Alligator Hill Easy Loop

Alligator Hill Easy Loop is a 3-mile circuit from Stocking Road through beech-maple woods to Islands Lookout and back by a different branch. It is a good pick for a half-day when you want a real uphill walk and a view, without committing to the longer routes across Alligator Hill. Allow about 1½ to 2 hours with time at the lookout. Follow the numbered Easy Loop signs at junctions; the same trail system branches onto separate intermediate and advanced loops.

The first quarter-mile is relatively flat and firm, then the grade steepens and rolls over the ridge. The broad path follows an old roadbed through forest, with some open patches along the way. The climb to Islands Lookout is about 1.5 miles from the Stocking Road access. A bench at the top gives you time to catch your breath and look across Lake Michigan toward the Manitou Islands and Sleeping Bear Point. On a clear day you may also pick out South Fox Island or a freighter in Manitou Passage.

The Big Glen Lookout spur is an optional extension from the ridge. Taking it changes the outing to 4.6 miles total and adds a second lake view, this time over Big Glen Lake. It is a relatively flat, hard-packed stretch. Skip it if you are aiming for the shorter loop or the Lake Michigan view is enough.

Alligator Hill got its name from a ridge and bluff that resemble an alligator's snout when seen from the Dune Climb. The ridge was shaped by glaciers and by an older, higher Lake Michigan, which carved terraces and notches into its sides. From the lookout, frame the bay with the tree-covered slope in the foreground; it shows how far the land drops toward the water.

The concrete cells beside the parking area are charcoal kilns from the logging era. Slab wood was burned in the sealed bunkers with little oxygen to make charcoal for sale. The trail system also uses old roads and fairways from D. H. Day's proposed forest estate and golf club; the club closed in 1942, but traces of its landscape remain. A 2015 windstorm opened parts of the canopy, leaving patches of younger growth alongside older woods.

Park at the Alligator Hill Stocking Drive Trailhead off Stocking Road. The lot is gravel, with a vault toilet nearby; there is no drinking water or food on the route, so bring what you need. Horses also use these trails. Pets must be on a six-foot leash, and they are prohibited here from December 1 through March 31, when Alligator Hill is designated for cross-country skiing. Ticks are common across the Lakeshore, so check yourself after the walk.