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Oakridge Nature Area

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​​​​​​​Address: 1000 Huron Parkway​, Ann Arbor MI 48105

Acc​e​ss           ​H​i​story

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​​

Oakridge Nature Area is an eight-acre natural area on Glazier Way, on both sides of Huron Parkway, north of nearby Gallup Park. 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 Oakridge 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.

Oakridge is an undeveloped nature area, there are no trails, no amenities and no parking onsite. The western portion of the park is easy to view from the sidewalk, while the larger eastern portion is dense growth. Oakridge contains over 100 native species found in these valuable oak-hickory woods. Miller​ Creek runs through the area, next to a small fen, a rare type of Michigan wetland.​

Access and Parking

There is no parking at the park. There is street parking on nearby Wolverhampton Lane​, about a 5 minute walk from the park.

The park is accessible on foot and bicycle via Huron Parkway. There are paved sidewalks along both sides of the road. There are no bike racks at the park.

Oakridge is a relatively short walk ​(10-15 minutes or less) from Glazier Hill Nature Area, Ruthven Nature Area, Gallup Park and Furstenberg Nature Area.​

​Public Transit:​ There is a bus ​stop​ immediately adjacent to the park on Huron Parkway. 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




Volun​teer

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.​​​​

Repor​t 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 an​​​d Donations 

Information on donating to the parks and the Guide to Giving can be found he​re​. For special projects ideas in natural areas, Natural Area Preservation​ staff will guide you and provide project guidelines unique to natural areas.​​​​

Histo​​​ry

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​.​​

Read a Natural Area Preservation (NAP) Newsletter highlighting the area:

2015 Park Focus: Oakridge Nature Area by Mary Adams


​Updated February​ 2023. Email [email protected] for incorrect/outdated information.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​