10 Places I Love to Walk and Run near Lansing, Michigan

June 5, 2025

Read time: 11-12 minutes

Now that June has arrived, warmer temperatures are here to stay across the entire state! This is such an exciting month for the revival of many outdoor hobbies and routines. With summer almost here, flowers blooming, and sunnier days, I wanted to share my favorite places to walk and run in Lansing!

In the Lansing area, the majority of people utilize public parks and trails during the non-snowy months, which are mostly April through November. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of the City of Lansing is 112,644 people, bringing the greater Lansing region’s total population, including neighboring communities of Holt, Waverly, and Grand Ledge, to 169,865. If you include Michigan State (roughly 50,000 annually) and East Lansing (unsure of true numbers because of the student population) into the population equation, that’s a lot of people hitting the trails in one metro area! While out during the non-snowy months, you are sure to pass many others using the pathways to recreate. Luckily, I've found the trails mentioned in this blog to never be overcrowded or too packed to enjoy!

When Covid halted in-person work and school in 2020, my partner and I moved just eighteen minutes from East Lansing to the westside of Lansing. We moved towards Lansing for an affordable living space and so that I could be closer to Grand Ledge, a wonderful little town that I taught in at the time. For the entirety of 2020, I taught remotely from our 900 square foot apartment. I stopped going in-person to the gym and started building a set-up to workout at home. I started investing my time after work and on the weekends into discovering more nearby outdoor spaces that offered a path to walk or run. I was also lucky to have my friend Sarah, a Lansing area local, show me some of her favorite walking paths! Living in Michigan’s capital city, I wanted a strong lineup of picturesque locations to easily escape the bustle, observe nature and subsequently forget or process the day’s worries and thoughts. 

1. East West Pathway

Upon signing the lease, I was unaware that my apartment building was directly off of the East West Pathway. At least once a week, I ran or walked from my apartment to Sharp Park and back along this paved path. The highlights of this pathway are a wooden boardwalk over wetlands, a few unpaved, offshoot trails in the woods and the park, which features outdoor exercise equipment, a playground, a fishing pond, volleyball courts, a picnic shelter with tables and various sports fields. A connecting path can also take you from the park to Delta Township District Library. Park at Sharp Park or the Delta Township District Library and travel the path west to Canal Street before turning around. If you’re looking for a place to eat, the nearby Horrock’s Farm Market Biergarten makes for the perfect reason to venture off trail!

Path Type: Paved with a section of boardwalk and unpaved offshoots at Sharp Park

2. The Ledges

My favorite outdoor spot in all of the Lansing area is known locally as “The Ledges” in Grand Ledge. The Ledges are towering 300-million year old sandstone cliffs (lansing.org), a rare sight in the state! The additional rock outcroppings of the surrounding vicinity provide five miles of exploration along the Grand River across four parks: Fitzgerald Park, Lincoln Brick Park, Oak Park and Island Park. This spot is home to the only available outdoor rock climbing in Michigan's Lower Peninsula! Some areas of the cliffs reach to be 60 feet tall! On any given late spring weekend, you will see plenty of climbers ascending the rock walls! 

To view The Ledges and hike, park at The Ledges Trail East Trailhead, which is also the Island Park parking lot. You can also park at Fitzgerald Park and access The Ledges Trail via the West Trailhead. For the easiest and most visible trail access, I would hike the East Trailhead to West Trailhead and back. This maintained, yet rugged, dirt trail follows the south side of the river where you hike along large rock walls and can look across the river at the massive climbing walls. For experienced climbers looking to climb The Ledges, park at the Oak Park parking lot and connect to the trails that lead you in front of the cliffs for climbing access. There are 80 named and rated climbing routes, and 180 total climbing or bouldering routes at The Ledges to navigate! 

Path Type: Unpaved hiking trail

3. Lansing River Trail

The Lansing River Trail is well-established and firmly rooted in Lansing’s identity, yet it remains surprisingly uncrowded and easily accessible. The Lansing River Trail is a paved path that spans over 20 miles along the Grand River in Lansing and the Red Cedar River in East Lansing. There are various places to pick up the trail and many segments to explore! With its overall length, this is one solid option for distance training or longer bike rides.

Typically, I park at Rotary Park and walk the River Trail north to the Brenke Fish Ladder and back. Rotary Park offers an ADA kayak launch, a sand beach, an inviting plaza with a large fireplace and a small outdoor concert space. Kayaks can also be rented here for $15 per hour at River Town Adventures for sightseeing from the water! I love this stretch of the River Trail for many reasons but especially for the downtown Lansing views! I also enjoy the local art installations, the viewing docks, the boardwalk and the pedestrian bridge over the river towards Adado Park, if you choose to go! Turning around at the Brenke Fish Ladder offers a unique perspective of the concrete structure, which was built in 1981 to help salmon and trout swim safely upstream past the dam during their migration season. The best time to view salmon is early fall.

Path Type: Paved with a section of boardwalk

4. Crego Park

Crego Park is a 200-acre park that includes a small lake for quiet water sports such as fishing, canoeing and kayaking. At the lake, there are kayak rentals with River Town Adventures for a two-hour rental window costing $30. I park at the parking lot and connect from there to the Lansing River Trail to jog sections of the Red Cedar River along a paved path. Go north on this section of Lansing River Trail to walk under an active railroad; listen carefully for a chance to see the train chug by! Head west along the river trail to pass by Potter Park Zoo and even meet a local legend, Penny the Truck Eating Bridge! When I lived in Lansing, I enjoyed jogging here not only to see the train pass by so close, but also for the wetland and river sights that often consisted of ducks or turtles. I also loved to soak up a bright sunset glow on the field between the parking lot and the River Trail. Sometimes after a spring or summer storm, sections of the Lansing River Trail, and this section I remember specifically, become flooded and water covers the pathway. For current conditions, visit the Lansing River Trail website.

