Paragon Parks Tour 2016 – #5 Upper Macatawa Natural Area

Upper Macatawa Natural Area is located in Zeeland Township and is popular among bikers, hikers and runners. Today we chose to run the paved trail; a hilly out and back to give us a total of 3.5 miles. We brought Izzo the office dog and Jim (Beth’s husband) to join the fun. The mountain bike trails are challenging and we’re going to come back in the summer to check those out. 

The park offers a variety of habitats including forests, grasslands and wetlands which lead to diverse wildlife.  Along the Macatawa River, its wetlands act as a sponge and filter during heavy rains and contribute to water quality improvement. In the spring of 2015, a new section of paved bike path will connect Adams Street’s bike path to the lakeshore with Byron Road’s Fred Meijer Kenowa Trail which leads to Kent County.