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Arthur Dodd Memorial Park |
Cass County Parks Department Office
340 North O'Keefe Street
Cassopolis, MI 49031
GPS [41.9084° N, 86.2171° W] |
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269.445.8611 (Reservation Information)
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Picnic tables
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Children's play equipment
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Fishing in a class A trout stream
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Horseshoe pits
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Hiking trail 1 mile
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Volleyball court
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Open games area
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Canoe launch
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Public phone
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Fresh well water
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Directions:
From Eau Claire, take M-62 east 4.7 miles, then south 4.7 miles on Indian Lake Rd, bear right and follow Creek Rd to Arthur Dodd Memorial Park.
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Fernwood Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve |
13988 Range Line Road
Niles, MI 49120
269.683.8653 269.695.6491
Contact: Carol Line
Hours: Fernwood is open year-round.
Summer hours:
Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm and Sunday Noon-6 pm
Winter hours:
Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm and Sunday Noon-5 pm.
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Fernwood is a non-profit botanical garden and nature center located on 105 splendid acres. The Plym Visitors Center contains a fern conservatory, gift shop and gallery (Clark Lecture Hall). The Nature Center offers a bird-viewing area, interpretive displays, classes and programs. Winding woodland trails, a railway garden, gardens with colorful flower beds, tall-grass prairie, waterfalls and a waterwheel are interspersed throughout Fernwood. Throughout the year, Fernwood offers classes, workshops, guided trips, gallery shows and lectures.
Tours of the grounds are available.
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| Portions are handicap accessible, please call for details |
Admission:
Admission is charged for non-members. Children 5 and under are free.
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Cass County Parks Department Office
340 North O'Keefe Street
Cassopolis, MI 49031
269.445.8611
GPS [42.0122° N, 85.9623° W] |
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Nestled along the Volinia Creek, Fred Russ Forest and Newton's Woods County Park, is a nature lovers paradise with its old growth forests, acres of wildflowers and abundant plant life. Located on Marcellus Highway, one-half mile east of Decatur Road near Volinia, Russ Forest offers two picnic shelters with electricity, potable water, equestrian and hiking trails, fishing (designated trout stream), horseshoe pits, and much more. In cooperation with Michigan State Univeristy, Russ Forest is also considered a national landmark with 737 acres of virgin black walnut and white oak. It is also home to one of the largest standing Tulip Popular trees east of the Mississippi River. Beautiful landscapes and peaceful natural settings are the rule rather than the exception at this vey popular county park.
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Admission:
Donations appreciated
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Directions:
Located 8 miles east of Dowagiac at the intersection of Marcellus Highway and Decatur Road.
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Grand Mere State Park & Nature Area |
Thorton Dr
Stevensville, MI 49127
269.426.4013
GPS [42.0036° N, 86.5356° W]
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Along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Adjacent to Lincoln Township Park, this 371-acre nature area is a favorite spot for "birders." As part of the 1,000-acre Grand Mere State Park, Grand Mere Nature Area offers a variety of settings for studying the outdoors, including sand dunes, beach woods, an old lake bed, a hemlock swamp and cranberry bog. Visitors will enjoy hiking or cross-country skiing the trails and observing a variety of native birds and mammals throughout the seasons.
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Directions:
I-94 exit 22, west on Grand Mere Rd, then south 7/10 mile on Thorton Dr. Follow signs.
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Kal Haven Trail State Park |
Van Buren State Park
23960 Ruggles Road
South Haven, MI 49090
269.674.8011
Hours: Park Admin Mon-Fri 8-12 am and 1-5 pm
GPS [42.4112° N, 86.2627° W]
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The Kal Haven Trail is a bicycle and hiking trail that follows the old railway line from South Haven to Kalamazoo, a total of 34.1 miles away. The trail is non-technical and is mostly prepared path with some road stretches. Along the way the trail passes through a number of scenic natural areas and towns, each with their own attractions.
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Admission:
Park permit required
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Directions:
I-196 exit 20, then west on Phoenix Rd 6/10 mile, then north 1/2 mile on Bailey Ave. Follow signs to trailhead parking.
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Love Creek County Park & Nature Center |
9292 Huckleberry Road
Berrien Center, MI 49102
269.471.2617 Fax: 269.471.4018
Hours: The center is open Wednesday through Friday, 9-5; Saturday and Sunday, 10-5. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
GPS [41.9513° N, 86.2981° W]
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Love Creek County Park & Nature Center features over 100 acres of meadows, forests, marshes and creeks. Visitors will enjoy hiking and skiing over 5 miles of trails. An interpretive building offers a nature book shop, classrooms, a variety of displays and exhibits, and a popular wild-life observation window through which you can observe an assortment of birds and mammals throughout the year. Wildflowers are in bloom from April through October.
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Admission:
$3 per vehicle for Berrien County residents, $5 for non-residents, $25 for an annual entrance permit.
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Madeline Bertrand County Park |
3038 Adams Road
Niles, MI 49120
269.683.8280 Fax: 269.683.6667
Hours: April - October: Open daily 10 am - sunset.
November - March: Open Wednesday - Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm, Closed Monday & Tuesday.
GPS [41.7609° N, 86.2651° W]
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Located on the east bank of the St Joseph River, this park offers visitors a variety of outdoor activities. An 18-hole Disc Golf Course, designed by the world's leading course architect, is contained within Bertrand's pine and hardwood forests. Each hole features a cement tee-off area, a pole target and tee sign that indicates hole number, distance from tee to hole, par and an illustrated overview of the hole. Bring your plastic flying discs and enjoy the fun!
Other park features include hiking trails, river bluff observation tower and shelter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing areas, playground, visitor center, warming shelter, modern restrooms and picnic areas.