Path Type: Paved

5. Scott Woods Park and Hawk Island Park

These two Lansing parks connect to one another and offer unmatched sights in the trees, on the water’s edge and from above! I would most often park at Scott Woods Park, to avoid the vehicle entrance fee year round at Hawk Island Park, and walk the shaded trails through the woods to the other park. You can alternatively park directly at Hawk Island Park in the parking lot on the south side of the lake and start your trek on the 1.5 mile paved lakeside path from there! Both parks offer something special. Scott Woods has its towering trees and many connected trails, and Hawk Island Park features a walking and fishing boardwalk with nearby stairs up a hill that presents a spectacular view above the lake! In the winter, the hill becomes a snow tubing spot. There is also a sandy beach for swimming in the summer, as well as a splash pad and concession stand. Adjacent to Hawk Island Park is a 15-acre off-leash dog park called Soldan Dog Park; an application is necessary to access this space with a keyfob. 

Path Type: Paved with a section of boardwalk

6. Sleepy Hollow State Park

Twenty-three miles northeast of Lansing lies Sleepy Hollow State Park. The park offers 16 miles of hiking and biking trails, 6.5 miles for horseback riding and dog sledding trails, a campground with 181 sites plus cabins and walk-in campsites and 2,600 acres to explore. In the heart of the park, beautiful Lake Ovid offers swimming at the beach, kayaking and even an island with a 1.0 mile loop! This is also a destination for disc golfers to come and tackle the course! I came here once with my very good friend and it was the ideal wooded escape from East Lansing and our studies!

Path Type: Unpaved hiking trail

7. Potter Park Zoo 

Potter Park Zoo makes for an accessible, local outing for any day of the year, as they are open every day except Christmas! April thru October, the entry fee is $8 for resident adults and $15 for non-Ingham county residents. In the off-season, November thru March, all adult admissions are only $5! Potter Park Zoo is an inclusive and inviting experience for all ages. The zoo hosts learning events for an up-close viewing opportunity behind the scenes. The zoo offers a private nursing space for mothers and is the first zoo in Michigan certified as sensory inclusive by KultureCity, providing sensory bags and trained staff to support guests during their visit. In 2020, my brother, my partner and I visited the zoo together and had a leisurely time learning about the animals and meandering through every exhibit!

Path Type: Paved

8. Michigan State University Red Cedar River Trail

Parking may be tough but if you can manage finding a spot just off campus, Michigan State University can be a gorgeous place for an afternoon or sunset stroll. Walk the River Trail through campus starting behind the River Trail neighborhood on the Sanford Natural Area Woodlot Trail. Follow the trail 1.5 miles west to the iconic Sparty Statue. As I traveled back in my days at Michigan State, hopping on a bike to tour campus is always a joy-filled way to get around, especially on the wide River Trail.

Path Type: Paved

9. Fenner Nature Center

These final two recommendations are locations still on my Lansing Bucket List! Fenner Nature Center is a non-profit connecting people to nature through conservation, education and stewardship. The property consists of 134 acres of forests, wetlands, and over 4 miles of trails. Highlights at the Nature Center include the observation decks over the lake, a Pollinator Garden and the Monarch House, which you can visit to learn about the Monarch Butterfly life cycle and their current path to species survival. Fenner Nature Center hosts many events and even festivals for community members to get involved and learn. They have a Nature Preschool and even a Nature Day Camp that welcomes hundreds of families for outdoor learning each summer! Two spring events have just passed, the Maple Syrup Festival and the Earth Day Extravaganza but mark your calendar for the 51st Apple Butter Festival on October 18th and 19th this fall!

Path Type: Paved and unpaved hiking trail 

10. Lincoln Brick Park

If you’re looking for an even more lowkey Lansing spot, Lincoln Brick Park could be the move! Though I haven’t been yet, I imagine this park is not as well-known as the other destinations mentioned above. The park is 90 acres large composed of 3 miles of trails through woodlands and open meadows with over 6,000 feet of scenic river frontage. Lincoln Brick Park is historically named after Lincoln Brick Company, the last of five companies that made bricks on site for more than a century until 1949. What is distinctive about this park and makes it a must-visit for me is the ability to view the remains of the brick factory’s original boiler room, the warehouse where sand was stored, and a kiln that was once capable of producing 40,000 bricks a day. There is also a museum area showcasing the history of Lincoln Brick Park and a large collection of fossils and rocks from all over the country. In the winter, a few paths are made into XC ski trails, which makes this a park for year-round activities!

Path Type: Unpaved hiking trail

Living in a mid-sized city like Lansing, you come to learn the ins and outs after just a bit of regular exploring. I hope this blog helps you get stepping outside in the Lansing area and know where to venture on those gorgeous summer days! Although other opportunities pulled me out of Lansing, I have nothing but love for the food, people and beauty of this diverse city!

Check out the map below for the mentioned locations and their nearby highlights!

Do you have any tips to add for enjoying Lansing outdoors? Drop them below! 

Thanks for reading! Jess