P8. Highland Recreation Area Trails

[*] The trail marker numbering on the Cedar Creek Trail map has errors. One of the two markers numbered 25 is actually 28, and markers 28--34 are 29--35.

Photos from trails in the Haven Hill Natural Area:

Photos from Goose Meadow, Haven Hill Lake, and points nearby:

Overview: The Highland Recreation Area has trails for mountain bikers, cross-country skiers, equestrians, and hikers. While trails and parking areas are scattered throughout the park, for your first hiking experience at Highland you should head for the Haven Hill Natural Area in the northeast quadrant, where there are trails designed specifically for hikers and skiers within a no-hunting zone. The terrain there consists mostly of gently rolling hills through woods and wetlands surrounding Haven Hill Lake. However, Haven Hill itself is not so gentle, rising 140 feet above the level of the lake. The paths to the top of the hill are rather steep.

Prior to acquisition by the state in 1946, the Haven Hill area was a private retreat owned by Edsel Ford. A few buildings from the Ford era remain, although the family lodge, situated at the top of Haven Hill, was burned down by vandals in 1999. (Only the fireplace  remains.) The nearby carriage house  is still standing although in disrepair. The gatehouse , near the park entrance and headquarters off of M-59, has been restored, while the barn , located near one of the trailheads, is currently undergoing restoration. For more on this history, see the Friends of Highland Recreation Area website .

The trails available in the Haven Hill Natural Area include

While all of the above trails are open to both hikers and skiers, there are also a few officially sanctioned hiker-only trails in the area. This includes some trail segments north of Haven Hill Lake, and a section of the Chief Pontiac Trail that heads west from Marker 28 , crosses the Red Trail, and eventually joins the Blue Trail near Marker 10.

Note that although the above trails are in a no-hunting zone, the trail segments connecting Markers 8, 9, 10 and 11 on the Blue and Green Trails are on the boundary of that zone.

Leashed dogs are allowed on the Haven Hill Area trails. Bikes are allowed only on the Cedar Creek Trail.

Building your own loop: The trailhead for the Red, Blue, and Green Trails is located about 1.4 miles south along the access road from the park entrance. You'll know you've arrived at the right parking lot if you see Edsel Ford's barn . Trail Marker 1  is located a short distance to the west of it. All three loops run clockwise from there, and the trail markers are oriented for the convenience of hikers and skiers moving in that direction.

Two flaws in these loops from a hiker's perspective are that none of them take you to the top of Haven Hill, nor do they give you a full measure of Haven Hill Lake. However by splicing in some of the other trails in the area, it is possible to devise a loop of one's own that addresses both of these shortcomings.

Incorporating a few good views of Haven Hill Lake is easy -- your best bet is to include trail segments running from Markers 16 to 17 to 19. These are reachable from the Blue and Green Trails but are not part of either one. If the vegetation cooperates, you may also get a good look  north of Marker 5 on the Red Trail.

The simplest way to get to the top of Haven Hill is to head for Marker 5 on the Red Trail. Once there, follow the driveway leading uphill to the lodge and carriage house  at the top. (Marker 7 is located there.) Although you can certainly retrace your steps back to Marker 5, there are alternative ways to descend and resume your hike. If you climb to the very highest point on the hill (capped  by a geodetic survey mark ), you will find a path leading north. Another option is a path leading west near what remains of a stone balcony for the lodge's master bedroom. Both paths descend steeply and eventually join the Blue Trail between Markers 10 and 12.

On MapPedometer, I've saved a route map for a 6.2 mile loop that includes these lake and hill detours.

If you're at Marker 5 and would rather use a trail instead of a driveway for your ascent of Haven Hill, look for a path just a few feet away on the north side of the driveway. It runs west and north from there for about 1/2 mile before arriving at a fork at the foot of Haven Hill on the north side. The left (southbound) branch provides a steep climb to the top (a reverse of one of the two previously mentioned descent routes), while the right branch bypasses the hill and eventually joins the Blue Trail. I've save a map of this route on MapPedometer .

Note that there are other possible entry points into the Haven Hill trail network. For example, the Goose Meadow Picnic Area  (where Trail Marker 22 is located) has the advantage that it is a shorter drive from the park entrance than Marker 1 and the Edsel Ford Barn. From Goose Meadow, you can reach the Blue and Green Trails by heading either north from Marker 22 to Marker 18, or east along the picnic area entryway. You can join the Red Trail by making your way south and west towards Marker 5.

The Western Equestrian Loop...

