Barton Nature Area
Hilly leashed trails along the dam and the upper Huron River
About this park
A leashed-walks park along a hilly stretch of the Huron River, with the Barton Dam as the visual centerpiece and a section of the Border-to-Border Trail running through it. Trails connect the dam, a small pond, and a kayak launch downstream, with views that read more rural than its in-town location suggests.
Amenities
Barton Nature Area reviews
What visitors consistently sayReviewers consistently praise the dam views and the hilly terrain, which sets the trails apart from the flat river paths elsewhere in town. Fall color and the quiet of winter walks across the dam draw regular repeat visits.
Kayakers drop in below the dam and hikers come for the hillier terrain that sets it apart from the flat river paths; by winter the foot traffic thins to a few walkers crossing the frozen dam.
Best for
Before you go
Trash cans are sparse along the trails, so plan to carry waste back to the lot. Dogs must stay leashed under Ann Arbor city ordinance, so treat this as a leashed hike rather than an off-leash run.
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Bandemer Nature Area
A quieter river launch and the bridge across to Argo
Argo Nature Area
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Olson Dog Park
A quieter north-side fenced yard with a pond loop next door