Stony Creek Metropark
Stony Creek Metropark is a Huron-Clinton Metropark located in southeast Michigan in the outskirts of metro Detroit. The park is predominantly in Washington Township and Oakland Township, with a small portion in Shelby Township. The park covers 4,461 acres (18.05 km2) with Stony Creek Lake at its center.
Geography
Stony Creek Lake is a man-made lake built by damming Stony Creek, a tributary of the Clinton River. Stony Creek drains 72 square miles (116 km2) of northern Oakland County and the lake formed from the dams covers 500 acres (2.0 km2).
Stony Creek Metropark is situated on a moraine which makes for varied landscape. The park has forests, hills, prairies, as well as swamps. The park is also relatively high above sea level, 875 feet (267 m) at the park office. Although a visitor can see downtown Detroit (26 miles away) from the park office, it is not the highest point in Macomb County, as many people believe. Trombley Mountain, located in the Ford Proving Grounds (Bruce Township), is 1,150 feet (350 m) above sea level - the highest point in Macomb County.
Activities
Stony Creek has a vast amount of trails in four different locations around the park. There are 14 miles (22.5 km) of mountain biking/hiking trails located on the grounds of a former estate, of which the foundations are still visible. There are another 8.5 miles (13.7 km) of hiking trails near the nature center, and over 6 miles (10 km) of foot trails near Inwood lake. Additionally, there is a 6-mile (10 km) paved trail that circles Stony Creek lake which is popular with joggers, and inline-skaters.
Stony Creek Metropark also has:
- A 6,981-yard (6,383 m), 18-hole golf course
- Snowboarding, sledding and tobogganing hills
- Two beaches on Stony Creek lake, Eastwood Beach and Baypoint Beach.
- Picnic areas with basketball courts, baseball fields, playgrounds, and beach volleyball courts
- Nature center
- Ice skating rink
- 15 miles of trails open to mountain biking
- 26-hole disc golf course
- Boat launch
- Rowboats, paddleboats, canoes, and kayaks available for rent
- Cross country skiing trails and ski rentals
- Trippo water slide[1]
Wildlife
The park is reestablishing an osprey population in south-eastern Michigan. There are also wild turkey, deer, bald eagles, and other animals one can expect in south-east Michigan in the park. Birding is encouraged with the nature center maintaining a species list. There have been massasaugas, Michigan's only venomous snake, spotted during the spring and summer months.
References
- ^ "Stony Creek Metropark Activities - Huron-Clinton Metroparks". Retrieved 2016-09-07.
External links
- Huron-Clinton Metroparks
- Clinton River Watershed Council
- Stony Creek Metropark Mountain Biking Trails at Clinton River Area Mountain Bike Association
- v
- t
- e
- Belle Isle
- Campau Park
- Campus Martius
- Chandler Park
- Clark Park
- Central Park
- Dequindre Cut
- International Riverfront
- Engel Memorial Park
- Ford Park
- Fort Wayne
- Gabriel Richard Park
- Grand Circus
- Howell Park
- Lafayette Park
- Milliken State Park and Harbor
- New Center Park
- Owen Park
- Palmer Park
- Patton Park
- Reid Memorial Park
- Roosevelt Park
- River Rouge Park
- State Fairgrounds
- Three Mile Drive Park
- UIS Irish Plaza
600 to 1,500 acres (243 to 607 ha)
- Addison Oaks
- Algonac State Park
- Belle Isle
- Camp Dearborn
- Crosswinds Marsh
- Hayes State Park (Irish Hills)
- Independence Oaks
- Lower Huron
- Lakeport State Park
- Maybury State Park
- Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area
- Metro Beach Metropark
- Sterling State Park
- Bald Mountain
- Brighton Recreation Area
- Hines Drive
- Hudson Mills
- Huron Meadows
- Indian Springs
- Kensington
- Lake Erie Metropark
- Pontiac Lake Recreation Area
- Oakwoods
- Stony Creek Metropark
- Wolcott Mill
- Willow
- Clinton River
- Detroit River (Islands)
- Huron River
- Lake St. Clair
- River Rouge
- St. Clair River
- Belle Isle
- Kensington
- Lakeside Beach and Park
- Lighthouse Beach and Park
- Metro Beach
- Stony Creek
5 to 36 miles (8 to 58 km)
- Bald Mountain
- Detroit River Walk / Dequindre Cut
- Highland Recreation Lakes
- Kensington
- Lakelands Trail State Park
- Novi North Park
- Paint Creek Trail
- Poly Ann Trail
- Pontiac Lake Recreation Area
- Stony Creek Inwood Trails
- Trails in Detroit
- Waterloo-Pinckney Trail