1. Asylum Lake Preserve

0

Kalamazoo, MI

Cancel

Open app

Search

Asylum Lake Preserve

4.9 (11 reviews)

Asylum Lake Preserve Photos

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Asylum Lake Preserve

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Looking at the meandering stream - you can hear the babbling, and see the leaves pass by. It's very relaxing.
Jessica V.

We love walking at Asylum Lake Preserve. There are two entrances - one on Drake, and one on Parkview (that one has a much smaller parking lot). If it is nice out, the parking is usually full! There are many trails within Asylum Lake Preserve. Most are just paths through trees (both alive and fallen), mowed or worn paths through grassy areas, and on the south side of the woods, a bit of leftover pavement at times. I use my wheelchair scooter (it is very durable) to get around if the ground is dry, although it can be challenging at times, with the hills. The whole path system usually takes you close to water - the lakes are gorgeous, with a variety of waterfowl to watch. There are few benches along the paths, but you can always perch on a fallen log. If you go to the south end of the lake, you can find a meandering stream with a bench nearby. It is soothing to listen to the water flow. Note: a LOT of people walk their dogs here. I love that - it's a perfect place! But a cautionary tale: watch where you put your feet. Not every dog owner cleans up after their pet. :( Best of all? It's free! free parking, free to enter, free to roam. This is one of the hidden treasures of Kalamazoo.

Elise B.

We moved close to this preserve and I'm so happy about it! This area has a couple miles of trails, mix of woodchips, gravel, and dirt. Decently well maintained. Lots of picturesque spots all year round. I've seen people ice fishing in the winter. Lots of hikers, walkers, dogs, and hammocks during nice weather. Gets pretty busy when it's nice out, especially during the school year. Even when its busy it's still pretty easy to find quiet areas. Watch out for wildlife especially when driving near the preserve, I've seen many turtles on the road and deer near the road.

Daffodils should be blooming any day now

See all

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of Beth C.
2471
812
8822

6 years ago

Helpful 7
Thanks 0
Love this 9
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

9 years ago

My favorite place to walk on the west side! The trails are amazing! Great place to take pictures

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Ask the Community - Asylum Lake Preserve

Review Highlights - Asylum Lake Preserve

“There are two entrances - one on Drake, and one on Parkview (that one has a much smaller parking lot).”

Mentioned in 2 reviews

Read more highlights

Verify this business for free

People searched for Parks 270 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Milham Park

Milham Park

4.7(6 reviews)
4.0 mi

Of all the parks I experienced during the last weeks in Kalamazoo, Milham Park was my favorite. At…read more49 acres, it is one of the larger parks and it is bisected by Portage Creek. This means that there are three bridges over the creek and they're beyond lovely. Picnic tables and a pavilion (though it needs some sweeping) that has electricity and water fountains and a playground nearby. There are other playgrounds in the park, connected by walking trails. The bridge nearest the entry and parking lot on East Kilgore was my favorite. A paved path from the parking lot, through the pavilion and over the bridge means that this beauty is also available for folks who are mobility challenged. There is a second entrance at Milham Park Road with another bridge and from there, a view of the neighboring golf course. Love, love, love Milham Park. Well done, Kalamazoo. [Review 11245 overall, 1021 of 2019.]

What? No reviews? Are you KIDDING me? This was my go-to park in the Kalamazoo area for the longest…read moretime and I've been coming here for at least 20 years. I used to love climbing the big pines along the water's edge, all the way to the top, back when I was a young adventure-lover. I'm an old adventure-lover now and I weigh more, so it's been a long time since I've done that. There's plenty of space to walk around here along lots of little streams, there's a small but pretty dam, lots of picnic spots. Milham Park is about equidistant from my house and my husband's work so we meet up there for lunch pretty regularly and watch kids feed the birds. Please be aware of what is and isn't safe for birds to eat and do not bring them bread! There's lots of covered picnic areas and BBQ stations, so it would be a great spot for a work or family get-together, a nice playground area for kids. On my last visit a hula hooper was doing all sorts of awesome tricks and we had the best time watching her. It's kind of the bee's knees, actually.

Photos
Milham Park
Milham Park
Milham Park

See all

Woods Lake Park

Woods Lake Park

4.1(7 reviews)
1.8 mi

I have been visiting Woods Lake for several years. I know the Lake is on the small side, but it is…read morecertainly safer than most lakes I have seen. The restrooms, drinking fountain, and picnic pavilion are definitely a plus. They were just recently updated. The water temperature of the lake feels like that if a bathtub. It is very warm. It is also clear enough for me to open my eyes underwater. I have taken my inflatable stand-up paddle board to Woods Lake several times. I know one brat said you'd get swimmer's itch, but I disagree. I never had any issues with water quality. I wear beach socks or water shoes to avoid directly touching anything with my bare feet, and I stay in the area just in front of the sandy shore. I know most of the sandy shore has been submerged, but that's what fucking happens with inland lakes!

