 Harbor Country, Michigan
NATURE STUDY TRAIL NEWS:September 29, 2021 August 16, 2021 August 1, 2021 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 Get Driving Directions 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 / [0.7mi planned trails and wetland structures] / Planned Facilities / Hardwood Forest / Perched Wetlands
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 / 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
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
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 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:
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. |