Lake Erie Metropark: Trapper's Run and Cherry Island Trails (Blog Hike #655)

Trails: Trapper’s Run and Cherry Island Trails

Hike Location: Lake Erie Metropark

Geographic Location: east of Rockwood, MI (42.07643, -83.19855)

Length: 2.7 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: August 2017

Overview: A pair of flat loops through the marshes along the Detroit River.

Park Information: http://www.metroparks.com/parks/lake-erie-metropark/

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=638334
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: South of Detroit, take I-75 to Huron River Drive (exit 27).  Exit and go east on Huron River Dr.  Take Huron River Dr. east 2.2 miles to Jefferson Ave. and turn left on Jefferson Ave.  The park entrance is 0.2 miles ahead on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee (a single daily entrance fee gets you into every Huron-Clinton Metropark for that day), and follow signs for the Marshlands Museum and Nature Center, where this hike begins.

The hike: Consisting of 1607 acres, Lake Erie Metropark sits at the mouths of the Detroit and Huron Rivers where they flow into Lake Erie.  The amenity-filled park features 5 picnic shelters, a golf course, a wave pool, and a boat ramp and marina on Lake Erie.  The park also houses the interesting Marshlands Museum and Nature Center, which features many exhibits on the cultural and natural heritage of the Lake Erie shore.  The museum is only open Wednesday through Sunday, and I enjoyed browsing its exhibits on my Thursday visit.

            Lake Erie Metropark also features an extensive paved trail system open to both hikers and bikers.  In terms of hiker-only trails, the park offers two short unpaved nature trails: the Trapper’s Run and Cherry Island Trails.  Both of these trails give a fantastic tour of the wetlands bordering Lake Erie.  While you could hike the two trails separately, their trailheads are close enough to merit combining them into a single hike, which is the route described here.  While I have not visited all 13 of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks, my experience here leads me to believe that Lake Erie Metropark is the best metropark in suburban Detroit.

Start of Trapper's Run Trail

            To “save the best for last,” I chose to hike the Trapper’s Run Trail first.  A counterclockwise journey around the Trapper’s Run Trail starts by walking across the grassy area to the left (north) of the Marshlands Museum.  Walk around a bald eagle cage to find where the wide grassy trail enters the woods.  The bald eagle looks stately and majestic even though it is caged.

            At 0.1 miles, where the Big Turtle Shortcut exits left, you reach the first of three Detroit River overlooks on the right.  Wooden platforms extend slightly out into the shallow water, but some islands keep the Detroit River’s main channel well out of sight.  Lots of lily pads grow in this water.

Detroit River overlook

            Just past 0.4 miles, you reach the hike’s northernmost point where a short boardwalk takes you through some tall sedges.  This boardwalk also provides the Trapper’s Run Trail’s last Detroit River view.  The trail curves left twice to begin heading southbound on a course that parallels the one you followed earlier.  A hawthorn thicket grows in this area, but the trail remains fairly exposed to the sun.

Riley Creek Overlook

            At 0.7 miles, the other end of the Big Turtle Shortcut enters from the left just before a boardwalk exits right.  A short detour down the boardwalk brings you to Riley Creek Overlook, which overlooks its stagnant and shallow namesake creek.  Back on the main trail, two more left curves, a right curve, and a final boardwalk bring you out at the Marshlands Museum parking lot directly across from the museum.  Getting back to the parking lot completes the Trapper’s Run Trail and our first loop.

            To get to the Cherry Island Trail and our second loop, walk across the parking lot toward the Marshlands Museum and turn right on the paved bike path.  After crossing the boat launch access road, look for the gravel Cherry Island Trail that exits left.  A sign that says “Nature Study Area” and a picnic table also stand here.  Turn left to leave the pavement and begin the Cherry Island Trail.

Start of Cherry Island Trail

            The Cherry Island Trail parallels the boat launch access road as it crosses the first of several long boardwalks.  This boardwalk takes you over a nice wetland, but dense cattail growth ensures that better wildlife viewing opportunities will come later.  1.6 miles into the hike, you arrive at the boat launch parking lot.  Turn right and look for the dirt/gravel trail reentering the forest at another “Nature Study Area” sign.

Cherry Island Trail boardwalk

            For the next 0.6 miles the Detroit River stays very close on the left, but a curtain of trees and some tall sedges block your view most of the time.  What this narrow band of trees does offer is good wildlife viewing.  I noticed a deer in the woods just feet away staring at me, and several rabbits ran across the trail.  I also saw numerous birds including robins, sparrows, and redwinged blackbirds, and the park is one of the best hawk-watching sites in North America.

Just past 2 miles into the hike, you reach another boardwalk that crosses open water and (finally!) gives a clear Detroit River view.  This point is located just north of where the river empties into Lake Erie, so Canada lies several miles away on the river’s east bank.  Several types of ducks were enjoying the water and the light rain shower that fell on us as I was enjoying the view.

Wide Detroit River view

On the south side of the bridge, the trail curves left to pass in between a couple of lagoons that support lotus colonies.  The flowers were in full bloom on my early August visit, but these colonies are not as large as the ones at nearby William C. Sterling State Park, which will be featured in an upcoming blog entry.  The flowers remain quite numerous and attractive nonetheless.

Lotus colony

At 2.3 miles, you reach the end of the Cherry Island Trail at its south intersection with the paved bike path.  Turn right on the paved bike path, which at first follows the boundary between meadow on the left and forest on the right and thus offers more good wildlife viewing.  The meadow flowers were also in full bloom on my late summer visit.  Follow the paved bike path back to the Marshlands Museum to complete the hike.  Of course, you will also want to visit the museum if it is open when you are there.