Closures abound but guests can still
explore Seven Ponds’ grounds for free
DRYDEN TWP. — Seven Ponds Nature Center might have closed their building due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but the trails are still open and quite serene. Currently there’s no cost for guests to explore the Nature Center’s nearly 500 acres.
On Friday, Almont’s Becky Kuester took her boys for a visit.
“We are so happy to have such a beautiful nature preserve to go to that is close to home. My little tree climbers love to have freedom of exploring the woods and nature,” Kuester said.
The family found that their outing, despite the current local closures, helped them “keep things light and positive as best as we can.”
Almont’s Blake Kuester, 7, enjoys exploring Seven Ponds Nature Center on Thursday with his family. Guests can make an admission fee donation on the center’s website while their building is closed to the public.
On Thursday, March 19, visitors could hear some loud sandhill cranes while hiking the trails by Treetop Pond. Trails were wet, but passable on foot and stroller.
Seven Ponds updates their website often to share recent sightings, conditions of trails, and things to look for while on the trails. Some things to be on the lookout for on an upcoming visit include wood ducks, sandhill cranes, bald eagles, mallards, and many different breeds of birds returning back to Michigan.
The well-known A-Frame Bridge offers great views of the property. It separates Treetop Pond and Little Pond, and leads into Paul’s Woods. According to their website, the crossing was first constructed in 1968 and rebuilt in the 1990s and 2011.
While there are trails and ponds to visit directly behind the Nature Center Building, the offerings continue across the street, on the north side of Crawford Road, in an area called The North-80. According to the Seven Ponds website, “The North-80 has an extensive trail network that winds through old fields, a wildlife orchard, young forests, and an old fencerow. Two bridges cross the drain, and an observation tower gives you a panoramic view of the field and Waterfowl Pond. During spring and summer look for Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows using the nest boxes in the field.”
Seven Ponds Nature Center building will be closed and all of their scheduled programs have been cancelled through April 5. For more information, visit their website at www.sevenponds.org.
