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.

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!

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!

Super fun, quiet, off the beaten path park. The trails were all dirt, but mostly smooth. There are…read more1 or 2 good spots to sit and hangout, but no grills. There is a bathroom. There's a small floating dock that can maybe fit 2-3 fisherman at most. Mostly come for the views and to take in the scenery. The lake is serene and tranquil. Great for photography

Relatively new nature park for Kalamazoo County. This heavily wooded park with a central lake &…read moreperimeter hiking trails is reborn from a former 100 year old Boy Scout Campground Campus. Only a handful of physical elements remain from the scouting days. Park entrance fee is minimal & single day passes are available. No overnight camping allowed. Primary appeal will be hiking, birdwatching & fishing. The trails are pretty well marked and grooming will only get better over time.

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.

Wow what a park, wrapped around the lake. I didn't realize the sheer size of the place.read more

Large park, well used by the locals. We were here on a Sunday, there was a disc golf tournament,…read morepicnics and in general a lot of people using the park. We stopped by to sneak in a little fishing after an appointment. The lake is very shallow around the shoreline, has a ton of lily pads and we couldnt get any interest from the fish. Most people appeared to be " bucket fishing" for bluegills. We will skip it next time we are in town but it is a nice park.

We biked directly from our camp site at Fort Custer State Recreation Area to the Battle Creek…read moreLinear Park (aka trail). The trail largely runs along the Kalamazoo River which provides some nice scenery. The trail passes through the Leila Arboretum. My favorite spot was the Verona Dam, which has a nice deck with picnic tables and a great view of the water. The dam is like a man made waterfall. The trail runs through the campus of the Kellog Community College and through downtown Battle Creek right past the gorgeous old train station. There's a significant monument to the Underground Railroad near downtown. The sights along the trail are all pretty great! The trail itself is unfortunately poorly maintained. It's the roughest trail surface I've ever ridden in several spots. Not being from the area we found the trail poorly marked and we missed a number of turns and had to stop to search for where does the trail go in several areas. Navigation challenges for us included Bedford Rd Bridge, 20th St, and Washington Ave near Washington School. The trail makes several unconventional street crossings in mid-block such as along Capitol Ave near Bailey Park. Capitol is a busy 4 lane road so we chose to cross at the stop light rather than the marked crossing mid-block.

I ride the Battle Creek Linear Park Trail quite regularly. Usually several times a week. There are…read moreseveral different legs of the trail, but my favorite is the stretch along the river from Bailey Park to River Road. The scenery along this stretch is very nice and I usually see a variety of wildlife. My reason for only a 3 star rating is the condition of the trail. Many areas are very bumpy from tree root damage and the amount of glass on the trail is the most I've seen on any linear trail or rail trail. They have a clean up every year where locals volunteer to pick up various trash along the trail and river, but unfortunately, this does not include a thorough sweeping of the glass. If the city would just repair a few of the worst rough areas and run a lawn tractor with a sweeper down the trail just once a month, this trail could be a 5 star trail. It could also use a few more bathroom areas and watering areas along the route. There is a port a potty at Bailey Park and another at the boat launch near Helmer Road. But areas to get a drink or refill a water bottle are scarce. There is a water fountain near Claras downtown, but for some reason the last couple of years, the city has not turned the water back on in the spring, so it's useless. The city is always wanting to add more parks and facilities around the city, but they really need to maintain what they already have now. Kalamazoo River Valey Trail has 90% less glass and less chance of a flat, for cyclists.