...and nearby trails west of Beaumont Road:

On the west side of Duck Lake Road is a network of equestrian and mountain bike trails. While both sets of trails are open to hikers, the bike trails have numerous sharp turns and technical obstacles. This may appeal to trail runners, but many hikers will prefer the less twisty equestrian trails. They too provide a full mix of ponds, wetlands and stream crossings, as well as a substantial dose of hill climbing. The elevation difference between the highest and lowest points on the trail is 170 feet.

A convenient entry point into the trail network is available from a parking lot  on Livingston Road, about 0.2 miles west of Duck Lake Road. There you will find a trailhead  for both the mountain bikers and equestrians (Marker T on the equestrian trail map). If you follow the equestrian trail from there south through Markers S, R and Q, returning via P, O, N and M, the result is a beautiful 4.25 mile loop.

For hikers and equestrians, another entry point is provided by a trail that runs from the Haven Hill Area, through a tunnel  underneath Duck Lake Road, joining the main equestrian loop at Marker M. To reach this trail, head for Marker 11 on the Green Trail, and continue west from there. (At Marker 11, the Green Trail turns to the north.) The Chief Pontiac Trail, starting from Marker 28  at the Circle Lot in the Haven Hill Area, may also serve as the initial segment of a 1.35 mile hike to Marker M. The one possibly tricky point to observe is that the CPT ends at a swamp-like pond  on the Blue Trail. From there, a few paces away to your left is Marker 10 and the Green Trail. Turning right would keep you on the Blue Trail headed to Marker 12.

On MapPedometer, I've saved a route map for a 7 mile round trip that combines the equestrian loop with the Chief Pontiac Trail.

Do keep in mind that horses have the right of way on trails, and that the area west of Duck Lake Road is open to hunting.

Variations: When you arrive at Marker Q  on the equestrian trail, you have a choice to make. The main equestrian loop proceeds to the left (east) from there to Marker P. Straight ahead (south) is a spur trail that passes through Markers W, X, Y and Z, the endpoint being a parking lot on Cooley Lake Road. Be aware that this spur is in an area designated for field trials .

The right branch heading west from Marker Q exits the equestrian trail network and field trial area, crosses Beaumont Road, and feeds into a small network of relatively new mixed-use hike/bike trails. These trails are shown on the OpenStreetMap, but not the official trail maps. Shortly after crossing Beaumont, the trail forks: the right (northwest) branch passes over Mount Kanzer (elevation 1150 feet), while the left branch splits into two southbound trails headed towards Cooley Lake Road and the village of Milford. In between these two southbound trails is a deep ravine surrounding a large pond and marsh area.

On MapPedometer, I've saved a route map for a 6.4 mile hike that combines the equestrian loop with a side trip to the top of Mount Kanzer and a detour south, rejoining the equestrian trail within the field trial area between Markers X and Y. While the dense woods covering Mount Kanzer obstruct the views, you might want to hunt for the stone markers  in the vicinity of the summit, offset about 30 feet from the trail.

For a more ambitious side trip from Marker Q that avoids the field trial area, consider this 2.9 mile loop that heads west over Mount Kanzer and crosses Pettibone Lake Road before turning south to Reid Road and a return to the Milford connecting trail. Highlights include several ponds and good views of the ravine from the south and east sides.

The Cedar Creek Trail and Teeple Lake:

Near the park entrance and the Edsel Ford gatehouse is the trailhead for the 2.75 mile Cedar Creek Trail, a multi-use pathway with a surface of crushed limestone. It passes through woods, marshes and wetland areas, and ends near a beach at Teeple Lake . Hikers, bikers, and skiers are all allowed on the trail, and portions of it are open to equestrians as well.

Roughly one mile outbound from the trailhead, you will arrive at a fork in the trail (Marker 25). Although the Cedar Creek Trail follows the right branch, you may prefer to take the left branch -- a segment of the Green Trail that rejoins Cedar Creek near Marker 32. The reward for this hiker-only choice is passage through a quiet and beautiful valley .

Since Teeple Lake is not visible from the Cedar Creek Trail, you will probably want to cross the parking lot and head for the beach once you reach the end of the trail at Marker 35. From there it is possible to return by following a shoreline path  that heads north past a fishing pier and a boat launch, eventually reaching a picnic area with lake views but no lake access. Directly across from the entrance to the parking lot for the picnic area is Marker 34 on the Cedar Creek Trail.

If you are adventurous, an alternative is to look for either of two paths leading northwest from the picnic area parking lot. These paths will connect you to the Eastern Equestrian Loop. If you turn right upon entering the loop, the trail will lead directly to the parking lot where Marker 1 and Edsel Ford's barn are located. From there, it is a short distance across the access road to Marker 32 on the Cedar Creek Trail.

