Refitt Nature Preserve, Traverse City
Michigan traveling

Refitt Nature Preserve, Traverse City

Michigan Trail Tuesday is our attempt to showcase a different trail or trail segment each week. The Mitten State is home to thousands of miles of trails, including the new Iron Belle Trail that runs from Detroit in the southeast to Ironwood in the western Upper Peninsula and more miles of the North Country Trail than any other state.

Traverse City continues to be one of Michigan’s top summer vacation destinations, as visitors come from all over to enjoy the beaches, lakes, parks, restaurants, art, and more. The Wall Street Journal recently placed Traverse City on its list of “10 Places To Go In 2025,” so there’s a good chance even more people will be headed there. We like to balance our visits with city experiences as well as outdoor experiences, and when we visited last summer we had the chance to check out the Refitt Nature Preserve. This Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy property covers 100 acres to the south of Traverse City State Park and features about a mile of trail through woods and wetlands.

The welcome sign near the parking area provides some background on this property and its preservation: “During the 1990s, while creating the Peninsula Business Park East, Ronald Refitt took great care to balance development with conservation. Mr. Refitt, a northern Michigan native, wished to develop his property and also understood the regional importance of preserving its critical natural features and distinct northern Michigan character. To realize his vision Mr. Refitt worked tirelessly with Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC), local municipalities and other local businesses to create a business park that retains its natural character and to donate properties to GTRLC that became the George and Ada Refitt Nature Preserve. The preserve, with a recent addition in 2012, now consists of 100 acres of land forever protected and open to the public.”

From the parking area, you can choose either of two 0.3 mile trails that lead to the main 0.9 mile loop. We chose to head from marker #1 to marker #2, running parallel with the TART Trail and directly south of campground at the state park.

Boardwalk is present in wetland sections that may be wet in spring and summer months. The loop is mostly quiet other than the sounds of birds and squirrels (and the occasional plane at the airport). We loved how despite being a few blocks from the busy U.S. 31 traffic corridor this preserve at times makes you feel like you are out in the country.

This property is not open to bicycles and all pets must be on a leash. The Refitt Nature Preserve offers good birdwatching opportunities, and you can hear and see woodpeckers, vireos, warblers, cardinals, blue jays, and more depending on the season. Trails should not present much difficulty for the average hiker, with potential hazards being muddy trail after recent rains and exposed roots near the wooded sections. To find this preserve head south on N. Four Mile Rd. from its intersection with U.S. 31. Look for Oak Dr. on the right, turn right, and follow it to its end at the parking area.

Disclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Worldtravelers.
Publisher: Source link

Newsletter

Sign up for free and be the first to get notified about new posts.

Get The Best Blog Stories into Your icountox!

Sign up for free and be the first to get notified about new posts.