Nature Study Trails Logo . Outdoor Classroom

Harbor Country, Michigan

 

NATURE STUDY TRAIL NEWS:

November 13, 2021
The WTCP (Weesaw Twp Community Park) northern trail has newly constructed bridges over the outlets of the old orchard dams. The cleared trail begins behind the Friends of New Troy Community Center. It is not cleared from the marsh to Weechik Rd, so it's a "there and back" trail for now. I would rate the trail moderate to difficult as it is not broken in yet and has some ups and downs along the way. DO use it with caution! Tirrell's Trail is open for use with a strikingly beautiful view of the marsh. If you are interested in helping with the construction or maintenance of any of these trails, you can contact me at trailmaster@nbas.org!

October 27, 2021
The MFP/YFP trails have Blazes now! Make some time to see this years Fall Colors at these magnificent combined preserves.

September 29, 2021
A new hiking trail has been added. Tower Hill Woods trails are walk-in accessable from Tower Hill Road, however the northern part of the property is reserved for guests of the Tower Hill Camp & Retreat Center. Blazes are planned.

August 16, 2021
Two new trails were extended last week. Blazes will be added soon.
FWP White Oak Loop is finished for summer hikes and the MFP/YFP trail system is now complete.

August 1, 2021
These maps were added to help you get out and enjoy nature. I have made every reasonable effort to insure accuracy in this information. Keep in mind that trails change due to human intervention or acts of nature and it is the sole responsibility of every trail user to know their surroundings and to plan their hikes with pertinent information.


ABOUT THE (NBAS NATURE STUDY) TRAILS:

The NBAS Nature Study Trails (NST) has over 4 miles of trails and nearly 60 acres of forested dune and wetland habitats. Depending on the trails you visit, you will discover a large assortment of native flora and fauna living in harmony with ancient beaches, large ravines, streams, a planted prairie, marshes, hardwood forests and seasonally wet flatwoods filled with inundated shrub swamps, pits and mounds, vernal pools and rivulets. The trails are maintained by students & staff, volunteers, and the many trail structures have been added by scouts and neighborhood volunteers. The trails are populated with painted rocks for summer fun and groomed for cross country skiing when we have enough snow. These trails complement Chikaming Open Land's “Turtle Creek Preserve” and the City of New Buffalo’s “Turtle Pond Nature Preserve.”

NST-01_TCP_Nature Study Trails (west) & Turtle Creek Preserve

NST-02_Nature Study Trails (east)

NST-W_Nature Study Trails Winter Trails

Remember that wetland habitats are fragile and easily damaged by human activity. It is best to visit them in small groups, and to avoid wading through areas of soft muck soils and shallows where sensitive plants and hatching amphibians may occur. Boardwalks and bridges are being added by volunteers to improve access, and to reduce human impact.

TRAIL LOCATION:

NB Elementary School
12291 Lubke Rd
New Buffalo, MI 49117
Lat/Lon: 41.782233,-86.757151

Get Driving Directions
Direct any questions to Pat Fisher ▪ Anyday Hiker
trailmaster@nbas.org



THE NATURE TRAILS OF HARBOR COUNTRY (and MORE):

Harbor Country sits in an ecologically rich and gloabally significant ecosystem. Within a 25 mile radius you can hike lakefronts, open dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests. Any combination of these environments are often found on the same hike. This collection of maps will guide you through some of the most amazing places. Click on the trail name to view map. Enjoy!

Trail ID_Trail Name / Trail Address, (Coordinates in DD)
     Acres / Miles of Trails / Trail Difficulty / Trail Facilities / Natural Areas.

CHB_Cherry Beach / S Cherry Beach Rd, Harbert, MI 49115, (41.869466, -86.648629)
     1.9ac / [potential 0.2mi nature trail] / Parking Restrictions / Barrier Free Overlook / Stairway / Seasonal Toilets / Lakefront Beach / Forested Dune / Ravine / Stream

CTMP_Chris Thompson Memorial Preserve (COL) / Warren Woods Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.840201, -86.637334)
     49.1ac / 1.1mi / Moderate / Marked Trails / Hardwood Forest / Galien River / Floodplain Forest / Ravines / Prairie Enhancement Project / Savanna Project

CTPP_CT Park & Preserve / Warren Woods Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.838994, -86.650091)
     263.2ac / 4.2mi / Moderate / Marked Trails / Facilities / Hardwood Forest / Galien River / Floodplain Forest / Reforestation Projects / Emergent Wetlands / Ravines / Embankment Pond / Prairies