Barrier-free trail available for handicapped visitors.
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| Sorry, we're not handicap accessible. |
Admission:
$3 per vehicle for Berrien County residents, $5 for non-residents, $25 for an annual entrance permit.
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Directions:
Connect to US-31 south around Berrien Springs to US-12. Take US-12 east towards Niles. After crossing the St. Joseph River turn right (south) onto Third Street at the traffic light. Follow Third Street south approximately 2.25 miles to Ontario Road. Turn right onto Ontario Road and follow the directional signs to the park entrance on Adams Road.
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2300 Benton Center Road
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
269.927.4832
Contact: Eileen Carlson
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 1-5pm |
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This unique nature center, located in southwestern Michigan's Berrien County, has five miles of trails meandering through its 800 acres. Our trail system includes boardwalks, observation platforms, and an easily accessible barrier-free walkway. Trails running along the Paw Paw River bluffs provide great views of the river valley below. Boardwalks and observation platforms in the flood plain give you an up-close look at wetland wildlife and habitats including wet forests, cattail marshes, shrub carrs, and even a unique alkaline wetland called a fen. The best part is that you can see it all without even getting your feet wet!
Throughout the year Sarett offers interesting and informative topics such as photography seminars, slide shows, field trips to local natural areas, afternoon canoeing and kayaking adventures, snowshoe-making, wildflower walks, naturalist led hikes and more.
Our amenities include: five miles of trails, handicap accessible treetop trail, bird observation windows, hands-on children's activities, live display animals and a nature gift and book shop.
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| Portions are handicap accessible, please call for details |
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Lake Michigan
101 Broad Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
269.982.0533
Contact: Brian Bailey
Hours: 5am-10pm May-September
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Located in St. Joseph at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, Silver Beach features a clean, wide beach on Lake Michigan and public access to the South Pier. It is a favorite destination for a variety of beach and river front activities, ranging from sunbathing and beach volleyball to pier fishing and sunset strolls. Children's play structures, barrier-free walkways, and covered shelters add to the many recreational opportunites available.
For more information contact: Berrien County Parks Commission, Berrien County Administration Center, St. Joseph, MI 49085. Phone: 269-983-7222 ext. #8435.
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| Portions are handicap accessible, please call for details |
Directions:
From I-94 east or west, take Exit 27 MI 63/Niles Avenue to downtown St. Joseph and follow signs to Silver Beach County Park. |
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Cass County Parks Department Office
340 North O'Keefe Street
Cassopolis, MI 49031
269.445.8611
GPS [41.8967° N, 85.8668° W] |
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This 820 acre nature park is open year-round and boasts a broad range of recreational activities.
269.445.8611 (Reservation Information)
269.476.2730 (TK Lawless Park)
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15 rustic campsites, each with a fire ring and table
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Cabin that sleeps 4-6
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Picnic shelter with tables
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Fresh well water
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Fire bowl
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Reservations required
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10 miles of mountain bike trails
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7 miles of leisure bike trails
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Groomed cross country skiing
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Picniking
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2 ball fields
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Soccer field
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2 horseshoe pits
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Fishing
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Innertube sledding
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One mile paved total access trail
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Children's play equipment
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Open games field
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Volleyball court
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Disc Golf
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Admission:
Annual pass, in-county $15.00, out-of-county $20.00
Daily pass, in-county $1.00, out-of-county $2.00
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Directions:
From Cassopolis, travel east 7.4 miles on M-60, then south 1.1 mile on Lewis Lake Rd, then east on Monkey Run to entrance.
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23960 Ruggles Rd
South Haven, MI 49090
269.637.2788
GPS [42.3362° N, 86.3028° W]
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Outdoor sports enthusiasts will enjoy spending time at the Van Buren State Park. Located on Lake Michigan, the park offers visitors a variety of year-round activities. In the Summer, take an invigorating hike along one of the park's many nature trails. Then cool off with a quiet, refreshing swim. In the Fall, hunters can enjoy camping and hunting in the park's designated areas. 205 campsites provide plenty of room for overnight trips. Winter brings with it plenty of snow for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling fun.
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Directions:
I-196 exit 18, north 1/10 mile on M-140, then west 7/10 mile on 14th Ave, then south 1.4 miles on Blue Star Hwy> Take Ruggles Road entrance to Park.
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12032 Red Arrow Hwy
Sawyer, MI 49125
269.426.4013
GPS [41.9010° N, 86.5950° W]
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A summertime favorite, Warren Dunes State Park offers 1,507 acres of dunes and lakefront camping. Open year-round, the park offers camping and hunting in the Fall, cross-country skiing in the Winter, and picnicking, sailboarding, swimming, hiking, and hang-gliding in the Summer. 197 campsites with electricity, hot and cold running water, showers, bathrooms and fire circles make the park ideal for family camping. Children will enjoy the variety of playground equipment and the organizational youth area for 150 people.
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Directions:
I-94 Exit 16, three miles southeast of Bridgman on Red Arrow Hwy.
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Elm Valley Rd
Three Oaks, MI 49128
269.426.4013
GPS [41.8275° N, 86.6230° W]
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Warren Woods Nature Center, administered by the Warren Dunes State Park officials, is a favorite site for hikers and naturalists. The Woods is made up of a 311-acre tract of virgin beech and maple. Hikers will enjoy the rare chance this nature cente
r provides to observe birds and small animals in an uncut, natural setting. Naturalists will also appreciate the wide variety of plants and wild flowers that grow in the woods - over 100 species! After your hike, sit back and relax with a quiet picnic lunch at one of the many picnic sites found throughout the Center.
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Directions:
I-94 exit 6, then east 2.7 miles on Elm Valley Rd.
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