Old Indian Trail

Overview

If you’re craving a calmer slice of Sleeping Bear, Old Indian is the move. This designated-wilderness trail offers two signed forest loops with an optional spur to a quiet Lake Michigan beach—more birds and wind-in-the-trees than chatter from other hikers. Expect natural tread, soft sand near the lake, and the kind of solitude that makes you slow down.

Route Options

You’ve got choices: two separate loops—Green Arrow (easier) and Black Arrow (a notch more strenuous)—plus a short beach spur. Each loop is roughly 2.3–2.5 miles; hike one for a quick outing or link both for about 4.6–5 miles. Add the Lake Michigan spur (about 0.2 miles each way) for dune grass, foredune scenery, and a remote-feeling shoreline. Green Arrow is flat to gently rolling. Black Arrow introduces steeper hills and sharper curves but still stays solidly in the easy-to-moderate zone.

Scenery and What to Look For

You’re walking ancient, forested beach dunes—post‑glacial landforms now stabilized under maple, oak, birch, hemlock, and pine. In spring and summer, keep an eye out for wildflowers and fungi in the shade; along the spur, look for dune shrubs and grasses before the lake opens up in front of you. It’s a good spot for casual birding, and the beach often feels far quieter than the busier parts of the park.

Best Time to Go

• Spring and summer: lush, green, and great for birdwatching—bring bug spray; mosquitoes can be intense in warm, swampy stretches.
• Fall: prime foliage with cooler temps and even fewer people.
• Winter: a favorite for Nordic skiers thanks to gentle grades (especially the Green Arrow loop).

Early morning or late afternoon nets soft light in the forest and nicer temps on the dunes. Crowds are typically light here regardless of hour.

Know Before You Go

Trailhead parking is a gravel lot off M‑22 (address below) with a vault toilet and no water—pack what you need. Cell service can be spotty; download maps. This is designated wilderness: stay on trail and keep the beach wild. Pets are allowed on the trail April 1–November 30, but never on the beach; no pets on the trail December 1–March 31. A park entrance fee applies, and bikes aren’t allowed on the trail.

Who Will Love It

• Families and newer hikers taking the Green Arrow loop to stretch the legs and reach the beach.
• Walkers who prefer forest shade to open sand climbs.
• Anyone seeking a quieter alternative to the park’s marquee dune hikes.

Length recap: plan ~2.3–2.5 miles for one loop (plus 0.4 miles round-trip if you add the beach spur), or ~4.6–5 miles for both loops.