Mayfield Road Loop

From the Mayfield Road Trailhead follow the dirt road west for a 0.2 mile to the wooden fence that marks where the trail crosses dirt road. Head north (right) as the trail, marked by yellow triangles, quickly reaches the lively East Creek and then skirts it briefly in a very scenic section of the reserve. The trail peels away from East Creek and at Mile 0.7 arrives where another fence marking Mayfield Road.

On the south side of the road a level trail enters the woods but within 0.2 mile makes a long climb up a ridge topping out at the open corridor of a gas line. Keep an eye out for the yellow triangle that marks where the trail re-enters woods on the other side of the corridor.   At Mile 1 you arrive at a junction. To the east (left) the trail appears like an old-two-track that descends back down the ridge. Continue straight at the junction to head south along another old two-track to follow the perimeter of the loop.

This segment swings east to descend the ridge and then at Mile 1.6 swings north to arrive at a junction. Continue north (right) here and the next junction to arrive back at Mayfield Road at Mile 2 just across from where you departed it earlier in the hike. The trailhead is less than a quarter mile to east (right).

Wadsworth Road Loop

To reach this loop from the Mayfield Road trailhead follow the trail north as it steeply climbs almost 120 feet up the ridge. It’s 0.3-mile knee bender but it’s amazing to be able to look down at East Creek and realize how rugged this corner of Grand Traverse County can be.

If you begin at the Wadsworth Road trailhead this entire hike is level and considerably easier. The trail leads you across an open meadow and then enters the woods to reach a marked junction. Following the loop in a clockwise direction, you head left on the old two-track that crosses the service road to a gas well. Just beyond it the trail departs the two-track and heads west into the woods as a single-track that winds pass the gas well.

At Mile 0.5 you arrive at the junction with the spur from the Mayfield Road trailhead. Another trail heads due north here but to remain on the perimeter of the loop follow the trail that   hugs the edge of the ridge to the northwest. You can peer down into the East Creek ravine for the next quarter mile until the trail swings away from the edge and arrives at a junction at Mile 0.8. Here the Boardman River Trail heads northwest (left), reaching Brown Bridge Road in less than a mile. Head east (right) and at Mile 1.3, you return to the first junction of the day. The trailhead is less than a quarter mile back across the open meadow to the left.