112 West Bloomfield Woods Nature Preserve 

wildlife viewing  |  directions and facility information

A wooden overlook along the West Bloomfield Trail Network provides a good viewing area of the wetlands in the adjoining nature preserve. A permanently mounted telescope enhances viewing of great blue heron nests.
Photo: © Phil Seng & Jonathan Schechter

Photo: © Phil Seng

Though it is located in a bustling suburb only 20 miles from downtown Detroit, this beautiful 162-acre site could easily be mistaken for northern Michigan. Rolling hills covered with stately oak and hickory trees lead down into bottomland forest and wetland areas. In the spring, there are great carpets of white trillium and yellow trout lilies. The site is also home to large black walnut trees and beautiful native dogwoods. The nature preserve is the western trailhead of the West Bloomfield Trail Network, a 4.25-mile rails-to-trails project that meanders through areas of wildflowers, wetlands, woodlands, and residential communities. Bicycles are allowed on the trail network only.

Wildlife Viewing

Photo: © Jonathan Schechter

The primary attraction of this site is the active great blue heron rookery, which is easily visible near the west end of the trail network. The rookery overlook features a permanently mounted telescope for close-up viewing of approximately 100 great blue heron nests. Courtship begins in March and the nesting activity continues until the young leave the nesting area in early July. A 2.5-mile trail (1/2 mile of which is barrier free) wanders through the glacially sculpted hills and valleys of the nature preserve, which is frequented by over 100 bird species, white-tail deer, red fox, coyote, and weasels. Sightings of soaring turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, and osprey are no longer rare.