AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Kensington Metropark

The Tree of Shoes–Kensington Metropark Beach, 6 sights

8.3 mi · ▲ 402 ft · 2 hr 58 min

The Tree of Shoes–Kensington Metropark Beach, 6 sights is an 8.3-mile out-and-back in Kensington Metropark near Milford, MI. The route passes Kensington Metropark Beach before reaching The Tree of Shoes at the turnaround, 4.2 miles in. It climbs 402 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi886 – 1,099 ft9.8 mi

Getting there

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

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

The Tree of Shoes–Kensington Metropark Beach, 6 sights

8.3 mi · ▲ 402 ft · 2 hr 58 min

Elevation 886–1,098 ft

Out & Back · Kensington Metropark

Trailhead: North Trail · 42.57228, -83.62592

Weather Sep 21: Overcast, high 60°F / low 50° · precip 1% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 7:21 AM · sunset 7:35 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. 400 ftContinue straight onto Loop 4, heading S.
  29. 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
  30. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  31. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  32. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  33. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  34. 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  35. 250 ftTurn left onto Loop 2, heading NE.
  36. 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
  37. 350 ftReach The Tree of Shoes, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  38. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  39. 250 ftBear left, heading N.
  40. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  41. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  42. 250 ftBear left, heading N.
  43. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  44. 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  45. 300 ftContinue straight onto Loop 4, heading S.
  46. 50 ftContinue straight onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading S.
  47. 350 ftTurn right onto Loop 4, heading S.
  48. 50 ftTurn left onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading S.
  49. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  50. 0.1 miBear right onto Loop 4, heading S.
  51. 50 ftContinue straight onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading S.
  52. 50 ftTurn right onto Loop 4, heading S.
  53. 50 ftTurn left onto Chief Pontiac Hiking Trail, heading SE.
  54. 350 ftContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading SW.
  55. 0.4 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading SE.
  56. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading SW.
  57. 0.6 miContinue straight onto East Trail, heading NE.
  58. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading W.
  59. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  60. 100 ftTurn right onto East Trail, heading W.
  61. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Kensington-Proud Lake Connector, heading W.
  62. 150 ftTurn right onto East Trail, heading W.
  63. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  64. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  65. 50 ftBear left onto Milford Trail, heading W.
  66. 150 ftContinue straight onto South Trail, heading W.
  67. 250 ftBear right, heading W.
  68. 250 ftBear left onto East Trail, heading W.
  69. 50 ftContinue straight onto Milford Trail, heading W.
  70. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  71. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  72. 350 ftTurn right onto West Trail, heading W.
  73. 0.1 miArrive 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/the-tree-of-shoes-kensington-metropark-beach-out-back-7-sights-13-km

Trail surface

66% dirt3% paved31% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 60°F50°
Precip1%Wind7 mphUV5Humidity76%
Rained 0.5″ yesterday (0.7″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
60°50°
Sunrise 7:21 AM12 AM3 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:35 PM
Tue 63°47°
Wed 66°53° 18%
Thu 69°51°
Fri 71°49°
Sat 73°48°
Sun 70°50°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~69 min). Leave by 6:06 PM for the 7:35 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:57 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