precip8%Wind6 mphUV5Humidity69%
Rained 0.4″ 3 days ago · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 7:24 AM12 AM3 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:32 PM
Thu 70°50°
Fri 69°45°
Sat 73°48°
Sun 74°51°
Mon 75°50°
Tue 76°53°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.8 mi in (~44 min). Leave by 6:28 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:31 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Green Oak, Michigan