Numbered posts are laid out in a counter-clockwise direction on the Chippewa Trail. The first half of the loop follows an old two-track that in the 1800s was Stage Coach Road, the main route between Alpena and Harrisville. The park can be a wet area in the spring or after heavy rains but a series of boardwalks keep you out of the deepest water.

At Mile 1 you arrive at the posted spur to Blue Bell Campsite. Surrounded by pines, the campsite overlooks Lake Huron and is marked along the shoreline as well for kayakers needing a place to pull out and spend the night. In another half mile you reach post No. 2, marking the Algonquin crossover spur to the west and the side trail to Twin Pines Campsite to the east. The hike remains level and easy and quickly you reach the spur to the Pewabic Campsite.

Post No. 3 is at Mile 2, on the edge of a large meadow, marking the side trail to South Point. The open field is where stage coach passengers once took a well deserved break from their jarring journey. Today it's where hikers depart the main loop for the most spectacular views in the park.

The rocky tip of the small peninsula is reached in a half mile and provides a spectacular view of Lake Huron. To the north are Bird Island and Scarecrow Island, a protected nesting area that is part of the Michigan Islands Wilderness Area, while across Thunder Bay you spot the water towers of Alpena. To the south is Negwegon's jagged shoreline. On the way to the rocky tip you pass South Point Campsite, a 2.2-mile hike from the trailhead. This is the most scenic spot by far to pitch a tent as it’s located a low bluff overlooking the waters of Thunder Bay and the two islands just offshore.

To complete the loop return to post No. 3. The Chippewa Trail swings to the west and provides an occasional glimpse of Thunder Bay while crossing a series of high arching bridges over streams and wetlands. Post No. 5 is reached at Mile 4.2 and here the trail swings south and winds through the interior of the park on its return to the trailhead. This stretch, particularly between posts No. 5 and No. 6 is only lightly posted at best and can be wet at times.

Post No. 6, reached at Mile 5.6, marks the junction with the Algonquin Trail that heads to the east (left). Chippewa trail continues south (right). Eventually the trail swings east emerges at the trailhead parking area at Mile 7.