Nichols Arboretum

Credit: Jen Bizzotto

Distance

.75-2.0 miles on Arboretum trails; about .5-1.0 miles to an entrance, of which there are several, all delineated on the map.

General Attributes

This route - or these paths, rather - is a popular destination for students, making the Arboretum one of the more populated parks in Ann Arbor. Trails mostly consist of bark or dirt; the terrain is variable, crossing from peony gardens to meadows, meadows to woods, woods to riverfront, riverfront to lawns - et cetera. It's a diverse terrain. The trails in the Arb are mostly hilly, but they can range from being long and slight to short and steep, and that's largely something you can control: the shorter, steeper ones will tend to get you through the wooded areas, where you can also spend a fair amount of time on a basically flat ridge line.

Navigation

The Arb can be approached from Geddes Avenue, Washington Heights Road (near the University of Michigan Medical School Building and Markley Dormitory), a University of Michigan Hospital parking lot that opens into a long staircase, and Gallup Park. All entrances (excepting the last, which crosses railroad tracks) are well-marked and easy to find, particularly with the help of a map.

Amenities

Nichols Arboretum offers not only water but also a portable outhouse by the Huron River. If the Environmental Education Center (positioned at the Washington Heights entrance) is open, bathrooms are available inside; outside, there will be a drinking fountain and an information board with a map. Note: access to portable outhouse and drinking fountain during winter months is unconfirmed.

During the Winter

I wouldn't advise visiting the Arb during the winter. Snow will likely have not been plowed or pressed down by others' traveling; it tends to get very deep, especially on the smaller (more interesting) trails because it builds up without ever melting down. Furthermore, it's difficult to get very far into the Arb without finding a hill (unless you enter from the hospital parking lot and continue running by the river), making it a complicated and dangerous endeavor to find a foothold.

Source

Barton Nature Area

Credit: Jen Bizzotto

Distance

1.0-2.5 miles on trails and paths, depending on which (and how far) you wander on (or down); 2.5 miles to reach the area.

General Attributes

With its flat bark (or dirt) trails, Barton, though more well-traversed than Bird Hills or Bluffs, is still remote, natural, and pleasant. The main trails are well-kept, and the bark makes a good running surface. The smaller, thinner dirt paths - which tend to invite plant growth inwards during the summer months, though not so much that they impede running - are just as worth (if not more) exploring. At one point, Barton splits to go up a short hill and solidify a path next to the Huron River. If you take this route, you'll eventually find yourself back onto Huron River Drive, where just a railroad-crossing away is Bird Road, a street that runs directly into Bird Hills Nature Area. You don't have to take this split, however: if you continued going (not up the hill), you would run into Huron River Drive before it reached Bird Road, or else you could continue crisscrossing through the nature area by looping around the various trails and paths.

Weather and Facilities

In the winter, Barton tends to gather snow; not a lot of people, aside, maybe, from dog-walkers, meander down its paths. It's not hilly, but the lack of footsteps melting a path through the snow makes it difficult to traverse.

In addition to that, Barton is a series of trails, not a park. You're not likely to find a bathroom or water source nearby, barring, well, bushes and a slimy river.

County Farm Park

Credit: Jen Bizzotto

Distance

1.0-3.5 miles on park trails; 2.0-2.5 miles getting there.

General Attributes

This park, off Washtenaw Avenue just after it passes its intersection with Packard Road, is far enough away from downtown Ann Arbor that more families end up utilizing its trails (and partaking in its playgrounds) than do runners. Despite its metropolitan location - Washtenaw isn't exactly a minor road, after all - the trails are mostly composed of a soft bark that makes up for the harsher, high-traffic-ed pavement running that was required to get there. Paths are embedded in a wooded area and more often than not offer a solitary running experience.

Credit: Jen Bizzotto

Amenities

As a family park and picnic area, County Farm Park has bathrooms and drinking fountains, which may be located using the trail map positioned at the Washtenaw entrance. Information is also available here.

Winter Weather

The trails in this park, despite being mostly flat, aren't the easiest to use in the winter months, but they aren't the worst, either. Though snow can become packed down and slick in the winter, there aren't any hidden roots or rocks. Washtenaw, which boasts its own (not insignificant) hill, can also be tough to navigate in the event of ice; not a lot of walkers help to melt down the snow on the sidewalks, and plowing is intermittent.

Gallup Park

Distance

1.0-2.0 miles; 2.0 miles to get to the park.

General Attributes

Gallup is another popular area, not only for runners, but for bikers, walkers, and families. It has two paths: a straight, paved trail that follows the Huron River and extends from Fuller Road to the main Gallup Park area, which is near Geddes Ave; and that main area, which is a loop that crosses the river, going through playgrounds, picnic areas, and a bark-path-ed grove of trees before the Border-to-Border Trail* continues on next to the river. Gallup is almost completely paved and is entirely flat. Note: look out for the butterfly garden. I've never seen a butterfly there, but...you never know.

