Gorgeous park along the Huron river between Ann Arbor and Dexter. Tons of amenities including an…read more18-hole golf course, disc golf course, picnic areas, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, biking and hiking trails, nature trails, river fishing, and boat launches for canoes and kayaks. My husband and I brought our pups here for a little outdoor time during social distancing and despite it being a gorgeous Saturday early-evening we didn't run into any one else on any of the trails we explored. So it's a really great spot to enjoy some outdoor adventures without worrying about getting too close to other people. Beautifully maintained, tons of parking and pup friendly! Just remember bug spray if you get into the woods/near the river. I forgot and got eaten up quite a bit!

It was an awesome sunny afternoon in early May with temps approaching 60 degrees...the perfect time…read morefor a bike ride. Michigan's Washtenaw County has created a 35-mile "Border-to-Border" paved bicycle trail that winds from Dexter through Tree Town (Ann Arbor) and on to Yipsilanti. Much of the trail is off-road and provides plenty of welcomed shade and river views on a hot summer day. Today, my wife and I chose to ride 10 miles of the B2B Trail in the Dexter area that winds through the Hudson Mills Metropark. Given the pandemic, we saw plenty of courteous walkers, joggers and bikers sharing the 10-foot wide trail which enabled effective social distancing. The Hudson Mills Metropark section of the trail in Dexter is a true gem that offers fresh air, sunshine and the opportunity to get some welcomed exercise. We look forward to the time when we can once again stop into the Riverview Restaurant after our bike ride and enjoy a breakfast or lunch. Until then, we're staying safe in Dexter. 5 stars!

This playground is awesome and a favorite for our kids. They have great facilities, a splash pad,…read moreand a little safety town the kids can enjoy. Play ground itself is huge and has a sand pit and a ton of different activities for climbing and playing all that good stuff. The park is always super clean and has convenient bathrooms and a water fountain as well as vending machines if you need to purchase a drink. Highly recommend if you live in the Woodhaven/Brownstown/Rockwood area!

I really like to take my dogs here. There is a dog park, but I usually just walk the path. The play…read morescape looks kept up and there is a jungle gym, a little village, and in summer I'm pretty they have a water fountain for the kids to play in. There are workout stations on the trail, a baseball field and what I think is a disk golf course (I've never played myself). My photo isn't great, but the park is bigger enough where we can avoid super muddy areas to walk. Plenty of Pokémon stops and gyms if you are a trainer as well.

Check the county website or facebook page before you go!! Recently, the beach at Independence Lake…read morehas had to be shut down several times for high e coli levels. One of the posts said that this is because of the amount of geese that have been frequenting the lake this year or because of runoff from rain. We went once before we knew about the e coli issues and actually had a great time. The beach (we thought) appeared clean and the water was the perfect cool temperature on a hot summer day. The swimming area went deep enough that we could float away from the littles on the shoreline. There were two life guards on duty. They have really amazing facilities where a get together was being held under the pavilion. They have a snack station, but we brought our own chips and sodas. They also have a splash pad with water slides. This area was closed when we went, and you have to pay a little more to access this area. They also have some cool trails and a frisbee golf course. You can bring dogs, but not to the designated swimming area. I hope they figure out the e coli issues because we would love to go back.

Very nice park. Clean water , beach , trails. Not too…read morecrowded. It's hidden in backroad. Definitely will be back again. My daughter enjoyed this park.

A very large park built around 2 lakes. Over 11000 acres with over 40 miles of trails…read more This area offers camping,fishing,boating just to name a few of the many activities offered. Trails are marked but are unpaved and hilly and they can get muddy and slippery when wet so bring hiking gear. Some trails are also used for mountain biking. Plenty of parking is available .

Love these trails in the fall--when the mosquitoes are not bad. Many trails have good hills--but…read morebe careful because there are lots of rocks and roots, and fall leaves make them less visible. Dogs love it here, too. There are endless possible routes...we often do Crooked Lake.

Amazing family fun park/pond. With small sandy beach/water access and volley ball courts…read more They have picnic tables and grills. Restrooms but no shower. There is no lifeguard on duty but there is always some one from the department patrolling for other violations. Talking about violations. NO alcohol/bottles, No animals. Plenty of parking. The sand, grass area, water is clean and well maintained. It does get dirty during peak hours but they do come clean few times a day. This pond is isolated from other water bodies around it. Keeps it little cleaner. Makes it good for scuba diving and there is some fishing as well. The have amazing trail system in the park for cycling and hiking. There is a trail around this pond. If you hike to the back of the pond, there is some water access (private beach). Or a spot to take your girl friend. There are two sand volleyball courts with net. One shed which can be reserved. This park is ideal because it's away from the crowded beaches around the area. Only thing, there could have been more trees in the lawn area for shade and tie your hammock.

Nice walking trails - I think it's about 1.3 miles around the trail one time. Little benches to sit…read moreon and reflect on the world's problems or to just be in nature. Lake is pretty and calming. I saw a couple deer and some little furry friends while on my walk. Not sure if you should stay on the trails but some others who were walking were not......

Beautiful walk, perfect for a quick afternoon stroll. Some areas are nice and shaded and others are…read moresunny!

