The Woods Trailhead

If you ever get lost or separated, the "map location" link above opens a Google Map set to the location for The Woods, 46.5605314,-87.4099726. Just open the map and select "start" or "directions" to get guided back to The Lodge and The Woods residence halls.

Group Route (about 5 miles)

The group will run a course to the lakefront and back at a pace of about 9:30 min/mile. An NMU staff member will lead the group on this route, which will be just under 5 miles. Departure will be at 7:00 a.m. You will return to The Woods before 8:00 a.m., giving you time to shower and get breakfast before the President's Welcome at 8:45 a.m.

  1. Start at The Woods and run through Academic Quad.
  2. Cross 7th St., pass Beaumier Center and Vielmetti Health Center.
  3. Pass Northern Center and cross Lee Dr.
  4. Pass Cohodas Hall and cross Presque Isle Ave.
  5. East on Fair Ave. to the end.
  6. Cross Lake Shore Blvd. and turn right onto foot/bike path.
  7. At Arch St., just past McCarty’s Cove, turn left toward Marquette Harbor Lighthouse.
  8. Round rocks in front of lighthouse on south side, then cross to north side onto the beach.
  9. Regain foot/bike path and head back north, the way we came.
  10. Where the foot/bike path crosses Lake Shore Blvd., cross and continue on the path northward.
  11. Just after Pine St., turn left and cross fields and parking lots toward Superior Dome.
  12. Circle partway around the Dome until Summit St. on the south-west of the structure.
  13. West on Summit St. until it ends in a parking lot and path up to Tracy Ave.
  14. Right on Tracy Ave.; continue on Tracy until past the NMU Library.
  15. Left on campus sidewalks back toward The Woods

Alternatives 

Alternate routes are provided for those who wish to do a self-guided run to the lakefront going faster and longer, or slower and shorter. Both these options follow the same path as the group run for the first portion of the route for anyone who wishes to start with the group. 

If you self guide, please make sure you have a smartphone with a map function that will give you directions back to The Woods on foot. Here is the map location.

Short Option (under 3 miles)

  1. Start at The Woods and run through Academic Quad.
  2. Cross 7th St., pass Beaumier Center and Vielmetti Health Center.
  3. Pass Northern Center and cross Lee Dr.
  4. Pass Cohodas Hall and cross Presque Isle Ave.
  5. East on Fair Ave. to the end.
  6. Left onto the foot/bike path and continue northward.
  7. Just after Pine St., turn left and cross fields and parking lots toward Superior Dome.
  8. Circle partway around the Dome until Summit St. on the south-west of the structure.
  9. West on Summit St. until it ends in a parking lot and path up to Tracy Ave.
  10. Right on Tracy Ave.; continue on Tracy until past the NMU Library.
  11. Left on campus sidewalks back toward The Woods

Long Option (over 6 miles)

  1. Start at The Woods and run through Academic Quad.
  2. Cross 7th St., pass Beaumier Center and Vielmetti Health Center.
  3. Pass Northern Center and cross Lee Dr.
  4. Pass Cohodas Hall and cross Presque Isle Ave.
  5. East on Fair Ave. to the end.
  6. Cross Lake Shore Blvd. and turn right onto foot/bike path.
  7. Continue all the way to Lower Harbor.
  8. Loop around the Harbor park and reconnect with path, back in the opposite direction you came.
  9. At Arch St., just past Coast Guard, turn right toward Marquette Harbor Lighthouse.
  10. Round rocks in front of lighthouse on south side, then cross to north side onto the beach.
  11. Regain foot/bike path and head back north, the way we came.
  12. Where the foot/bike path crosses Lake Shore Blvd., cross and continue on the path northward.
  13. Continue to the Wright St. traffic Circle and turn around.
  14. Just before Pine St., turn right and cross fields and parking lots toward Superior Dome.
  15. Circle partway around the Dome until Summit St. on the south-west of the structure.
  16. West on Summit St. until it ends in a parking lot and path up to Tracy Ave.
  17. Right on Tracy Ave.; continue on Tracy until past the NMU Library.
  18. Left on campus sidewalks back toward The Woods