To add more adventure to the mix, you should instead consider turning left onto the equestrian loop. In this direction, the trail will take you west along the northern shore  of Teeple Lake and through some dense woods . At Marker C, the equestrian trail makes a sharp turn to the northeast and eventually crosses the Green Trail between Markers 3 and 8. I prefer to continue west a short distance beyond Marker C to a northbound trail that leads directly to Marker 8 on the Green Trail. A right turn at Marker 8 will take you back to Marker 1, the barn, and the Cedar Creek Trail.

On your way back, between Markers 1 and 2, you can burn a few more calories by taking any of the paths leading south to a series of steep hills north of Teeple Lake. The highest of these is Teeple Hill, 150 feet above the level of the lake. The hills can also be approached via some rough paths leading north from the equestrian loop along the lake shore. However, these paths are hard to follow and may be virtually invisible except during the winter.

On MapPedometer, I've saved a route map for a clockwise 3.8 mile loop through the Teeple Lake area with some "adventurous" options mixed in, including a side trip to the top of Teeple Hill. Supplementing it with an out-and-back hike along the remaining northern portions of the Cedar Creek Trail would add 3.1 miles to it.

The North Loop:

On the west side of the parking lot for the mountain bike trails on Livingston Road is an entry point for the North Loop, an easy going and well-maintained 2.1 mile hiking/biking trail that winds its way through a mix of woods and open fields dotted with trees. Hikers will appreciate that it lacks the tight turns and technical obstacles of the mountain bike trails located south of the parking lot. Note that the trail is shown on the OpenStreetMap but not on any of the Michigan DNR trail maps.

On more than one occasion, I have noticed some unusually large and active anthills  along this trail.

At about the halfway point of the loop you may want to look for a short spur trail that leads northwest to a close-up view of Waterbury Lake . This spur is not shown on the OpenStreetMap and could easily get confused with a nearby longer spur that is shown on the map. The latter is located farther south of Waterbury Lake; it runs west and branches out to multiple parking areas and a field trial area south of Livingston Road.

The North Loop can serve well as a supplement to hikes on the Western Equestrian Loop or the trail network east of Duck Lake Road. On MapPedometer, I've saved a route map for a 6 mile hike that combines the North Loop with a hike that passes through the tunnel underneath Duck Lake Road to a section of the Green Trail from Marker 11 to the trailhead at Marker 1, then a brief stretch on the Cedar Creek Trail north to Marker 28, returning via the Chief Pontiac Trail. This hike has the advantage that it can be started at any of three locations: the parking lot for the mountain bike trails, the Circle Lot (site of Marker 28), or the head of the Green Trail.

Directions: Head north on US-23 to eastbound M-59/Highland Road (Exit 67). Continue east on M-59 for about 11 miles and turn left (south) into the park at Haven Road. Near the entrance, you will find the park headquarters, the Edsel Ford gatehouse, and the start of the Cedar Creek Trail (Marker 21). Continuing south on Haven Road, you will reach the Goose Meadow Picnic Area and Marker 22 after 0.8 miles, the Circle Lot (parking for the Chief Pontiac Trail and Marker 28) after 1.2 miles, and the Edsel Ford barn and the origin of the Red, Blue, and Green Trails after 1.4 miles.

If you are headed for the mountain bike and equestrian trails on the west side, travel east on M-59 from US-23 for 9.25 miles, turning right (south) onto Duck Lake Road. Continue south for 1 mile, turning right (west) onto Livingston Road. The parking lot will be on your right after about 0.2 miles.

Driving time from North Main in Ann Arbor is about 35 to 40 minutes, depending on US-23 traffic.

A Michigan recreation passport is required for vehicle entry.

Excerpts from the website: Highland Recreation Area offers 5,900 acres of forest, marshes and lakes in the rolling hills of Southern Michigan. With trails to accommodate equestrian riders, mountain bikers, hikers and skiers, there's an activity for every season in this park. Three different day-use areas provide ample space for picnics, swimming, horseshoes or volleyball. Access sites are located on four lakes within the park for fishing and recreational boating.

The Haven Hill Natural Area has all of southern Michigan's principal forest types within one small area, including swamp forest of tamarack, cedar, beech-maple forest, oak-hickory forest and mixed hardwood forest. The area has remained largely undisturbed for the past 75 years and has retained its natural character as well as some unusual flora and fauna.... Late April and early May are the best times to view warblers and spring wildflowers.

The [equestrian trails offer] 13 miles of paths that meander through breathtaking woods, fields and marshes....The east loop is relatively flat with wider trails. The west loop, located on the other side of Duck Lake Road, provides a more challenging ride with single track and hilly terrain. There are a few areas on the west loop where bike trails intersect.