Credit: Jen Bizzotto

Navigating There

The park may be approached (and departed) from a variety of angles. Coming from downtown, Geddes Avenue is hilly but scenic; it will take you to a point where you'll have the option of turning down the paved path toward Fuller Road or turning right to do the park's loop (or to continue down the Border-to-Border*.)

Fuller Road, obviously, is another way to get to Gallup. If you're coming from or going to North Campus, it's especially convenient to use this approach. (It goes right by Mitchell Field, where, incidentally, there are bathrooms and a water fountain.)

A final way to reach Gallup is through Nichols Arboretum. The path connecting the parks is unlabeled but clearly visible; it's situated about in the middle of the paved trail going between Geddes Avenue and Fuller Road. This path offers a way to enter the park (and extend the run, perhaps) without having to go on pavement for too long.

When Winter Comes

Gallup is paved and flat. If you're going to be running in the snow on trails, this is one of the better parks at which to do so. Using Geddes Avenue in the winter is a bad idea, however: the sidewalk is inconstant (rough, sometimes nonexistent, and an unreliable barrier to cars) even in temperate months, and during the winter it's infrequently plowed and often icy, which becomes especially treacherous due to the hills.

In addition to the Border-to-Border* and Nichols Arboretum, Gallup connects to Furstenburg Park*.

*See "Other Areas of Note."

University of Michigan's North Campus

Credit: Jen Bizzotto

Distance

1.0-3.0 miles; 2.0 miles from downtown Ann Arbor.

Note: North Campus is frequented by free University of Michigan buses that run within minutes of each other. They will take you to and from downtown Ann Arbor.

General Attributes

Scenic and hilly, these paved roads and sidewalks make one of the shorter routes in Ann Arbor - if you're both starting and ending in North Campus, that is. Deer sightings are likely; high concentrations of pedestrians (of the student breed) and cars are almost certain. While people can potentially be obstructing and pavement can become boring, these aspects provide a service: North Campus is an easy and safe night-route, and it doesn't even require a handheld light because the roads are well-lit.

Credit: Jen Bizzotto

Amenities

If you want to make North Campus a stop along a longer run (or if you simply want facilities to use after or before a shorter jaunt), university buildings provide consistent opportunities for water and restrooms. Also, note the bus routes: you don't have to run to North Campus to run North Campus.

Navigational Tips

Getting to North Campus is easy: the turn off Fuller Road is well labeled. Even so, the roads inside North Campus - roads that loop around and interconnect and are surrounded by confusingly indistinguishable buildings - can be confounding. Here are easy and helpful ways to not get lost:

1. Purchase a permanent marker. Trace the provided map (or, if you're aesthetically challenged, written directions) onto your elbow. Profit.
2. Abandon pride and/or embarrassment and ask a nearby pedestrian for directions. (Don't fret: freshmen, engineers, and art students, all specimens you would be likely to find in this area, aren't as off-putting as they look.)
3. Keep running until you find a familiar area. Or until your muscles seize.

Source

Other Areas of Note

The following are trails and areas which are too small to merit an entire post. These routes have likely been discussed in conjunction with others, but they are conveyed here in greater detail.

State Street, www.cityworks.com

Kerrytown, Main Street, State Street

These aren't destinations so much as scenic routes to get to destinations. Main Street and State Street can become clustered with pedestrians during busy hours, so watch out for that. All of these areas, while heavy traffic (both human- and vehicle-derived) isn't uncommon, are littered with shops, restaurants, and people that are interesting to look at - or stop for, if you're looking for an excuses. They provide a visually entertaining means of getting to Argo and Bandemer, Barton, Bird Hills, and Bluffs.

Furstenburg, Jen Bizzotto

Furstenburg Park (near Gallup)

Furstenburg is a .5-1.0 mile offshoot from the Gallup trails, right where the bridge intersects with the paved path that goes toward Fuller Road. These trails are more of an out-and-back nature than that of a loop, though it is possible to come out on Fuller Road instead of going back into Gallup. Although short, the paths consist of dirt and boardwalk going through a wooded area. They're nice. Keep an eye out for fisher(wo)men and dog-walkers, as well as the occasional cyclist.

Matthaei Botanical Gardens (off Dixboro Road)

An out-and-back run, the Botanical Gardens lie about six miles from downtown Ann Arbor, and those six are mostly (unless you want to detour slightly and go on trails, the options of which can be identified using a map) roadside. The gardens themselves might be worth it, though: the trails are free to access and are open from dawn until dusk. You may, all the same, want to check the Visitor Center's hours so you can make sure to have access to restrooms and water. 

