Exercise Guide: West Lake County Preserve

This is NOT an in-person event.

These Exercise Guides are intended to assist and encourage exploration of parks and natural areas in the Huron Valley Group region. Please enjoy them on your own or with others.

Visit West Lake Preserve, a wonderful preserve north of Chelsea on West Lake (pictured above). It has the lake, meadows, woods, and several wetland ponds. The morning I was there the air was full of the sound of Sandhill Cranes and at least two flights of them came over. There is skunk cabbage and Hepatica. There were American Coots, many Ringneck ducks, and some Buffleheads on West Lake and the large pond on the west side of the preserve. Trails were surprisingly dry for a Michigan woods in spring.

The first map below shows the trail system, the 2nd map a suggested route to hit all the woods. The route is basically a loop through the eastern part of the woods, then a loop in the western part, connected by walking around the small pond in the middle. The route shown is just under 3 miles.

NOTE: as a Washtenaw County Preserve, dogs are not allowed in West Lake Preserve.