We've been swimming here for years, so I was surprised to see I hadn't written a review yet!…read more This park has a sandy (with some gravel) beach, accessed via a hilly sidewalk from the handicap parking next to the newish picnic pavilion. Note: to get to the handicap parking, you don't park up top (and walk down those stairs, obviously!), but drive down a clearly marked accessible road down to the four handicap spaces nearer to the beach. You will still have to walk/wheel from those spots to the water. The water starts out really shallow (good for playing, if you have littles), and then goes deep pretty quickly. There is often a bunch of seaweed near to the shore, and, depending on the weather, the water can be murky. Persevere! STILL! It is a swimmable lake, and feels really good to get in the water, so close to home. There's a small playground area, a grassy area next to the sidewalks, and then, along the lakeshore, plenty of space for fishing.

An oasis in the middle of the city, it's easy to blink-and-you-miss-it this gem across from Oakwood…read morePlaza near the intersection of Oakland Drive and Parkview. This small park offers an elevated path and raised overlook and a small beach. If you work nearby, this is a great place to escape on your lunch break with a picnic and a good book. I once spotted a snowy owl in a tree adjacent to the park. Definitely a life highlight! Not the best swimming hole in the area (definitely visit Portage's Ramona Park for a bigger, better beach), but still worth the trip.

This is an easily walkable/bikeable sometimes-shaded, bucolic trail created as a "rail trail" on a…read moreformer railroad bed from the 1870's. It is all asphalt, flat, & winds alongside bodies of water, sometimes busy main roads and with lots of wildflowers growing alongside (also flies...so, bring bug spray). It is 33.5 miles long, has a campground, Kal Haven Outpost, on the South Haven end of it, as well as a water fountain, bike tools & rest rooms. There are covered bridges & overpasses to go under and through, nice views alongside & benches to rest on. We started on the trail midday and, interestingly enough, barricades, closing down the trail, were put up sometime during our walk. We are lucky that we got in our walk before this happened.

I live around the corner and walk the trail daily. I take various directions but my favorite is the…read moretrailhead at 10th to F. The scenery is beautiful in every direction. I've had deer & coyote's jump in front of me on the trail. Maybe one day I'll walk from Kalamazoo to South Haven!

My family absolutely loves the KNC. When the weather is glum, there are lots of things to do for…read morekids inside. When it's nice outside, there are tons of trails and lots of exploring to be done. We typically start inside, and then we hit the trails. Lots of birds to see and streams to play in. The imagination runs free at Kalamazoo Nature Center! With annual passes available (around $80 for a family), the investment in the community is well worth it!

Lovely place, first time my wife and I had been there. We walked several trails and toured the…read morevisitors center. The trails were well made and matained. We will be back. We were impressed in the COVID precautions. Temperature checks and contacting info.

Been wanting to visit Al Sabo for awhile now and so glad that I did. Such a beautiful place with…read morenice paths for walking, running or biking. The wooded area with the tall pines have been planted in rows - so cool! Loved seeing people enjoying the woods in their hammocks. Parking lot is small and congested.

What a place to unwind and relax amongst the uninterrupted landscape. Walking through the woods and…read moretaking in thr sights and sounds of nature's creatures and thrblight breeze makes for an hour or two of serenity that is important to recharge with. Go to clear your head, get a little exercise, or both! There are literally miles of trails where you can take in all nature has to offer. I can't imagine how you could be in a bad mood as you're out exploring this little gem.

Great park. The ranger met us and a parking pass ($5). The…read moresite was perfect for the reunion outing with play structure and a volley ball court. Bathrooms close and super cleaned for a park. Very well stocked. Parking was easy.

You can't make reservations on the Weekends, only one tent per site is absolutely ridiculous for…read more$40 a night, also the overflow lot is for "family" only for some reason, you can even stay with your friends, this place doesn't want your money and just like stingy rules, I guess they just hate peoples staying here, would 10000% recommend any other campsites than this dog crap place.

This place was busy as can be today but nice wide paths and folks paying attention to the "on your…read morelefts" from behind allowed for easy social distancing while enjoying the beautiful day. We've taken our dogs hiking here before many times but today was our first time cycling here, and it really is a great place to bike with some somewhat challenging rolling hills. The path goes all the way to the park on the back side of West Lake, so if you've got a mountain bike you could add that loop to the journey. Quarantine has been really rough on me but the sunny days are a joy as we plug away at training for a Beth-athlon I'm planning to do at the end of the summer (I can't run anymore, so I'm making up my own -athlon of multiple activities ranging from paddleboarding to rollerblading. It was great getting some cycling miles under my belt today and getting that heart beat racing.

Nice place for a nature walk! The path is paved and surrounded by nature, including wildlife…read more Parking is very difficult to find; doesn't show up on map. I ended up parking at a local business and walking in.

The unique and fragile ecosystem located in this park is even more amazing when you consider it's…read moreat the heart of the city of Portage. Some of the first stops along the sanctuary's trail are viewing platforms overlooking a marshy area, which, though enjoyable, still require you to press on to reach the five-star attraction -- a wetland bog featuring carnivorous pitcher plants, sphagnum moss, and tamarack trees. You will have to walk awhile on paths through the woods before you reach the actual bog, which must be traversed on a floating boardwalk. Choose to wear shoes that will keep your feet dry. (At certain times of the year the boardwalk may even be flooded and inaccessible.) Mosquito spray and drinking water are also must-haves. Autumn is a particularly beautiful time to visit; the colors are spectacular. The trek ends with a glorious view of West Lake. You can sit on benches on the viewing platform before the trip back to the parking lot. Your wetland adventure will take 45 minutes or more depending on your pace and frequency of stops. Also, beware of poison sumac growing along the trail through the bog; the risk of getting a rash is a great deterrent to picking any pretty plants along the way.

Yet another Portage Park that has elevated walkways over the bogs. Be aware both that when you walk…read moreover these rubber walkways, water will squirt up through the holes so you're likely to get damp (not a huge deal on a hot summer day, but pretty intense when you're going on a run in the late fall or early spring). Also, despite being a fairly neutral looking gray, these elevated walkways get incredibly hot. I noticed my chihuahua was lifting his paws so I reached down and touch the surface and it was scalding, so we carried the dogs for those stretches of the paths. We saw lots of butterflies, birds and a gorgeous turtle on our recent visit. Our cousin had a hard time finding the geocaches that were supposed to be on our route, though. There's a beautiful West Lake view at the end of one of the elevated platforms and lots of yummy wild blackberries to forage if you happen to be at the park in early July. We're always on the hunt for great spots to take our dogs for a nice afternoon hike, and this will be becoming one of our go-to spots.

I stopped here for a bit to destress in the green. This is a very pretty park that has been set…read moreaside though it isn't completely isolated from the noises of the buses and trucks that pass by. Still, pretty, green, refreshing. Great walking and jogging and biking trails, picnic benches, covered areas, grills, fishing areas, permanent structures with restrooms. This park has everything. Over 200 acress and connected by a 3.5 mile trail. [Review 11230 overall, 1006 of 2019.]

Nothing beats a nice stroll in the park. No matter the season! The beautiful green now has a slap…read moreshot of other colors bringing the fall features to life! But as lovers of spring and summer. Green was our calling card for sure. Very beautiful park!