Park Address: 3225 Sunnywood Dr, Ann Arbor MI 48103
Hours and Rules
Open 6 a.m.-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
Lakewood Nature Area is a seven acre natural area on the west side of town, adjacent to Lakewood Elementary School and connected to Dolph Nature Area. View the Ann Arbor Parks & Nature Areas Map for location context. Although Lakewood Nature Area is somewhat small, it is connected to Lakewood Elementary's woods on the east and the expansive Dolph Nature Area on the west through which park visitors can continue their hikes. This area is fairly hilly, with several streams and ravines cutting through the park. The hills are blanketed by oak-hickory woodlands, with a rich understory of wildflowers. Lakewood is an excellent spot to observe migratory birds on their way through our area. Adjacent parks also contain woodlands plus several lakes and open areas.
Access and Parking
The main access to this park is off of Sunnywood Drive, and there is parking on the street. The park can also be accessed by trails connecting to Dolph Nature Area which has a parking lot. The park's trails also connect to the adjacent Lakewood Elementary School.
Bike & Pedestrian Access: The park can be accessed on foot and bike using the surrounding neighborhood streets. Sunnywood does not have sidewalks. Jackson Road, the major road north of the park, has a sidewalk but no bike lanes. There are no bike racks at the park.
Public Transit: The nearest bus stop is on Jackson Road at Parklake Avenue, about a 10 minute walk from the park entrance. 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
Amenities
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.
Lakewood Nature Area was acquired by the City of Ann Arbor in 1969 from the Wagner Corporation. The property was ecologically valuable and included land connecting to the Second Sister Lake. Neighbors and the adjacent Lakewood Elementary School had advocated to keep this space as parkland rather than letting it be developed. Teachers at the school had been using the woods as a natural laboratory for teaching science.
Updated November 2022. Email
[email protected] for incorrect/outdated information.
