AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Kensington Metropark

Concrete Podium–Norton Creek, 8 sights

8.2 mi · ▲ 404 ft · 2 hr 56 min

Concrete Podium–Norton Creek, 8 sights is an 8.2-mile out-and-back in Kensington Metropark near Milford, MI. The route passes Kensington Metropark Beach, Concrete Podium and Norton Creek before reaching Proud Lake State Recreation Area Beach at the turnaround, 4.1 miles in. It climbs 404 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi886 – 1,099 ft9.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: North Trail 42.57228, -83.62592
Nearest town Milford, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Concrete Podium–Norton Creek, 8 sights

8.2 mi · ▲ 404 ft · 2 hr 56 min

Elevation 886–1,098 ft

Out & Back · Kensington Metropark

Trailhead: North Trail · 42.57228, -83.62592

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 7:22 AM · sunset 7:34 PM

Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on West Trail, heading SW.
  2. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  3. 350 ftTurn right onto Milford Trail, heading S.
  4. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  5. 0.2 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading SE.
  6. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  7. 250 ftBear left onto South Trail, heading SE.
  8. 250 ftContinue straight onto Milford Trail, heading SE.
  9. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  10. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  11. 0.2 miBear right onto East Trail, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  13. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  14. 100 ftTurn right onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading NE.
  15. 0.1 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading NE.
  16. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading E.
  17. 0.6 miPass Kensington Metropark Beach.
  18. 100 ftContinue straight onto East Trail, heading E.
  19. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading E.
  20. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading S.
  21. 350 ftTurn right onto Loop 4, heading S.
  22. 50 ftTurn left onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading S.
  23. 50 ftContinue straight onto Loop 4, heading S.
  24. 50 ftBear left onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading S.
  25. 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  26. 0.1 miTurn right onto Loop 4, heading SE.
  27. 50 ftTurn left onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading SE.
  28. 0.6 miPass Concrete Podium.
  29. 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
  30. 0.2 miPass Norton Creek.
  31. 350 ftTurn left onto Loop 1, heading NE.
  32. 0.1 miPass Proud Lake State Recreation Area Beach.
  33. 0.1 miReach Concrete Podium, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  34. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading NE.
  35. 0.8 miTurn right onto Loop 4, heading W.
  36. 50 ftTurn left onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading W.
  37. 0.1 miBear left, heading W.
  38. 0.1 miBear right onto Loop 4, heading S.
  39. 50 ftContinue straight onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading SW.
  40. 50 ftTurn right onto Loop 4, heading S.
  41. 50 ftTurn left onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading S.
  42. 350 ftContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading S.
  43. 0.4 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading SW.
  44. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading S.
  45. 0.6 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading N.
  46. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading W.
  47. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  48. 50 ftTurn right onto East Trail, heading W.
  49. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading W.
  50. 150 ftTurn right onto East Trail, heading W.
  51. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  52. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  53. 50 ftBear left onto Milford Trail, heading W.
  54. 150 ftContinue straight onto South Trail, heading W.
  55. 200 ftBear right, heading W.
  56. 250 ftBear left onto East Trail, heading W.
  57. 50 ftContinue straight onto Milford Trail, heading W.
  58. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  59. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  60. 350 ftTurn right onto West Trail, heading SW.
  61. 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/kent-lake-concrete-podium-out-back-12-sights-18-km

Trail surface

68% dirt3% paved29% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:22 AMSunset 7:34 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.6 mi in (~68 min). Leave by 6:05 PM for the 7:34 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:54 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from North Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Milford, Michigan