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.

I have watched this trail around 60 times in the past few months, and have no intention of…read morestopping. It's a small walk, but such a gem to discover. If you enjoy animals, especially birds, you see and hear more than in any other park.

Really well kept up trails! I saw a lot of wildlife. There is not parking near the entrance of the…read morepreserve, but I parked in Oakwood Plaza and walked over, it was under a half mile. There were benches sporadically for resting or birdwatching. If you stick to the main trail (it's a loop), it's just over a mile.

The Kellogg Research Forest is an interesting & m as maintained forestry research facility. Like…read morethe USFS, it's a bit too rah rah forestry industry focused but is genuinely educational about the tree species on display in various stands ... there is a surprising number of species showing what goes into commercializing a selected species or figuring out which species will thrive under which environmental conditions...

Hidden nature trail, you never believe this is only 20 min away from Kalamazoo, hiking, house…read moreridding, pretty in summer, great place to ski in winter, part of Kellogg Biological Station, open to public. It is a part of the National Park's North Country National Scenic Trail form NY to North Dakota under construction, longest continuous hiking trail in US! http://www.nps.gov/noco/index.htm After the rainy day all the forest trees smells REFRESHING! Jan/ 2014 About a beautiful swamp board walk: a secret garden Just before the covered bridge and trail entrance gate form the parking lot, go walk left-north, there are rest room, maple syrup log house, picnic area beside the trout creek, keep walking for about 5min. The end of the road with a driving loop, you will see the bridge to cross the creek. Cross the creek walk bridge and you will find the most beautiful little area of this forest, board walk through the swamp with water plants. Best time is in Spring green time. Stay walk along with the creek side trail ( stay with left trails) and cross the high voltage power line. You will see the maple syrup gathering place, start crumbing along with north side syrup correcting tubes you will go back to the north end of main trail. It is about 15min walk. If you like to stay in loop trail, go straight up to the bit steep trail form the main road crossing ( there are two trails go up hill, go right-south hill trail). about 50min you be back to the east side of the covered bridge to the parking lot. This is a great walk including 20 min climbing - cardio, and 15min relaxing gentle down hill, feels like taking exercise class. Have a little great time in nature! Map is available at the ranger station beside the parking lot!

This very large park includes three miles of walking trails that loop so you can get a different…read morebunch of scenery coming and going. Some of the trails go parallel to the Kettle Lakes. The website indicates that they're great for walking in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter. The first part of the red trail I walked was unimproved. Definitely not handicapped accessible but that's the charm. It's quiet and it's peaceful and it's a great opportunity to get some nature. The entrance on Helmer Road has a parking lot. [Review 11148 overall, 922 of 2019.]

This is a perfect place for a quiet walk in nature. Somehow manages to be peaceful and tranquil…read moreright in the city, just a few minutes from home. The only problem is that parts of the trails are frequently flooded, so you either have to detour or look for the little collateral trails that go around and bypass flooded/muddy areas. I like that with the different loops of trails connecting you can either get in a quick walk, like under a mile, or wander around the trails a little more and get several miles in. I usually either jog or walk here, I've seen bike tracks in the mud but I haven't been able to find info on whether biking there is actually permitted and I haven't tried it yet. One of my favorite places to walk around here!

Probably my favorite and most unique trail in the area. First major tip is to wear shoes that can…read moreget WET because theres a 95% chance they will on the boardwalk, no matter how careful and lightly stepping you are. When we say "bog", it's for real. Theres a long boardwalk literally through the bog/swamp. After the boardwalk theres a more typical forested nature trail area. Also there is West Lake Nature Preserve across the street, so you can make a day of it really. Lots of photography opportunities here. I think it's a beautiful place. I've never seen more than maybe 4 other people on the trail. But seriously wear water shoes, athletic sandals, rain boots, or some kind of waterproof shoes. I wouldn't run here only due to the possible slippery nature of the bog area. I don't consider this a deterrent from visiting though, just plan ahead!

It's a beautiful spot for a hike, but they mean it when they say 'bog'…read more Raised rubber boardwalks do their best to keep park guests above the water but you should definitely plan on getting very wet. My first run here was when I was marathon training in a visciously cold winter. Ice below us crackled as we started across the boardwalk and water guysered up and completely soaked us. There's no experience quite like this ... Especially amid an 8 mile run when you're many miles from the car and any hope of changing. Brr. My nethers are shivering just thinking about it. It would be nice to see them use some of the huge influx of bikeway funding that will connect bishop's big and Schrier Park with Elaison Nature Preserve to raise the boardwalks a bit higher above the water.

Of all the parks I experienced during the last weeks in Kalamazoo, Milham Park was my favorite. At…read more49 acres, it is one of the larger parks and it is bisected by Portage Creek. This means that there are three bridges over the creek and they're beyond lovely. Picnic tables and a pavilion (though it needs some sweeping) that has electricity and water fountains and a playground nearby. There are other playgrounds in the park, connected by walking trails. The bridge nearest the entry and parking lot on East Kilgore was my favorite. A paved path from the parking lot, through the pavilion and over the bridge means that this beauty is also available for folks who are mobility challenged. There is a second entrance at Milham Park Road with another bridge and from there, a view of the neighboring golf course. Love, love, love Milham Park. Well done, Kalamazoo. [Review 11245 overall, 1021 of 2019.]

What? No reviews? Are you KIDDING me? This was my go-to park in the Kalamazoo area for the longest…read moretime and I've been coming here for at least 20 years. I used to love climbing the big pines along the water's edge, all the way to the top, back when I was a young adventure-lover. I'm an old adventure-lover now and I weigh more, so it's been a long time since I've done that. There's plenty of space to walk around here along lots of little streams, there's a small but pretty dam, lots of picnic spots. Milham Park is about equidistant from my house and my husband's work so we meet up there for lunch pretty regularly and watch kids feed the birds. Please be aware of what is and isn't safe for birds to eat and do not bring them bread! There's lots of covered picnic areas and BBQ stations, so it would be a great spot for a work or family get-together, a nice playground area for kids. On my last visit a hula hooper was doing all sorts of awesome tricks and we had the best time watching her. It's kind of the bee's knees, actually.

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.

Went to hike with friends after school. We got scavenger hunt maps which was neat for the kids to…read moresearch for to cross off. We were able to see several birds and learn about them. Birds journeys that led them to be at the sanctuary. Usually you get to feed them but not today since they had a flu going around. Nice paved paths to walk on for strollers and wagons. Bathroom area to use if you need to go. Swans are so much bigger in up close viewing.

This is a wonderful place to see so many birds. It is usually not as crowded as some of the larger…read morezoos in the area. Which adds to the enjoyment in my opinion. The whole sanctuary is a great place for singles, couples, families and anyone who enjoys wildlife. Young kids get a thrill out of seeing the birds. And in non COVID times can feed them too. Adding to children's enjoyment. There are some birds in captivity (usually rehabbed animals) which are common in Michigan. Then the lake and ponds are great places to see waterfowl in their natural habitat. This is a treasure in Kalamazoo county. And a place not to be missed.