Park address: 3135 Birchwood Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Hours and Rules
Open 6 a.m.-midnight with quiet hours beginning at 10 p.m. Unless otherwise posted per City Council resolution, when a park is closed, no person shall remain in or enter it other than to quietly sit or walk. Refer to Chapter 39 of the City of Ann Arbor Code of Ordinances for park regulations and rules. Smoking is prohibited, and dogs must be on leash.
Overview
Foxfire West Nature Area is a 7-acre natural area off of Birchwood Drive just north of Dhu Varren Road on the city's north side that contains wetlands and a branch of the Traver Creek. View the Ann Arbor Parks & Nature Areas Map for location context.
Foxfire West Nature Area is one of a number of city park properties with no trails or amenities. These natural areas represent a unique recreation and conservation feature of the city’s park system. In these relatively few spaces across the city, off-trail exploration is encouraged – a rare opportunity to meander through a wild space in our urban context. Visitors are also invited to reflect on the conservation value and biodiversity of these spaces, where the Parks & Recreation’s Natural Area Preservation staff and volunteers work to steward, restore and inventory the natural communities throughout the city’s parks.
Adjacent to Olson Park, Foxfire West provides an important habitat corridor for wildlife that depend on water, such as muskrat and ducks. It also hosts a variety of wetland wildflowers that support butterflies. Natural Area Preservation is restoring this area to improve habitat and reduce invasive species.
Access and Parking
The park's main entrance is off of Birchwood Drive. There is street parking along the road. A portion of the park also borders Hickory Point Drive.
The park is accessible on foot by sidewalks throughout the neighborhood to the east and north of the park. There are bike lanes but no sidewalks along Dhu Varren Road.
Nearby city parks include Olson Park to the west, Dhu Varren Woods Nature Area to the southeast, and Foxfire North Park to the northeast.
Public Transportation: There are bus stops on Dhu Varren Road at the corners of Birchwood Drive, Omlesaad Drive, and Carrot Way - all within a 10-15 minute walk from the park. Visit The Ride for closest stops and route details or check out the parks ride guide.
Using a phone? - Click for a GPS Tracker and Wayfinding Map
Volunteer
There are ongoing and limitless opportunities for volunteering and getting engaged with the Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Services Unit. Natural Area Preservation has volunteer opportunities that support their mission to protect and restore Ann Arbor's natural areas and to foster an environmental ethic among within the community. If you are feeling the call to volunteer or give some time, reach out or explore the website above to see what’s upcoming or how to get involved.
Report a Problem - A2 Fix It
To report any maintenance issues or other problem during your park visit, please report through A2Fix It. When reporting an issue in a park please include location details. There is a details and description section near the end of the request process to help you provide this. In addition, users can utilize the pin (website) or X (mobile app) feature to provide specific location information inside the park. Finally, please consider including a wide angle photo or include background landmarks, which helps staff find and fix the problem.
Gifts and Donations
Information on donating to the parks and the Guide to Giving can be found here. For special projects ideas in natural areas, Natural Area Preservation staff will guide you and provide project guidelines unique to natural areas.
History
Ann Arbor's city parks sit on the ancestral and traditional homelands of several indigenous Native peoples. Read a land acknowledgement from the city and learn more about the early history of the land here.
Learn more about the history and restoration efforts at Foxfire West Nature Area:
2002 Park Focus: Foxfire West Nature Area by Ross Orr
2018 Park Focus: Foxfire West by Rebecca Snider
Updated February 2023. Email
[email protected] for incorrect/outdated information.
