Bird Hills Nature Area

A shady little trail system to take a hike and unwind. All dirt and a little stumpy if you’re not use to primitive trails. The mapping system could use a little help.

Parts closer to Huron River were excellent. Amazing the kind of hilly terrain that sits just outside of town. As you get towards the back of the park there is alot of road noise from M-14. Path can connect to other park areas, but we didn't find them to be as nice as Bird Hill.

Just stunning trails with challenging elevations for runners! Parking is right by the trail entrance and there are multiple trail markers to show direction to nearest roads. The trails themselves are very well-kept with several fallen trees being moved out of trails or cut to keep the trail clear. I came across another person every 15 mins or so when going in the evening, but all were very polite and left the area feeling very serene and peaceful.

Trails are crazy confusing if your don't know them but they're beautiful. I found the trails to be challenging but not overly so. I would definitely go back is I had more of the day to explore. It's a really beautiful area. I took lots of photos of the woods as I walked and there were so many great little spots. I went here after therapy and it was the perfect place to recenter myself after a tough session. If I hadn't gotten quite lost, I would've given 5 stars.

Took me a bit to find an entrance. Small parking lot (Newport entrance). Beautiful place to hike, but very hilly. Kid & dog friendly, although there were many off leash dogs The trails are qell kept and well marked. Entering from Newport entrance you will hear a lot of road noise at first. But it subsides after a few minutes, as you work your way into the interior of the preserve. There weren't any trash cans in the preserve. So be prepared if your furry friend goes #2.

Great place for a short, non strenuous hike. Multiple trails. The trails get muddy when it rains. By itself, the Bird Hills Nature Area's trails don't have much by way of views. But if you go to the Barton Area parking lot, there is a dam that connects a lake to a river. If you go further down that trail (away from Bird Hills and towards Huron Pkwy) there are a few more nice spots for views of a lake.

There is a small parking lot when you pull in. The forest is more spread out than other parks. It’s nice and spacious. Gives a different kind of woodsy feel. I didn’t see any birds though and was bummed about that.

Good balance of trails with many lines to choose. Diverse wildlife and lots of shaded areas to cool down. Get off your bootie and check it out!

Very spacious and gives a different kind of woodsy feeling. There is a small parking lot in front. I didn't see any birds though and was disappointed by that.

This is my favorite place to hike in Ann Arbor - hands down! The trail system at Bird Hills is so complex and even though you're surrounded by roads and definitely on at least one side by a busy highway, you truly feel like you're in the middle of nowhere when you're here, which I love. But don't worry, this place is relatively popular and well trafficked, so you'll never be alone alone if that worries you. But there's plenty of space for everyone because these trails are wide, a lot of the trails overlap/criss cross all over the place so you'll see or hear people nearby but not be necessarily on the same trail as them. This place is extremely dog-friendly, has tons of unique changes to its landscape that keeps the hike interesting, and truly a great one to do in all seasons, although I am super partial to fall and winter hikes at Bird Hills especially because it's just absolutely gorgeous!

Decided to change it up for our Sunday stroll & checked out Bird Hills! It felt like the right amount of outdoors-y for me -- meaning that it wasn't a paved path, BUT it also didn't feel like I could get lost in there. There are a couple of forks in the hiking path, but you'll eventually loop around! Also, LTE works fine out here, so you can check on your map to make sure. I can imagine how beautiful & woodsy this is during late spring/summer, but I enjoyed how serene it was. There were interesting trees as well as good bird & squirrel activity! The paths are a bit more narrow than Nichols Arboretum, but there are way less people. So in the scheme of social distancing, it worked just fine. There's parking right off of Newport Rd. that fits ~10-12 cars. There's also a small parking area on Bird RD as well and in the Barton Nature area lot (near the Barton Dam).

Surround yourself with woods and listen to the sounds of nature. I entered at Bird and Huron. The paths have markers with the name of roads, which it leads in to. I like the soft natural surfaces and how the varying elevation to get in a good workout. Adjacent to Barton Nature trail if you would like to extend your hike.

Few things are more rejuvenating than a walk in the woods. Add in some friends on a nice weekend, and you've got a recipe for a great afternoon! This was just the recipe that I followed recently when a friend suggested meeting up for a hike at Bird Hills. New to the area, I hadn't heard of it yet but was eager to discover a new place to enjoy the great outdoors. As I drove along the Huron River to get there, I realized I had probably driven right past it before and didn't even realize it was tucked away in the surrounding hills. After parking in a small lot, we got started on our hike. Letting her dog lead the way, we meandered you and down the trails and through the fallen leaves. Some rain started to drizzle as we hiked, but still didn't dampen the fun on that weekend afternoon. After a few miles, we had made our way back to where we started, and back to reality. It was a great way to take a break from the ordinary, and it won't be long before you find me at Bird Hills Park again!

Not too far from my house is a wonderful sanctuary called Bird Hils Nature Area and this time of year it's incredible. The fall leaves, the colors, the deer wandering through...it's the best. It's great for hiking (with plenty of paths and also unworn territory to explore), jogging (although it's a bit hilly and some of the paths can be rocky/rooted), dog walking, and just breathing and taking in nature. In the spring I hear it's also a pretty good spot for morel mushroom hunting, although I have yet to explore that option. I agree that the highway sounds can be a bit of a bummer but I prefer walking/running along to music so I just popped in my headphones and listened to some sweet jams and was able to tune it out.

Doesn't look that big when you pull up but me and my S/O definitely got lost in there very nice park for hiking cool things to see such as chipmunks,squirrels, different types of mushrooms definitely somewhere I'll come back to

Amazing hiking, running area with hilly ups and downs. Several options for parking. The only negative thing is proximity to the highway. Hope they move the high way (lol jk)

I feel like a jerk only giving this 3 stars, as it is a lovely bit of woods to wander through. Well kept, meandering, hilly, shaded trails. Close enough to civilization that I could figure out where I was on the trail map with my cell phone's GPS. (what? I never earned my orienteering badge) Negatives (or, not negatives so much as slightly less positive things...) (1) The aforementioned GPS had no idea where the parking lot was, so getting there was trickier than anticipated. (2) There is quite a bit of traffic noise. Hardly the fault of Bird Hills Nature Area, but you don't feel like you are really *in* nature until you have hiked quite a ways. (3) There is no big payoff. You go from the fence on one side to the fence on the other side. Not a deal breaker, but since other parks in the area include great city views or follow the Huron River or what have you, I thought I would mention it.

I live close to the park and have been there many times. The best trails are at the east end. They are less traveled and a little bit more up and down. If you are looking for birds, go to thr end of bird road and enter the park across the street. There isn't much wildlife in bird hills due to the high amount of people and dogs.