Alligator Hill Trail Hiking Guide
Alligator Hill is the shaded alternative to the dunes: nine miles of wide trails on a wooded glacial ridge above Big Glen Lake. The Easy Loop from Stocking Road climbs gently on an old road bed to Islands Lookout, a bench with a view across to the Manitou Islands. The Park Service calls it an often overlooked gem.
Permit: Lakeshore park pass required for trail use; current rates are $25 for a 7-day vehicle pass, $15 for an individual on foot or bike, and $45 for an annual pass
Picking a Loop
Three interconnected loops start from the Stocking Road trailhead. The Easy Loop is 3 miles, or 4.6 with the spur to Big Glen Lookout; mapping apps record it at about 2.7 miles with roughly 360 feet of gain. The intermediate loop is listed at 5 miles in one Park Service table and 4.7 in another, and the advanced loop at 4.6 miles; adding the Big Glen spur to either adds about 1.6 miles. Combined routes cover the whole hill.
Islands Lookout and Big Glen
From the trailhead it is about 1.5 miles of gentle uphill through maple-beech forest to Islands Lookout at the top of the hill. The Park Service says a clear day shows North and South Manitou islands and Sleeping Bear Point, often South Fox Island, and sometimes a freighter in the Manitou Passage. Continue on the spur along the ridge to Big Glen Lookout for a view over miles of treetops to Big Glen Lake.
History Underfoot
The concrete cells beside the parking lot are charcoal kilns from the area's logging era. The trail system sits on what was once Day Forest Estates, a planned real estate development with a golf club; the club closed in 1942, and the old roads and fairways now form the backbone of the trails. The hill is named for a ridge at its southeast corner shaped like an alligator's snout, best seen from the top of the Dune Climb.
Sharing the Trail
Alligator Hill is the only trail system in the lakeshore where horseback riding is allowed, so expect to step aside for riders and watch your footing. Mountain bikes are not permitted. Leashed dogs are welcome from April through November, but the hill becomes a designated cross-country ski area from December 1 to March 31, and pets are banned then. Hunting is permitted in the park in season; wear bright colours in late fall.
Finding the Trailhead
The Stocking Road trailhead is east of D. H. Day Campground, off Stocking Road near Day Farm Road, a short drive from Glen Haven and Glen Arbor. It has parking and a vault toilet. The Park Service also lists a second trailhead off Forest Haven Drive. The forest gives welcome shade on hot days, but the Park Service advises avoiding wooded trails on very windy days because of falling trees.
Hiking tips for Alligator Hill Trail
- Start with the Easy Loop to Islands Lookout, then decide whether to add the Big Glen spur.
- Give horses the right of way; this is the park's only equestrian trail.
- Leave dogs home from December 1 to March 31, when the loops are ski trails.
- Skip this forested hike on very windy days, when trees can come down.
- Look for the charcoal kilns beside the lot before you set off.
Nearby trails to explore
- Sleeping Bear Point Trail
- Sleeping Bear Dune Climb
- Pyramid Point Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Alligator Hill trades sand for shade and still delivers a big view of the Manitou Islands. Use TrailMates to find Traverse City hikers heading to Alligator Hill. Download the TrailMates app to connect.