Border-to-Border Trail

Footpaths near Whitmore Lake Rd

A thirty-five mile bike trail extending between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, this is wholly paved and flat. It cuts thruogh several parks (Argo, Bandemer, and Gallup included), staying close to the Huron River. The path doesn't often become too congested with bikes; there's plenty of room for runners who want to add a few additional miles to their route.

Footpaths near Whitmore Lake Road

Coming out of the parking lot of Bandemer Park, right where the cars are leaving the expressway, is Whitmore Lake Road. (It's the road that doesn't go in the direction of the boardwalk that keeps you by the river.) Going down this a few dozen yards, keep an eye out on the right side of the road for a path that cuts into a wooded area. The trails here are narrow, hilly, and fun - and incredibly muddy in the event of rain or snow. It's a very small area, containing probably less than one mile of trails, but you may extend it by going through an unlit tunnel (of the leaky, slightly creepy variety) and coming out into a meadow. The footpaths here are more or less straight and flat; eventually, they all lead to Pontiac Road, which feeds directly back toward the University of Michigan Hospital. Note: un-advisable in winter.

Argo and Bandemer Parks

Huron River, from www.michigan.org

Distance
1.0-3.0 miles; 2.0 miles to arrive.

General Attributes
These paths are some of the most popular running trails in Ann Arbor, so on nice days you're likely to be running with company. It's easiest to see how they're linked together by viewing the map; Bandemer may be reached from North Main Street after turning on Lake Shore Drive just before Main Street turns into M-14; Argo is easily reached by turning onto Swift from Broadway Street. A combination of paved trail (part of the Border-to-Border*), bridges, boardwalk, bark, and dirt paths, these trails make for an easy loop around the river.

Argo Dam, from www.annarbor.com

Terrestrial Details
The paved segments of these trails are flat. Only when you get to the dirt path (on the Argo side of the river) do the hills emerge, and even then, they consist of less than a mile, and they're short and not too steep. Watch out for roots and one muddy area, where a stream crosses the path just before stairs go up to the boardwalk. The boardwalk itself makes up less than half a mile of the loop; it's a nice half-mile, though, offering a view of the river and passing a stunted waterfall. Similarly nice to look at is the bark trail in Bandemer, which cuts around a disc-golf course and is surrounded by woods. It ends up in the same place that its paved counterpart does, and though it does add on some additional distance, it's a softer, quieter, more natural alternative. Note: keep an eye out for interesting graffiti in this loop!

Seasonal Side Notes
The paved, flat sections of these parks make for decent winter running - if you have shoes that work with the snow. It's unlikely that enough runners will use the paths to melt the cover down to the ground. Avoid the dirt portion of the path, though.

In the case of heavy rain, watch out for the bark: stray pieces will float to the tops of puddles, making them look shallow when they really can be anywhere from an inch to twelve inches deep. (In other news, if you don't mind soaking your shoes, this can be a hugely hilarious surprise.) The dirt path on the opposite (Argo) side of the river can also become difficult in the rain; it forms the sticky, squeltchy kind of mud that pulls at your shoes and flecks you liberally with thick brown speckles. (Really, if you don't mind getting dirty, this is probably the funnest [sic] route to do in the rain.)

In the hot months, Argo and Bandemer are intermittently shaded. More coverage exists on the dirt and bark paths, but watch out for the muggy, cloying air that builds humidity as temperatures rise.

Argo Park, entering from Broadway; Jen Bizzotto

Amenities
During the summer months, Argo and Bandemer can both be depended upon to having working drinking fountains and bathrooms - the ones in Argo by the boat launch are even plumbed! Running water will cease to be supplied during winter months, however, and bathrooms are likely to be locked, mostly because the rowers in Bandemer no longer come out to practice and the boat-renters are for some reason disinterested in traversing the iced-over river.

Connecting These Trails
Argo and Bandemer are interlocking trails all around the Huron River by M-14, but they aren't only close to each other. Easy ways to extend these runs are to use them to get to (or from) Barton, Bird Hills, Bluffs, and the footpaths off Whitmore Lake Road and behind Bandemer*. (To get to Bird Hills, Bluffs, and Barton, cross the railroad tracks by the bridge that extends over the river. You'll end up on Huron River Drive; left will take you to the Kuebler-Langford Area and Main Street*, while right will take you to Barton and, eventually, Bird Road. Review maps for further details.)

In addition to those trails, the Border-to-Border* makes up part of the Argo-Bandemer loop.

*See "Other Areas of Note."

Bluffs Nature Area

Distance
2.0 miles to arrive; 1.0-2.0 miles on park trails.

