The Kalamazoo Nature Center is home to over 14 miles of hiking trails winding through woods, wetlands, and prairies. Cross country skis and snowshoes welcome (trails are not groomed). Download the trail map or stop in to the Visitor Center or Welcome Station to pick up a printed map.
Did you know? KNC has a weather station, funded in part by Enviroweather! Check the forecast here and prepare for an amazing day at KNC.
KNC’s Adopt-A-Trail Program provides a way for individuals and businesses to sponsor maintenance on KNC’s extensive trail system. Adopt a Trail here >
Click on the images below to learn more about each trail!
0.7 mile/0.5 mile | Easy
Easy walk through fields to a reconstructed prairie awash with color in summer and fall. Look for bluebirds and swallows at the nest boxes.
0.5 mile loop | Easy
Enjoy accessible pathways with favorites including the Hummingbird-Butterfly Garden, Sculpture Tour, and Nature’s Playground.
0.8 mile | Moderate
Steep descent to a vernal pool. Look for signs of deer and wild turkeys. Huge maples can be found in the sugar grove.
0.7 mile | Moderate
Hike through woodlands, pine plantations, and old meadows. Includes a short, steep climb.
0.7 mile loop | Easy
Hike through pond, fen, stream, and forest habitats with a spur trail into the middle of the fen.
0.7 mile loop | Moderate
Hike through an old growth beech-maple forest along a stream. Spring wildflowers bloom abundantly and owls can be heard.
0.2 mile | Easy
Follow Trout Run to where it empties into the Kalamazoo River. Discover aquatic life in the stream or watch birds along the river.
0.2 mile | Moderate
Hike along a ridge overlooking Trout Run Stream. Find many wildflowers in the spring and colorful foliage in the fall.
0.4 mile loop | Difficult
Climb to one of the highest points in the county for views of the Kalamazoo River valley. Examine rocks in the old gravel pit.
2.7 mile loop | Difficult
Trek to the southern border of KNC through the 140-acre prairie, into the forest, and back through the gravel pit.
0.6 mile | Moderate
Take a tour into the past and visit the DeLano Homestead, the pioneer log cabin, and the sugar shack (buildings open for special events).
0.3 mile | Easy
A mowed grass trail running past the farmyard and into the woods. Look for animals near the small streams along the trail.
0.9 mile | Moderate
Walk through farm fields and forest to the pristine Source Pond. Look for pileated woodpeckers, turtles, and other wildlife.
0.5 mile | Moderate
Hike through a young forest and past small ponds to a tunnel under North Westnedge Avenue.
0.8 mile | Moderate
Walk in a mature forest overlooking Trout Run Stream. A cattail marsh borders the stream.
1.0 mile loop | Difficult
This challenging trail heads through towering tulip trees and successional saplings along the edge of the Trout Run watershed.
Thank you to the following people for adopting a trail at KNC this year! KNC’s Adopt-A-Trail Program provides a way for individuals and businesses to partner with KNC by sponsoring trail maintenance on specific trails. Learn more and adopt a trail here.
Arborteum Loop
Michelle Yiu
Bluebird Trail
Lily Lou & Tevy Blue Lane
Fern Valley Trail
Bob Nixon
Habitat Haven Trail
Hon. Julie M. Rogers and Dr. Ed Orloff
Prairie Pathway Trail
Martha and Ray “Ted” Parfet, Jr.
Raptor Ridge Trail
Cody White
Brett Jensen
Ridge Run Trail
Candace Mayo
River Walk Trail
Sharon Pratt
Source Pond Trail
Vogt Family Trail
Beech Maple Trail
Mary Francois
Ross Jensen and Meg Evans
Trout Run Trail
Carrie Brown
The Arboretum features winding pathways surround by native plantings, taking visitors along the sculpture tour to the Hummingbird-Butterfly Garden, a popular outdoor space for weddings and special events.In addition, the Arboretum also features stunning trees, many donated by individuals over the past 60+ years. To find a tree donated in memory of a person, or to identify individual trees are you are walking in the garden, view the interactive map of the Arboretum trees here.
Please note: The Kalamazoo Nature Center is a private nature preserve.
Dogs, camping, drones, and firearms are not permitted. Bicycles and motorized vehicles are not permitted on the trails.
KNC’s Arboretum Loop is a 0.5 mile trail that walks you through the natural Hummingbird/Butterfly Garden, Sculpture Tour and Nature’s Playground. The Monica A. Evans Arboretum was designed to nurture hummingbirds and butterflies, filled with plantings and flowers that provide food sources and shelter for these delicate creatures. Brick steps will lead you into the Garden, which is surrounded by hedges and shrubs to form an intimate space. Within that space, you will find the memorial and honorarium bricks that represent significant events in the recipients’ lives.
