Forest Nature Area

Overview

Forest Nature Area is a unique park property— you may have visited without realizing it was city property, or you might not realize that it even exists! Forest is connected to Parker Mill County Park and only accessible by walking through Parker Mill. Both Forest and Parker Mill are managed by the Washtenaw County Department of Parks and Recreation. Forest is a 17-acre woodland and wetland along the Huron River and Fleming Creek​. View the Ann Arbor Parks and Nature Areas map for location context. Fleming Creek flows through the park with a boardwalk following its course. Deep into the park there is a bench at a scenic viewing area along the Huron River. During your walk, you will visit a forest community that has a rich layer of woodland wildflowers. The Hoyt G. Post Trail memorial boardwalk trail leads the hiker through an excellent example of a wet forest including black maple, hackberry and rock elm and has interpretative signs throughout. ​Forest is one of the few Ann Arbor park locations that has hosted the Prothonotary Warbler, which is a species of special concern.​ A historic mill and other buildings are located at the northwest end of Parker Mill.​​ Parker Mill connects to Gallup Park and the B2B Trail runs through the park.