Park Address: 1523 Newport Creek Dr, Ann Arbor MI 48103
Hours and Rules
Open 6 a.m. to 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
Newport Creek Nature Area is a small one-acre wooded nature area in the far northwest of Ann Arbor, just west of Newport Road and north of M-14. View the Ann Arbor Parks & Nature Areas Map for location context. Occasionally, visitors may encounter a city park with no trails – as is the case at Newport Creek Nature Area. 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 work to steward, restore and inventory the natural communities throughout the city’s parks.
Newport Creek Nature Area contains a variety of small animals, birds and flowers. It is undergoing restoration efforts by the staff and volunteers of the Natural Area Preservation Program to remove non-native invasive plants. Not far from Newport Creek are Skyline High School, Bird Hills Nature Area, Riverwood Nature Area, and White Oak Park.
Access and Parking
There is street parking along Newport Creek Drive and Timber Trail.
There are sidewalks in the neighborhood but nearby Newport Road has no sidewalks or bike lanes. There are no bike racks at the park.
Public Transportation: The nearest bus stop is on Newport Road at Newport Creek Drive, less than a 3 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 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.
The land for Newport Creek Nature Area and Riverwood Nature Area were dedicated to the City of Ann Arbor by the neighborhood's developer as part of the development agreement which was signed in 1998, as the area was being developed. New housing developments had a requirement that a certain area had to be dedicated as public parkland. The installation of a sign in the park was also part of this agreement.
Read a NAP Newsletter which includes a small park focus on Newport Creek:
2021 Park Focus: Newport Creek Nature Area by Hannah Bradshaw
Updated January 2023. Email [email protected]a2gov.org for incorrect/outdated information.
