Marshall Nature Area is a 79-acre park in the far northeast area of Ann Arbor, at the corner of Plymouth and Dixboro Roads. A small parking area is accessible off Dixboro Rd., just north of Plymouth Road. West from the parking area is an open oak grove (which was the former site of a house). Trails begin at the northwest corner of the oak grove. The trails through the park are unpaved and in some areas are narrow. Small sections of the trail traverse steep slopes. Otherwise, the terrain is gently rolling.
Most of Marshall Nature Area is wooded with some open fields. Much of the forested area is open with mixed hardwoods such as oak, hickory, maple and beech. Dogwoods and a variety of wildflowers add springtime color to the park. Pockets of planted pine and spruce are found on the south and west side of the park. The main trail will loop through both types of woods and the fields. Small, seasonally wet areas are found along the loop trail, so be prepared. The area directly north of the parking lot is mostly shrub-thicket. A trail from Dixboro Rd. bisects this area and joins the main trail in the eastern most field. Areas of the park are undergoing restoration by the staff and volunteers of the Natural Area Preservation Division. These efforts include prescribed ecological burns and removal of invasive non-native plants from higher quality natural areas of the park.
Click here to view a printable map of Marshall Nature Area (pdf)
