Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Traverse City
A bayfront city at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, with a walkable Front Street downtown, bay beaches, cherry orchards and two wine peninsulas close by.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Beach · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Clinch Park
Traverse City's downtown beach on West Grand Traverse Bay, with a splash pad, playground, city marina and the TART trail running through.
Clinch Park is the beach you can walk to from Front Street, and the easy pick for a family afternoon in downtown Traverse City: sand, a splash pad and a playground in one small city park on West Grand Traverse Bay.
Come on foot or by bike. The TART trail runs right through the 10.17-acre park, which sits along a stretch of more than two miles of public bayfront land.
Once you are there, you have a large sandy beach, the splash pad and playground, concessions, picnic tables and restrooms. To get out on the water, look for the paddleboard and kayak rentals that operate nearby.
Boaters use the Duncan L. Clinch Marina next door, the city’s municipal harbor, with transient and seasonal slips and a launch ramp. It was built in 1960 and 1961 as the Duncan L. Clinch Yacht Harbor, and the city still owns and runs it.
Practical information
- Managed by
- City of Traverse City
- Best months
- June to August
- Accessibility
- The city lists the park as handicap accessible. Confirm specific features, such as beach access, before you go.
- Official website
- traversecitymi.gov
Location
Map of Clinch Park
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Nearby towns
Also nearby
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
Trail
TART Trails
Traverse City's trail network, built around the 10.5-mile paved TART along the bay and linked to the Leelanau Trail, Boardman Lake Loop and VASA Pathway.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Beach
West End Beach
A city beach on West Grand Traverse Bay with sand at the water's edge, a big grassy area, volleyball, grills and picnic tables, right on the TART trail.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Trail
Leelanau Trail
A paved, flat, 17-mile trail between Traverse City and Suttons Bay through farms and woods, groomed in part for skiing and fat biking in winter.
About 1 miles away (straight line)