21. Crosswinds Marsh

• Specs: about 700 acres; hikes of 3 to 5 miles; in Sumpter Township (Wayne County)
• Google map , OpenStreetMap
• Trail map
• Preserve website

Comments: This is a large nature preserve with a wide variety of habitats. It is situated in the southwest corner of Wayne County on a roughly rectangular parcel of about 700 acres -- 0.75 miles east to west and 1.5 miles north to south. The centerpiece of the preserve, occupying about 1/4 of the acreage, is a large marsh criss-crossed with boardwalks. Although it is only two miles from I-275, it is amazingly uncrowded and quiet.

There are over 10 miles of trails. The outer loop is an equestrian trail of 4.5 miles, but you probably will want to spend most of your time on the trails in the interior to see more of what the preserve has to offer. If you proceed west from the parking lot onto the boardwalks of the Wetland Garden Trail you will immediately get a sense of the enormity of the marsh. From there, my preferred route is to turn right onto the Mallard Trail, left onto the Muskrat Trail, then left again on the Blue Heron Trail. The latter takes you on a semicircular path around the northern half of the preserve, passing through wetlands and woods along the way.

Eventually you will reach an intersection where the Blue Heron Trail ends. Straight ahead (south) and to your left (east) are two ends of the Bald Eagle Trail; on your right is the Woodpecker Trail.

• If you turn onto the left branch of the Bald Eagle Trail, you will return to the marsh and eventually back to the trailhead, optionally using the Bluegill Trail. The length of this round trip is about 3 miles.
• If you turn right, onto the Woodpecker Trail, you will eventually rejoin the other branch of the Bald Eagle Trail. This takes you through the southern half of the preserve and ultimately back to the trailhead, resulting in a hike of about 4 miles. Note that there are some paths (in addition to the service roads) in the area of the Woodpecker Trail that are shown on the OpenStreetMap but not the trail map. Failing to account for these during your hike is a potential source of confusion.

The equestrian loop passes through some attractive woods  in the northern and western parts of the preserve, and there are several connecting paths available for weaving a segment or two from this trail into your hike. On MapPedometer, I've saved a 4.8 mile route that enters the equestrian loop along the northernmost part of the Blue Heron Trail and exits onto the Woodpecker Trail about 0.8 miles later.

Wildlife I have encountered here include herons in the marsh as well as the stream that runs along the west side of the preserve, a mink (or weasel?) in the swampy area along the northern rim of the Blue Heron Trail, and sandhill cranes in multiple locations. In the marsh area, swans  and geese are abundant.

Horses and leashed dogs are allowed. No bikes.

Directions: Take US-23 South to Exit 25 (Milan). Turn left onto E. Main, right onto Dexter, and right again on County Street. You are now eastbound. Stay on this road for the next 12-ish miles. Note that it changes its name twice, first to Milan-Oakville Road, and then Oakville-Waltz Road. About halfway through, you'll reach a stop sign at a fork in the road. You want to stay on Oakville-Waltz, which means taking the left branch. Eventually you will turn left (north) onto Haggerty Road. The parking lot is about a half mile down this dirt road, on the left.

Driving time from the I-94/US-23 interchange to the parking lot is roughly 30 minutes.

Excerpt from the website: For nature enthusiasts with an interest in wetlands and wildlife, Crosswinds Marsh is a must-see. You can explore diverse wetland habitats where more than 240 species of birds and 40 species of mammals have been identified. Crosswinds is home to a nesting pair of bald eagles, beaver and other exciting native wildlife.