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PrintA Field Guide to Parks
Drive or bicycle in almost any direction from where you are right now, and you’ll be heading towards a park. As the price of gas soars, it’s a perfect time to explore some of the natural areas and public parks in our vicinity.
There may be county, city, town and township parks all within the borders of the county where you live. Each is funded primarily by the taxes appropriated by those specific local governments and, in some cases, user fees. This Field Guide to Parks will help you get to know a few of these special places, including some lesser known parks in our region.
Town Parks
Most town parks are managed by the town board or a town park board. Some are less than an acre in size. If you stop at Memorial Park in New Carlisle, look for the St. Joseph County champion Hackberry tree.
Township Parks
Township parks vary in size and scope. Clay Township Park in South Bend is 48 acres with playfields, picnic shelters and a half-mile river trail that terminates at the historic Darden Bridge. Up in Jefferson Township in Cass County, Michigan, there is a tiny park behind the Township Hall. It features a unique picnic pavilion constructed from a grain bin.
City Parks
Pools, playgrounds and playfields frequently fill city parks. They often specialize in sports leagues, community centers and fitness facilities. But not all fit that mold. For a breezy spot to laze away a hot summer day, visit Lake Bluff Park in St. Joseph, Michigan, overlooking Lake Michigan and a restored carousel. Mishawaka’s Shiojiri Niwa on East Mishawaka Avenue is a lovely Japanese strolling garden that symbolizes the sister-city relationship between Mishawaka and Shiojiri City, Japan. And, you’ll find a gem of a forest in South Bend when you visit Rum Village Park featuring disc golf, trails and a nature center.
County Parks
Berrien, Cass, Elkhart, St. Joseph and LaPorte counties all have magnificent county parks. These properties are usually larger than city parks, less developed and often feature outstanding natural landscapes. From Madeline Bertrand County Park’s disc golf course in Niles to St. Patrick’s County Park’s canoe rental on the St. Joe in South Bend and the working grist mill at Bonneyville Mill County Park in Bristol, county parks have a huge variety of outdoor opportunities to explore.
Nature Preserves
In Michigan, almost anyone can call their property a nature preserve, but in Indiana they are designated by the Department of Natural Resources as places with unique ecosystems. They may be owned and managed by the IDNR, or by county parks or land trusts. Lieber Nature Preserve on County Road 23, north of the Toll Road in Elkhart County, hosts prairie plants and a boardwalk overlooking Pipewort Pond. If you are looking for a quiet, unembellished place to hike, a nature preserve can be a good choice. Just keep in mind they rarely have amenities such as restrooms or shelters.
State Parks
Our nearest state parks include Indiana’s 4000 acre Potato Creek State Park in North Liberty and Michigan’s Warren Dunes State Park in Bridgman. Lesser known Warren Woods State Park in Sawyer, Michigan is a lovely beech-maple forest along the Galien River. Its trails are beloved by birders and wildflower enthusiasts in spring. The big beech trees are impressive.
National Parks
Not too far away is Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, in Porter, Indiana, which is a national park. It is renowned for its biodiversity, featuring over 15,000 acres of dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers and forests as well as 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. Birds adore it. Over 350 species have been identified here. Visitors love it, too. From camping to swimming or climbing the giant dune known as Mount Baldy, over two million visitors go to the park each year.
Family Activity: Park Bingo
Create a bingo sheet that lists a different city, town, county or state park in each square and hang it on your refrigerator. See how many you can visit this summer! Can you cover them all?
Or, create a bingo sheet with things your little one might spot in your nearest park. Bench, swing, pond, bird feeder, trashcan, tree. It’s a great way to focus her attention on a hike!
