15. Whitmore Lake Preserve

Comments: This preserve seems to be a bit underappreciated. The initial stretch northward to Trail Marker 2 is about 0.4 miles along a dirt road before you reach the main network of trails. Once there, you are treated to a mix of woods, wetlands, open fields , a bit of marsh, and a peek at Lawton Lake. In the spring and summer, the left branch of the trail leading north from Marker 2 is likely to be dense with wildflowers. Another interesting feature is that the woodsy sections seem to contain more moss, ferns and wild (green) grasses than I have seen elsewhere in the county. Look for the library-on-a-stick that some locals have installed on the right fork of the trail north of Marker 2. A couple of tree stumps that could serve as seats are nearby....

I've saved a route map for a 2.75 mile hike around the perimeter on MapPedometer .

Note that there is an unmapped trail segment that lies to the east of the segment between Markers 4 and 8. The endpoints are a short distance south of Marker 8 on the Yellow Trail and southeast of Marker 4 on the Blue Trail. This is good news if you are planning a grand tour around the preserve by always branching to the left (or the opposite) at each fork you encounter, as this means you will traverse the Yellow Trail segment between Markers 4 and 8 only once.

No dogs, bikes, or hunting allowed.

Directions: Head north on US-23 toward Whitmore Lake, exiting at Barker Road (Exit 52). Turn right (east) onto Barker, right (south) onto Main Street, and then left (east) onto East Shore Drive. After about 3/4 mile, turn right (southeast) onto Seven Mile Road. Follow Seven Mile for another 3/4 mile and look for the sign for Nollar Road. The parking lot and trailhead is on the left (north) side of Seven Mile directly opposite Nollar.

Starting from North Main in Ann Arbor, the drive is about 12 miles and should take about 15 minutes if the traffic on US-23 is light.

Excerpt from the website: Whitmore Lake Preserve's trails let visitors explore diverse habitats, including, meadows, mixed hardwood forest, and wooded wetlands, with scenic views over a large marsh and small lakes.