CTPP-MTB_CT Park & Preserve / Warren Woods Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.838994, -86.650091)
     263.2ac / 7.0mi+ MTB / Easy, Moderate, Difficult / Marked Trails / Facilities

FWP_Flynn Woods Preserve (COL) / 8016 East Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.849374, -86.646918)
     34.8ac / [0.6mi + 0.2mi planned trails and wetland structures] / Facilities / Hardwood Forest / Perched Wetlands / Seasonal Stream

GBM_Grand Beach Marsh Preserve (COL) / 51275 Grand Beach Rd, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.776769, -86.778842)
     11ac / 0.4mi / Easy / Marked Trails / Hardwood Forest / Coastal Plain Marsh / Savanna

GLA_Glassman Park Walking Trail / 16680 Glassman Rd, Union Pier, MI 49129, (41.820500, -86.684976)
     47ac / 0.2mi / Easy / Toilet / Kayak Launch / Galien River / South Branch Galien River / Hardwood Forest / Floodplain Forest

GRCP_Galien River (BCP) / 17424 Red Arrow Hwy, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.804777, -86.718377) / Closed in Winter
     301ac / 1.5mi / Easy, Moderate / Marked Trails / Barrier Free Platforms & Paths/ Seasonal Toilets / Galien River / Great Lakes Marsh / Upland Forest / Ravine

HNT_Hoadley Nature Trail / 505 W Locust, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.796960, -86.618930)
     29.6ac / 1.1mi / Moderate / Marked Trails / Facilities / Stormwater Basin Wetland / Flatwood Forest / Vernal Pools

HRP_Harbert Road Preserve / Harbert Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.870636, -86.598686)
     88ac / 2.0mi / Moderate / Marked Trails / Hardwood Forest / Vernal Pools / Mesic Prairie / Emergent and Submergent Wetlands

JJP_PDS_Jens Jensen (COL) & Pepperidge Dunes (MNA) / 6851 Parkway Dr, Sawyer, MI 49125, (41.880663, -86.616525)
     34.8ac & 20ac / 1.1mi / Moderate / Marked Trails / Flat

LWP_Leonard Woods Preserve (COL) / Lakeside Rd, Union Pier, MI 49129, (41.832532, -86.668521)
     108.7ac / 1.1mi / Moderate / Marked Trails / Hardwood Forest / Vernal Pools / Ravines / Streams / Emergent Wetland / Agricultural Field / Prairie Project

MFP_YFP_Merritt & Younger Family Preserves (COL) / Mydra Rd, Union Pier, MI 49129, (41.833255, -86.658388)
     35ac & 25.1ac / 1.2mi / Moderate / Marked Trails / Hardwood Forest / Perched Wetlands / Savanna / Ravines / Streams / Open Drains / Embankment Pond

NLB_NB Lakefront Park & Beach / 200 Marquette Dr, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.800756, -86.748620)
     11.3ac / Dune Walk / Pay Parking / Boat Launch / Marina / Facilities / Lakefront Beach / Open Dune / Breakwater / Galien River / Great Lakes Marsh

NST-01_TCP_NBAS Nature Study Trails (west) & Turtle Creek Preserve (COL) / 12291 Lubke Rd, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.78247, -86.757002)
     18.7ac & 11.6ac / 2mi / Easy / Marked Trails / Barrier Free Paved Loop / Butterfly Refuge Project / Hardwood Forest / Ravines / Hardwood Swamp / Ephemeral Streams / Turtle Creek / Lighthouse Creek / Ancient Beaches

NST-02_NBAS Nature Study Trails (east) / 12291 Lubke Rd, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.78247, -86.757002)
     39.3ac / 2.5mi / Moderate / Flatwood Forest with Pit & Mound topology / Vernal Pools / Rivulets / Streams / Ravines / Turtle Creek / Shrub Swamp / Turtle Pond Nature Preserve access / Ancient Beaches

NST-W_Nature Study Trails Winter Trails / 12291 Lubke Rd, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.78247, -86.757002)
     56.8ac & 11.6ac / 4.5mi / Groomed and Backcountry Cross-Country Skiing Trails (when snowshoeing, please respect the volunteer grooming efforts)

NTM_NB Twp Memorial Park Walking Trails / 17425 Red Arrow Hwy, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.803953, -86.717847)
     10ac / 0.3mi / Easy / ADA Path / Barrier Free Path / Viewing Decks / Facilities / Hardwood Forest / Ravine / Ephemeral Stream

