Kalamazoo Wildflowers

Last Spring, a blog reader asked me for recommendations on where to see wildflowers near Kalamazoo. Here's what I told her:

The Kalamazoo Nature Center (just north of Kalamazoo on Westnedge Ave) is the place I visit most frequently for Spring wildfowers.

Markin Glen County park, is also on Westnedge Ave, a couple miles south of the nature center & it's very nice for the early Spring flowers (Dutchman's Breeches, Spring Beauty, etc).

I'd also recommend Russ Forest Park in Cass county; I make an effort to visit it every Spring.

Also in Cass County is the Dowagiac Woods Nature preserve of the Michigan Nature Association which can be spectacular.

Sarret Nature Center, near Benton Harbor, can be nice, too.


Many of the State Parks have good trails and nice wildflower displays. Muskegon's JP Hoffmaster State Park is probably the best known with its annual Trillium Festival. Warren Woods State Park is closer and should be good for wildflowers. Warren Dunes State Park has some nice wooded trails with wildflowers. (Most of its visitors stick to the beaches and dunes, but the forested areas are nice too.)

There's a nice webpage, Michigan Wildflowers, that has photos of many wildflowers blooming in Michigan


Enjoy your hikes!
Chuck



Thanks to Stacy for asking the question.