20. Kosch Headwaters + Weatherbee Woods + Springhill Nature Preserve

Photos from the Kosch Headwaters and Springhill Nature Preserves:

Overview: Near the intersection of Ford and Berry Roads in Superior Township are five tracts of undeveloped nature preserves and parkland:

Together they provide a network of trails on nearly 400 acres of land, enabling the creation of hikes ranging up to 7 miles in length. And in case you have visions of even grander combinations, consider that the LeFurge Woods [site of Hike #19] is only 2 miles south of the Kosch Headwaters Preserve.

The OpenStreetMap is the best way to gain a quick understanding of how the five properties are situated. Kosch Headwaters and Springhill are southwest of the intersection of Ford and Berry, while Secrest, Weatherbee Woods and Schroeter Park are in the northeast quadrant. The Secrest Preserve in particular is a very recent addition. The land was acquired by the SMLC in 2019, and the hiking trail on it is new as of September 2021.

Leashed dogs are allowed in Schroeter Park and the Kosch, Springhill, and Secrest preserves, but not in the Weatherbee Woods (note the signage ). Bikes and horses are allowed only in Schroeter Park.

Kosch Headwaters and Springhill: Perhaps the best place to start your hike is at the parking lot for the Kosch Headwaters Preserve on Prospect, a short distance south of Ford Road. Highlights to look for in this preserve include woods of beech, maple and oak in the southwest corner and along the southern boundary as the trail takes you east toward the Springhill Preserve. Hiking along this east-west segment you will often encounter squishy or even flooded trail conditions -- perhaps a little mud but considerable amounts of water saturating thick layers of grass.

Although the representations of the Kosch Headwaters trail network on both the 2018 trail map and the OpenStreetMap are reasonably accurate, there are two trail segments shown on the OpenStreetMap that are not shown on the 2018 map. The reality on the ground is that one of these trails segments does still exist; the other appears to have been reclaimed by Nature. (You may enjoy puzzling out which is which.)

[Update (Fall 2024): The OpenStreetMap has been revised recently and appears to be accurate. So the only puzzle remaining is to spot the one trail segment missing from the 2018 trail map.]

As you approach the Springhill Preserve, you will notice that the trail splits into two parallel east-west segments that eventually rejoin. You'll want to include both segments as part of your round trip -- the southern portion takes you back into the beech-maple-oak woods  and the northern portion passes by a large pond  that is frequented by waterfowl.

A hike from the Kosch trailhead on Prospect to the Springhill trailhead  on Berry Road ranges from 1.1 to 1.5 miles, depending on which interior trail segments you choose. Thus if you prefer to stay entirely within these two preserves, you can easily put together a 2.2 to 3 mile round trip. Do note that there is no parking lot at the Springhill trailhead; parking on the shoulder of Berry Road is the only option there.

The Secrest Preserve:

For those eager to press on, the next stage involves walking 0.9 miles north on Berry Road to the trailhead  for the Secrest Preserve. Considering that Berry is an unpaved rural road with minimal traffic, this is likely to be a pleasant experience , aside from a few seconds of terror when you dash across busy Ford Road.

A short distance north of the Secrest trailhead, the path splits into two segments of roughly the same length that meet again at a trail crossing that offers passage north into the Weatherbee Woods. One of these segments heads east through a mostly grass and shrub landscape  and offers peeks at some neighboring farmland  before turning north, while the other segment heads north and then east through some oak and hickory woods with adjacent wetlands .

Schroeter Park and the Weatherbee Woods:

Once you reach the Weatherbee Woods, the terrain becomes hilly and densely forested. A highlight is the stream  that cuts a deep channel into the hillside on its way to the River Rouge. Proceeding further north into Schroeter Park, the trails become a bit more manicured and eventually empty out into open fields  with wide-angle views.

Continuing in a northerly direction at every opportunity will take you through Schroeter Park to a trailhead and a small parking lot  on Warren Road. There is also a secondary park entrance (with no parking) to the west off of Berry. Note that the only way to enter the Weatherbee Woods is through Schroeter or Secrest; there is no direct access.

A round trip hike between the Schroeter and Secrest trailheads will range from about 1.8 to 2.6 miles long, depending on which interior trail segments you use.

I've saved a route map for a 6.5 mile grand tour through all five sites on MapPedometer .

Directions: Take M-14 east to Ford Road (Exit 10). Continue east on Ford (M-153) for about 1.25 miles, turning right (south) onto Prospect. The Kosch Headwaters parking lot will be the first driveway on your left.

If you are driving from the north side of Ann Arbor, you may prefer to take Plymouth Road east all the way to Ford Road and merge into M-153 from there.

If the small parking lot at Kosch is full, the next best parking option is at the Secrest Preserve. Continue east on Ford another 0.75 miles beyond Prospect to (unpaved) Berry Road. Turn left onto Berry and look for the parking lot on your right after about 0.4 miles. Another 0.6 miles farther north on Berry is Warren Road -- the entrance to Schroeter Park is about 0.2 miles east on Warren from Berry.

Excerpts from the websites: Kosch Headwaters Preserve's wonderful maple-beech woodland is home to many mature beech. The rather uncommon blue ash is found in relative abundance on the western portion of the site. Wetlands, seasonal streams, and a spring flowing out of the maple-beech woodland all contribute to the headwaters of Fowler Creek which ultimately flows into the Rouge River, hence the name "headwaters." Cultivated land makes up about 50% of the property and is currently farmed.

The [Springhill Preserve] consists of thirty acres of cattail and buttonbush swamp, mature beech/maple/oak woods, and an ancient apple orchard, located near Berry and Ford Roads in the heart of Superior Township. The swamp hosts a hearty population of spring frogs and a wide variety of water fowl, while the woods are frequented by deer, foxes, owls, hawks, and coyotes.

Visitors to the Secrest Preserve will find scenic vistas of neighboring farmland and a beautiful old-growth oak woods along the new loop trail where it adjoins Weatherbee Woods. The Preserve is also an attraction for birds and other wildlife. In 2019, Washtenaw Audubon documented over 40 noteworthy bird species.

The northern portion of the [Weatherbee Woods Preserve] is mainly wooded and adjoins Schroeter Park, a facility owned by Superior Township. Its high quality landscape contains significant plant diversity, including upland woodlots and a hardwood swamp. A perennial stream cuts through the steeply sloped topography.

Schroeter Park ... is an undeveloped natural area which is mainly used by horseback riders, walkers, and cross-country skiers. It has trails through a field and woodland for horseback riding and hiking.