General Attributes
Trees, meadows, hills - Bluffs is unique because it feels as though you've left the metropolis area, yet it's just off Main Street going toward M-14. Not a lot of people go there, despite it being right next to Bandemer Park, which has a popular paved trail. I, personally, love how no one is ever in the area, and the lack of population has its merits: in the summer, watch for a giant, largely untouched raspberry patch! That quietness also makes Bluffs a winter no-go: because it's often untraveled, chances are the snow will stay on the paths longer; the hills don't make an easy, safe grip for your shoes, either. Note: beware (not really; they aren't dangerous so much as surprising and odd) the summer squatters, who come complete with tents and campfires and the occasional abandoned sweatshirt.

Terrestrial Particulars
Watch out for low branches! Seriously, watch out, especially if you go around dusk. In the summer, Bluffs' paths explode with bushes and branches encroaching on the trail (never so much that I've been unable to run, though), and sometimes trees grow low into the path. It's been several times that I've sheepishly remembered, here, that it's important to carry one's ID on a run, especially in an area like Bluffs, which, though right off Main Street, is generally devoid of other people.

Bluffs, Jen Bizzotto

The ground surface of Bluffs makes a welcome change: it's a hard dirt, in most places, which is still easier on the feet than pavement. It'll get muddy in the rain, and you might feel the need to be cautious because of the hills, some of which are excellently steep. Those hills are also pockets for gigantic - and I mean gigantic; some have been over-the-knee - puddles after a continuous rain. (That, of course, can be taken as a warning or a recommendation.)

Navigating
Getting to Bluffs is easy: you want to wind up on Main Street as - I said this before - it goes into M-14. There isn't a sidewalk on the side of the street that the park is on, so you have to wait for the busy stream of cars to subside before you cross. The only official entrance to the park is marked but still difficult to see; it helps to know that it's situated only a few yards before Lake Shore Drive, a road which is only on the sidewalk side of the road and which leads to Bandemer Park. Getting out of the park is easier; though the trails are looping - enough to get a little lost but not in any time-consuming or dangerous way - they'll lead in the general direction back toward Main Street. You can exit out of unmarked paths, but those are a little difficult to locate upon entering, especially if you aren't familiar with the Nature Area's paths.

As a side note, Bluffs, in my opinion, is best paired with other routes: not only is it itself a short loop, but the nearby trails - Bandemer and Argo parks; Bird Hills; Barton, even - don't have to add a lot of mileage. The Bandemer/Argo loop, for instance, will only add an additional mile to a mile and a half; the entrance to that loop is only a few if you decided to continue to Bird Hills or Barton, routes that are already a little longer because they're further from downtown, you'd only be adding a mile or two if you went into Bluffs.

Bird Hills Nature Area

Credit: Jen Bizzotto

Distance
2.25-3.0 miles to the park; 1.0-2.0 miles on park trails.

General Attributes
Easily one of the prettiest parks in the Ann Arbor vicinity, Bird Hills is far enough off the beaten path that it necessitates directions to get there. When you do figure it out, though, it's worth it: the only other people you'll find are neighborhood dog-walkers and the occasional fellow runner, making it a quiet (if you ignore the - we'll call it "music" - of the expressway) and a peaceful break from other trails and pavement running.

I don't want to say much about what it looks like: that's part of Bird Hills' brilliance; it's better to stumble upon it and be surprised. (Although, if you can't be consolidated, some pictures may be found here.) Be prepared for hills and one perennially muddy area, though! And don't count on water or restrooms.

Weather Caveats
One of the best aspects of Bird Hills is the lack of people: not the a-serial-killer-might-get-me kind of unpopulated, but rather a I'm-can-finally-run-slower-because-no-one's-here-to-judge-me kind. That, along with the hills, render it nearly untouchable during the winter months. Snow and ice - particularly ice - ]make the trail treacherous. Autumn is absolutely beautiful here, though, and tree cover provides shade (and occasional mugginess) in spring and summer.

Navigating
The easiest places to access the areas (if you're coming from the downtown Ann Arbor area) are through the Kuebler Langford Nature Area or from Newport Road. Entering from the Kuebler Langford Nature Area, which is right off Huron River Drive as cars are merging onto M-14, you make a left to go up a grass-covered abandoned road (this itself is a long, exhausting hill) that will eventually lead directly to a Bird Hills entrance. (You could also cut through neighborhoods to get here, but be careful if you try that: it's confusing, and it might be better to attempt on the way back rather than going to.) Otherwise, you would come down Miller Road, which cuts straight through downtown, then you would take a right onto Newport Road, and then you would come to the Bird Hills entrance directly after the expressway overpass.

The trails here can at first be difficult to find your way around. If you're ambitious, here's a closeup of the trails. The good thing is that eventually all the paths lead to an exit or an entrance. Even if you do get lost, it won't be long before you run into a familiar area - or a way out.

Upping the Mileage: Nearby Routes
Looking to extend this run? It'll be easier to refer to the larger map of Ann Arbor, but nearby Bird Hills - easy to add to the route or to modify it - are Bluffs and Barton Nature Areas as well as Argo and Bandemer Parks.