Our Best Nature Hikes in Washtenaw County

These are some of our favorite natural areas in the county. 
If you’re an avid hiker or just want to go for a walk and enjoy the scenery, consider one of these local trails.

Two boats rowing on the Huron River in Autumn
Parks

Fall Color Trek in The Bird Hills Nature Area

ByGreg C

Beautiful birdsong and glorious fall colors combine to make a visit to Ann Arbor’s Bird Hills Nature Area a walk to remember. The Bird Hills Nature Area rises above a great bend in the Huron River west of Ann Arbor. Encompassing 146 acres, it is the largest natural area in the city’s park system. With a variety of pathways, hikers will find a sanctuary in this hilly woodland.

Pittsfield Preserve – Early Spring, Squishy Walk
Pittsfield | Preserves

Pittsfield Preserve – Early Spring, Squishy Walk

ByGreg C

Twenty-some years ago, in 1999, there was a plan to build 1200 homes, retail spaces, and soccer fields in the center of Pittsfield Township. This plan included using a fleet of bulldozers and earthmovers to flatten, fill, and mow down a unique wetland area changing the township’s rural feel. Instead, the township purchased the land and created the Pittsfield Preserve that has become the pride of the area.

Fox Science Preserve Sign Entrance Sign
Preserves

Exploring the Past at Fox Science Preserve

ByGreg C

Fox Science Preserve sits between Ann Arbor and Dexter in an old gravel quarry. The machines that dug deep into the soil are now gone, leaving behind a scene not too different from the glacial moraines of 12,000 years ago. This rocky and barren surface soon was recognized as a natural classroom for the study of biological succession. Teachers, students, and parents began exploring the boulders and limestone surfaces, observing as nature begins its transformation of the empty quarry into a fully functioning ecosystem.