Roscommon: Nature, Trails and Culture

Roscommon and its immediate surroundings offer concrete ways to plan a stay focused on outdoor activities, nature and culture. When looking for a hotel, you can shape your trip around the interests you want to include: trails and protected areas, exhibitions, model trains or an activity on the water. The offerings below vary in type and scope, and can help you plan your trip around these themes.

Activities on the Pump Track and Trails

The Roscommon Area Community Park and Pump Track is located in the Village of Roscommon. Its paved pump track covers 21,000 square feet and is designed for bicycles, scooters, skateboards and wheelchairs. At the park, an on-site Bike Library lends bicycles and helmets to park visitors. The facility and lending service are part of the same park destination, but serve different purposes: a designated riding area sits alongside a service for borrowing bicycles and helmets.

The Tisdale Pathway runs along the northern edge of the Village of Roscommon and is eight miles long. The Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve has 2.5 miles of maintained trails. The two trail offerings differ both in location and length. The Preserve is a public wildlife sanctuary on the former estate of Marguerite Gahagan. Its main trail is wheelchair-accessible and passes an information kiosk on the way to Marguerite’s cabin, a picnic area and an outdoor toilet. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are planned there for winter.

Natural Areas and the Seasons

An agreement made in 2013 with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (mDNR) provided for maintaining and grooming the trails in the Tisdale Triangle for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. Nearby, South Higgins Lake State Park offers one mile of shoreline on Higgins Lake and 5.5 miles of wooded trails around Marl Lake. Here, the lakeshore and woodland trails offer two distinct nature experiences, providing a different focus from the trails and facilities at Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve.

Culture and Activities on the Water

The AuSable River Center is housed in a historic building built in 1936 that served as the administrative offices of the Michigan Department of Conservation for almost 40 years. The Center presents heritage and artifacts, as well as exhibits about the wildlife and environment of the Great AuSable River. It also displays 32 original oil paintings by George W. Kestenholtz. The Center appeals to people interested in the history of the building, the river environment and painting.

The Roscommon Historic Model Train Club displays model trains in N, HO, S, O and G gauges. Its garden railway has a 1.5-inch gauge and offers rides for children on summer Saturdays. Since rides are limited to summer Saturdays, confirm the specific dates locally before making firm plans.

Campbell's Canoe Livery in Roscommon rents canoes, kayaks and inner tubes for use on the South Branch of the AuSable River. This identifies both the rental options and the river intended for an outing on the water.

Discover more destinations: Roscommon Township

For the broader travel overview: Roscommon County.