OP_NB Oselka Park Walking Paths / 601 E Indiana St, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.795376, -86.73219)
     17.5ac / 0.77mi / Barrier-free Wide Walking Trails / Facilities / Rainwater Gardens

RAL_KRU_Red Arrow Landing & Kruger Road Park / 17177 Red Arrow Hwy, New Buffalo, MI 49117
     3.6ac & 15.6ac / 0.15mi / Easy / Toilet / Boat Launch / Galien River / Hardwood Forest / Floodplain Forest / Scrub-shrub Wetland

RWP_Robinson Woods Preserve (COL) / East Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.849680, -86.647097)
     80ac / 1.9mi / Moderate / Marked Trails / Hardwood Forest / Vernal Pools / Perched Wetlands / Ravines / Open Drains / Streams / Cherry Creek / Ancient Beaches / Ancient Dunes

SFP_Sugarwood Forest Preserve (COL) / 6813 W Elm Valley Rd, Three Oaks, MI, 49128, (41.827898, -86.618650)
     40ac / [1.0mi planned trails] / Moderate / Hardwood Forests / Old-Growth Forests / Ravines / Streams / Floodplain Forests / Perched Wetlands / Planned Prairie Project

TCA_KES_TO Twp Conservation Area & Kesling Nature Preserve (SWMLC) / 8505 W Forest Lawn Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.776631, -86.659094)
     95ac & 52ac / 1.6mi / Moderate / Hardwood Forests / South Branch Galien River / Floodplain Forests / Ravines / Streams / Emergent Wetlands / Prairies

THW Tower Hill Woods / Tower Hill Rd, Sawyer, MI 49125, (41.776631, -86.659094)
     36ac / 0.8mi / Moderate / Hardwood and Coniferous Forests / Secondary Dune

TPNP_Turtle Pond Nature Trail / 613 W Washington St, New Buffalo, MI 49117, (41.785681, -86.745972)
     2ac / 0.2mi / Easy / Flatwoods / Vernal Pools / Natural Pond

WDSP_Warren Dunes State Park (MDNR) / 12032 Red Arrow Hwy, Sawyer, MI 49125, (41.89511, -86.60915)
     1952ac / 6.0mi / Easy, Moderate, Difficult / Marked Trails / Seasonal Campgrounds / Facilities / Lakefront Beach / Open Dunes / Forested Dunes / Backdunes / Interdunal Wetlands (Panne) / Emergent Wetlands / Ravine / Painterville Creek

WTCP_Weesaw Twp Community Park / 13372 California Rd, New Troy, MI 49119, (41.876661, -86.550492)
     36.3ac / .25mi + [0.85mi potential trails] / Moderate / Old-Growth Forest / Galien River / Floodplain Forest / Emergent and Submergent Wetlands

WWSP_Warren Woods SP (MDNR) / Elm Valley Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, (41.831928, -86.625146) / Closed in winter
     314ac / 1.4mi / Moderate / Stairway / Toilets / Old-Growth Forest / Galien River / Floodplain Forests / Ravines / Streams



SPECIAL PLACES OUTSIDE HARBOR COUNTRY:




* Berrien County Parks (BCP)
* Chikaming Open Lands (COL)
* Indiana Dunes National Park (IDNP)
* Indiana Dunes State Park (IDSP)
* Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR)
* Michigan Nature Association (MNA)
* Mountain Bike (MTB)
* New Buffalo Area Schools (NBAS)
* Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC)


REFERENCES:

    1.) The Bison Nature trail, New Buffalo Elementary School, 1992, Edward J. Hatton, Jr., May 28, 1992
    2.) City of New Buffalo Community Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Greenway Plan 2012-2017, City Boards and Committees, 2012
     3.) Harbor Country Hike & Bike Plan, Friends of Harbor Country Trails, 2010
     4.) Years of Hiking these very trails, Trekkmode AKA Pat Fisher


ABOUT ME:

Anyone who has been around me for any length of time has picked up on my enthusiasm about the natural history of Southwest Michigan and Northwest Indiana; this is a direct result of my passion for hiking. I have hiked and re-hiked most of the trails and all of the shore in any kind of weather, even the “Gales of Hurricane Sandy” (P.S. my wife claims I'm touched).

Pat Fisher (President Harbor Country Hikers)

HCH presentations and slow paced hikes focus on the biodiversity along our trails and the forces that created these wonderful places. Visit HarborCountryHikers.com or FB.com/harborcountryhikers to find out when and where our next hike is.