The perimeter of the trail system is a 3.8-mile outing that includes parts of all four loops and leads you to every corner of the preserve. You begin with the west half of the Ridge Trail loop, a gentle but steady descent with a constant view of lakes and the bay.  When you bottom out, a short spur leads you to the edge of Lake Maplehurst. You then skirt the wooded shoreline of the lake and merge into the Forest Trail at Mile 0.7, the most interesting segment of the system.

Maplehurst’s camp trails were old two-tracks that are slowly being absorbed by shrubs and saplings today. GTRLC utilized some of them in designing the current system but most of the trails are new, built by volunteers and contractors with a focus on sustainability and fun.

The Forest Trail delivers that whether you’re on foot or a mountain bike. You quickly climb to the crest of a ridge that’s so narrow you can look into the wooded ravines on both sides without turning your head. You then catch a blue glimpse of Torch Lake through the trees just before the trail makes a sharp 180-degree turn.

The next mile, past posts No. 5 and 6, is a roller coaster in the woods. While overall, you’re descending, the trail does so by sidling ridges. You’re dipping, climbing and weaving back and forth until you finally bottom out at one of the many stone benches along the paths at Mile 2.

Within a quarter mile, you pop out at Torch Lake Drive At post No. 7, where on the other side are impressive waterfront cottages. Just 50 yards up the road is the well-posted Stream Trail which re-enters the rolling forest to lead you back to the trailhead.

Stream Trail is well-named. Almost half of Maplehurst is composed of steep hardwood-forested bluffs, and on the east side of the preserve, the ridges are riddled with seeps, springs, and streams that drain into Torch Lake.

You may be less than a quarter mile from Michigan’s largest lake at this point, but the terrain is so rugged and the foliage so thick what you hear isn’t jet skis or pontoon boats.  What fills the forest along this trail is a gurgling brook below and the wind rustling leaves above.

The half-mile outer loop between posts No. 8 and No.9 is another amazingly rugged section. You begin by skirting the edge of a ridge before arriving at the open corridor of a powerline. The best view of Torch Lake is enjoyed by following the powerline 30 yards up the hill. The trail, however swings back into the woods and skirts an extremely steep ravine before swinging south and descending to post No. 9 at Mile 3.2.

In the final half mile, you cross the powerline corridor three times before ending the day with a climb to the trailhead and parking area.