AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Island Lake State Recreation Area

Spring Mill Pond–Orchard - View Colony Beach, 4 beaches

8 mi · ▲ 189 ft · 2 hr 46 min

Spring Mill Pond–Orchard - View Colony Beach, 4 beaches is an 8-mile out-and-back in Island Lake State Recreation Area near Green Oak, MI. The route passes Orchard - View Colony Beach, Island Lake State Recreation Area Beach and Spring Mill Pond. It is mostly level, with 189 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi866 – 925 ft10.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.50591, -83.73628
Nearest town Green Oak, MI
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Spring Mill Pond–Orchard - View Colony Beach, 4 beaches

8 mi · ▲ 189 ft · 2 hr 46 min

Elevation 866–924 ft

Out & Back · Island Lake State Recreation Area

Trailhead: 42.50591, -83.73628

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:22 AM · sunset 7:36 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 50 ftTurn right onto Blue Trail, heading E.
  4. 0.2 miPass Orchard - View Colony Beach.
  5. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  6. 0.6 miBear left onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
  7. 150 ftContinue straight onto Yellow & Blue Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.2 miTurn left onto Blue Trail, heading E.
  9. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Yellow Trail, heading N.
  10. 0.1 miBear left, heading NE.
  11. 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
  12. 450 ftSharp right onto Island Lake Pathway, heading NE.
  13. 0.6 miTurn right onto Meadow Picnic, heading E.
  14. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  15. 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
  16. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  17. 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
  18. 150 ftBear right, heading S.
  19. 150 ftBear right, heading S.
  20. 50 ftTurn left onto Purple Trail, heading S.
  21. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  22. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  23. 100 ftBear left, heading W.
  24. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  25. 400 ftTurn left, heading S.
  26. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  27. 0.2 miPass Island Lake State Recreation Area Beach.
  28. 250 ftContinue straight onto Blue Trail, heading S.
  29. 400 ftPass Spring Mill Pond.
  30. 450 ftTurn left, heading W.
  31. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  32. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  33. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  34. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  35. 400 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  36. 150 ftBear right, heading W.
  37. 200 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  38. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  39. 50 ftReach Spring Mill Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  40. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  41. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  42. 250 ftBear left, heading S.
  43. 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
  44. 400 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  45. 200 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  46. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  47. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  48. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Purple Trail, heading SW.
  49. 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
  50. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  51. 500 ftTurn right, heading W.
  52. 400 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  53. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  54. 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
  55. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  56. 100 ftBear left, heading W.
  57. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  58. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  59. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  60. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  61. 450 ftTurn right onto Meadow Picnic, heading NE.
  62. 450 ftTurn left onto Island Lake Pathway, heading NE.
  63. 0.6 miSharp left, heading N.
  64. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  65. 250 ftBear right onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
  66. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Blue Trail, heading SE.
  67. 0.1 miTurn right onto Yellow & Blue Trail, heading N.
  68. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Yellow Trail, heading NE.
  69. 200 ftBear right onto Blue Trail, heading NE.
  70. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  71. 0.9 miTurn left, heading SW.
  72. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  73. 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/spring-mill-pond-orchard-view-colony-beach-out-back-7-beaches

Trail surface

34% other17% paved3% dirt1% boardwalk45% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:22 AMSunset 7:36 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.9 mi in (~72 min). Leave by 6:04 PM for the 7:36 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:04 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

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

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Green Oak, Michigan