One of my favorite local parks to walk with my dog! We typically get on the trail from the south…read moreentrance, which has plenty of parking, fields for sports, a play structure, and some pavilions. Hike is on the easier end, with wide paths. Would note that that it is prone to get muddy so expect that after rain and dress accordingly. Note - they've taken down the old boardwalk. Not sure if they are just removing it or if they are creating a new one? Pittsfield township also often has fun activities in the park, like Halloween or St Patrick's Day themed walks/"scavenger hunts". Cute little touch.

Uncrowded park for jogging or walking 2-3 miles near Ann Arbor! I drove here (about 9 minutes)…read morefrom the Hyatt Place. This park has two sections (North and South). I took time to walk along the path from the parking lot, past the soccer fields toward Turtle Pond. You'll need to walk about 0.5 miles to see the pond, but it's a lovely respite and seems dog-friendly. One downside is the proximity of I-94 which means that you'll hear the background noise of cars and trucks in the distance. It's not super-loud, but noticeable if you had expected a serene walk. Another downside is that the trail does not have clear signs or color stripes - but you can figure out the main route by using the pond as your guide. Would recommend folks staying in the hotels on the south side of Ann Arbor to give this park a try - it was really nice for jogging or a long walk.

The first time I came here in April and there were no flowers or green and everything was brown!…read more I came back on the last day of May with my husband and it looked completely different!! There is a lot of green everywhere and soo many different flowers (especially the peonies before they were vandalized)!! We parked in the back where it is about a 15-20 min walk to the peonies. It was a nice and mostly shaded walk. We even saw a new bird (Great Crested Flycatcher)! I think it's only worth coming for the peonies but otherwise, it's free (unless you park in the front and then you have to pay).

We spent two days in AA and this was my favorite activity! What a beautiful time to…read morewitness the thousands of peonies in the peony garden. So many different variations and colors. We stopped by the visitor center and got a guide to the different types of peonies. They also had a restroom which was nice. We took the 2.7 Nichols Walking Trail and really enjoyed the nature, wildlife, scenic city overlooks, and the Huron river views. I would say it's a medium level of hard given that most of the path is easy walking but some steeper inclines and steps that get your heart rate working. It was incredibly pleasant, we spent a little over 90 mins exploring. Also, we learned there is free parking in the Blue M28 lot on the weekends and were able to utilize it! Looked like dogs were welcome, met some friendly pups. Saw people having a picnic in the park and a cute little free library! Such a wonderful place, really glad we came!

I'm so happy to have this lovely park close by. Ann Arbor has a lot of parks, ranging from a…read moretriangle of grass with some benches to parks with trails and canoeing. Allmendinger isn't big enough (like Gallup) to have a bike/walking trail, and it isn't adjacent to a body of water, but it's a dang fine neighborhood park. The majority of the space here is open and sunny, with the side along Pauline offering more shade as well as lots of play equipment for kids and picnic tables. There is an outbuilding, too -- with public bathrooms that are really not that gross, amazingly. They even stuck some sort of fake stained-glass sticker on the windows in the bathroom. I was kinda amused, kinda charmed that someone wanted to make the park bathroom look that nice! There's a drinking fountain outside of this building too, but it doesn't seem to be working. Bummer. There are also two large baseball diamonds, which would be perfect for baseball or kickball.... ... and then, around the periphery of the park is one of my favorite parts: Lilacs! Big, giant bushes (trees, really!)... mini-walls of lilacs. Right now, they are blossoming, and just a walk near them -- either in the park or on the sidewalk smells like heaven. Way to go, whomever planted these beauties long ago, and big ups to the A2 Parks staff for keeping them strong and healthy! I wasn't able to hop on anyone's wi-fi, but I do have a wireless card for my computer, so this can theoretically be my new "outdoor office" now and then. I just have to remember some SPF and camp out on the shady side of things...

This park has a *CARGO NET*!!! Way too small for regular adults to climb though. Makes me wish I…read morewere a kid again... or at least a dwarf (worth it?).

A very small area but it seems bigger as the trails splinter off from the main (larger) one. A…read morelittle tricky to spot as it blends in with neighboring private yards. Well shaded but the mosquitos love it. Thank you neighbor for leaving fruits of your harvest.

A lovely 22-acre park/nature area tucked into the middle of a neighborhood. It's a short walk from…read moremy house so my pup and I go hiking through here on the regular. It's so clean and peaceful, mostly due to the work of the neighbors that live around it. They take fantastic care of it. The entrance to the park from Arborview is surrounded by homes and, at least last summer, one of the homes had a vegetable garden that they labeled with "help yourself" (don't quote me on that if you get in trouble for taking a tomato this year, tho). Lots of greenery, and a number of pathways mean that no two walks are the same. One main, wood chipped pathway runs north/south from Arborview to Miller and then several other, smaller pathways spiderweb off of it. There are a few benches throughout and only a handful of signs so once you get going it may be hard to figure out where you are but it's easy to retrace your steps. Also, it's not so huge that you can't get through it pretty easily. Just last night my pup and I made it there, then through a good chunk of it, and back to our home about 5. mile away in about 45 minutes. If you live on the west side of Ann Arbor and don't have the time to dedicate to heading over to Nichols', Gallup Park, or Bird Hills this will get you your fill of nature quite nicely. You can find a map for the park here if you are so inclined: http://www.a2gov.org/departments/Parks-Recreation/parks-places/Documents/Park%20Maps/Miller%20Nature%20Area%20Map.pdf