This is a wonderful place to see so many birds. It is usually not as crowded as some of the larger…read morezoos in the area. Which adds to the enjoyment in my opinion. The whole sanctuary is a great place for singles, couples, families and anyone who enjoys wildlife. Young kids get a thrill out of seeing the birds. And in non COVID times can feed them too. Adding to children's enjoyment. There are some birds in captivity (usually rehabbed animals) which are common in Michigan. Then the lake and ponds are great places to see waterfowl in their natural habitat. This is a treasure in Kalamazoo county. And a place not to be missed.

Went to hike with friends after school. We got scavenger hunt maps which was neat for the kids to…read moresearch for to cross off. We were able to see several birds and learn about them. Birds journeys that led them to be at the sanctuary. Usually you get to feed them but not today since they had a flu going around. Nice paved paths to walk on for strollers and wagons. Bathroom area to use if you need to go. Swans are so much bigger in up close viewing.

Hidden nature trail, you never believe this is only 20 min away from Kalamazoo, hiking, house…read moreridding, pretty in summer, great place to ski in winter, part of Kellogg Biological Station, open to public. It is a part of the National Park's North Country National Scenic Trail form NY to North Dakota under construction, longest continuous hiking trail in US! http://www.nps.gov/noco/index.htm After the rainy day all the forest trees smells REFRESHING! Jan/ 2014 About a beautiful swamp board walk: a secret garden Just before the covered bridge and trail entrance gate form the parking lot, go walk left-north, there are rest room, maple syrup log house, picnic area beside the trout creek, keep walking for about 5min. The end of the road with a driving loop, you will see the bridge to cross the creek. Cross the creek walk bridge and you will find the most beautiful little area of this forest, board walk through the swamp with water plants. Best time is in Spring green time. Stay walk along with the creek side trail ( stay with left trails) and cross the high voltage power line. You will see the maple syrup gathering place, start crumbing along with north side syrup correcting tubes you will go back to the north end of main trail. It is about 15min walk. If you like to stay in loop trail, go straight up to the bit steep trail form the main road crossing ( there are two trails go up hill, go right-south hill trail). about 50min you be back to the east side of the covered bridge to the parking lot. This is a great walk including 20 min climbing - cardio, and 15min relaxing gentle down hill, feels like taking exercise class. Have a little great time in nature! Map is available at the ranger station beside the parking lot!

The Kellogg Research Forest is an interesting & m as maintained forestry research facility. Like…read morethe USFS, it's a bit too rah rah forestry industry focused but is genuinely educational about the tree species on display in various stands ... there is a surprising number of species showing what goes into commercializing a selected species or figuring out which species will thrive under which environmental conditions...

This park is LOVELY ! My kids love it there !!! I love how all the parents that come there are so…read morefriendly and so clean also after the emails. Wonderful park !

My kids love going to this playground! It's huge and I like that there's a lot for kids of all ages…read moreto do. The covered picnic table pavilion is awesome so if it's raining or too sunny we can have some shelter. There's a bathroom (not open yet, but hopefully soon!). Also I like that there are only two entrances to get into the playground area, and they're both way from the street. This makes me feel like my kids are more guarded. My negative is there are some sketchy people that do come out to just hang around here, and lots of people smoking around the playground.

i've been going to spring valley park since i was 10 years old. i'm 62 yrs young. there used to be…read morea small island out in the water. they drained it twice. there used to be a nice wooden bridge , but hooligans destroyed it. theres deaks pond , with its water drop. i could go on for days about it , but you just need to experience it yourself !!! a nice park (lots of improvements) .

Wow what a park, wrapped around the lake. I didn't realize the sheer size of the place.read more

Very nive older park...there a raceway. Plently of good water to fish, good spots to put an eskimo…read morecanoe in the water. I dont know who fannie pell was yet...but she has a nice park named after her.

A beautiful park that has a nice drive lined with trees all the way up to the honor system pay…read morebooth. Although it didn't seem very sizable, it has plenty of accommodations, including facilities, soccer fields softball fields, and I believe a miniature airplane flying field as well. (unless my Spidey sense is leading me the wrong way.). Really a very beautiful area and perfect for walking dogs (on a leash)

I absolutely loved this dog park the first couple times I visited. But, since then my dog has been…read moreattacked 5 times by two different dogs. The dog just darts for mine who is just wondering around the park and this last time made contact with my dog and bit her and rammed into her butt. I confronted the owner and she acted like her dog did no wrong and didn't show any aggression. Then later she put her dog on the leash and it went after a different dog but she still claims the dog "showed no aggression". Great area but unfriendly dogs.

I loved my solo afternoon at Kalamazoo Nature Center. The trails are well kept and clearly marked,…read morewith plenty of benches along the way. It's a great spot for photography, and seeing the birds of prey up close was a highlight. The interpretive center is worth a stop, and there's a play area for kids. Bonus: free EV charging with 10 spots in the lot. It's peaceful and clean, and I'll definitely be back.

My family absolutely loves the KNC. When the weather is glum, there are lots of things to do for…read morekids inside. When it's nice outside, there are tons of trails and lots of exploring to be done. We typically start inside, and then we hit the trails. Lots of birds to see and streams to play in. The imagination runs free at Kalamazoo Nature Center! With annual passes available (around $80 for a family), the investment in the community is well worth it!

Great dog park and lots of trees for shade. Very relaxing…read moreand only $5 for a day pass

The dog parks are very nice, some shade and water is available for dogs of all sizes. The drive…read morearound is very nice and tree lined with a nice boat ramp

This review is for Gull Lake Ministries Conference center located on Gull Lake…read more Gull Lake Ministries hosted a conference for the Christian Camping Association this week. Everyone was very hospitable. The housing in which we stayed was amazing. It was essentially a renovated house with four bedrooms upstairs and four downstairs. Each room had a full bathroom and each floor had a full kitchen. The main convention center was built less than 5 years ago; In it there was a rock climbing wall, bowling ally, full gym, game room and plenty of meeting space. The setting of Gull Lake Conference center is unique; Their facilities are interspersed throughout the neighboring community. The dining hall is located right on the lake- great view. Houses surround the entire lake. There is some wooded on t

I loved this lake growing up, so many amazing memories of my childhood here. Whether picnics,…read morebirthdays or family reunions. Great beach and lots of shade, perfect for young families.

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.