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Chickaming—3.5 miles of trails

Location: Warren Woods Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128, just east of I-94

Trail Length: 5 trails (Prairie Trail, Lake Trail, Woods Trail, Ravine Trail and Bike Trail), 3.5 miles total

Hours: Closes at dusk

Entrance Fee: Free

Parking: Two parking areas – 1) right of Warren Woods Rd and 2) following the gravel roadway from the main lot all the way back to the lake to the second lot

Dog-Friendly: Pets must be on 6 ft leashes

Restrooms: Yes, in parking areas


Blogger Thoughts: (Laura Niemiec) – Beautiful park and preserve, the trail names say it all – Prairie, Lake, and Woods – Be sure to bring bug spray if you hike the trails past the lake, lots of biting flies in the summertime


Unless I am really in a hurry, I always take the scenic route. Making the short drive the Chikaming Township Park and Preserve, I was definitely not in a hurry and took US 12 to Red Arrow Highway before turning off onto Warren Woods Road. You could take I-94 and get off at exit 6 but what’s the hurry?

Pulling into the main lot that sits right off Warren Woods Road, I knew I was in for a treat. While the traffic softly echoed from nearby I-94, I made my way into the lush greenery of the Prairie Trail under the bluest sky and the fluffiest white clouds. It was a sight for the senses. I stop several times on the well-manicured grassy trail leading to the lake marveling at the beauty. As you being the Prairie Trail you can also take a quick detour to the viewing platform that puts you a few steps above the prairie and makes for an excellent photo opportunity.


As you end the Prairie Trail, the second parking lot and picnic area comes into sight. At this location between the Prairie Trail and the lake, you’ll find restrooms, picnic tables, and shelter along with an ADA path from the parking lot to the lake.


To the east, as you walking up to the lake from the picnic area, there is a short trail to the Ravine Floodplain Overlook. It is mostly wooded and as the name implies, the trail is high up on a wooded ravine. The trail appears to loop back but I didn’t traverse it in its entirety, instead opting to backtrack to the lake.


I trekked portions of the Lake Trail and the Woods Trail, with the full intention of doing the entire Lake Trail. Somewhere along the way, in part due to not taking my own advice to use bug spray and swatting away dozens of biting flies, I managed to get turned around and looped back to my starting point by the picnic area. From there, I followed the roadway back to the main lot getting glimpses of the Bike Trail. I wanted to check it out but I’d had enough of the biting flies for the day. I will definitely be back with the weather cools down.


The only trail map I found online was useful, albeit outdated, hence why I was hesitant to do the full Ravine Floodplain Overlook. Be sure to snap a photo of one of the trail maps at either the trailhead of the Prairie Trail or by the picnic area at the lake for reference. The trails are well labeled and well kept.







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