We've been swimming here for years, so I was surprised to see I hadn't written a review yet!…read more This park has a sandy (with some gravel) beach, accessed via a hilly sidewalk from the handicap parking next to the newish picnic pavilion. Note: to get to the handicap parking, you don't park up top (and walk down those stairs, obviously!), but drive down a clearly marked accessible road down to the four handicap spaces nearer to the beach. You will still have to walk/wheel from those spots to the water. The water starts out really shallow (good for playing, if you have littles), and then goes deep pretty quickly. There is often a bunch of seaweed near to the shore, and, depending on the weather, the water can be murky. Persevere! STILL! It is a swimmable lake, and feels really good to get in the water, so close to home. There's a small playground area, a grassy area next to the sidewalks, and then, along the lakeshore, plenty of space for fishing.

Photos
Woods Lake Park - Cool plant

Cool plant

Woods Lake Park
Woods Lake Park

See all

Lakeview Park

Lakeview Park

4.5(2 reviews)
7.2 mi

Thanks to our friends, we had a chance to see and enjoy this park…read more The park has great view to the lake with two decks on each side. We saw some folks fishing while we were there. There's also a small trail where you can exercise too. Don't worry, there are a couple of picnic areas for you and your family to bbq and enjoy the serenity of the beautiful lake. The parking lot has lights so when you leave the park at sunset, you won't be walking in the dark to your car.

It really is such a shame that this park doesn't have a beach. We are super fortunate to live on…read moreone of the Portage lakes and have access all the time, but between West, Austin, and Long Lake's parks only Long Lake has a beach (at Ramona Park). Nonetheless, this park has incredible views and offers decent fishing opportunities off of two extended docks, one of which features a large covered gazebo with benches. The playground area here looks legit, and my partner and I always enjoy stopping for a break here when we do a 9-mile cycling route that basically wraps around Austin Lake plus an extra mile each way to access the route from where we live. As with Long Lake, the boat launch is at a completely separate location from the park. Unlike Ramona Park, there is no charge to park at Lakeside Park. We are super excited at the prospect of all the cycling routes in the Vicksburg and Portage area connecting soon. Work got underway on connecting the Vicksburg path into Portage early last year but was halted due to the pandemic. So happy to have a little bit of spring-like weather this week to get out and celebrate all the wonderful natural spaces in our community.

Photos
Lakeview Park - This was Tuesday. Probably completely melted now

This was Tuesday. Probably completely melted now

Lakeview Park
Lakeview Park

See all

Merrill Park

Merrill Park

4.0(2 reviews)
7.0 mi

The park is under some construction through September which is a bummer but from what they've dug…read moreup, it looks like there will be some great improvements. The ball field will go away but they're putting in new playground equipment, new pavilion, new basketball courts and updated restrooms. In the meanwhile, the parking lot is still there, the river is still there (note the warning about eating the fish) and it's a nice, peaceful spot. [Review 11208 overall, 984 of 2019.]

This is our go-to putting-in point for kayaking to Arcadia Ales (it's round about an hour's paddle…read more-- longer if you're feeling leisurely and faster if you're going for a big workout). Plenty of parking, tons of covered picnic area. We staged about 75 kayaks/paddleboards/canoes there for a recent Kanoe the Kazoo event and it didn't feel too crowded on the riverbank, which was awesome. However, you've got to be pretty strategic about how you put in (fortunately we had seasoned paddlers leading our group who gave good advice about how to put in, but those who tried to enter the river closer to the woods/fence/parking lot got caught up in some wicked current. Be sure to put in farther out toward the picnic structure and park and paddle across the river then let the current drift you across the mini-rapids. Don't forget -- it's unsafe to eat the fish from the Kalamazoo River. We saw tons of people fishing on our recent excursion and really worried about their health. A few people were sad to see a small tent city on the river's edge -- personally it made me happy that some of the homeless had found a more pleasant haven than the city parks. Just a matter of perspective, I suppose. One of the "tent cities" was also a group of 5 matching, new-looking tents so I suspect that group was a group of people kayak-camping.

Photos
Merrill Park
Merrill Park
Merrill Park - Merrill Park, Comstock MI

See all

Merrill Park, Comstock MI

Asylum Lake Preserve - parks - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...