Woldumar's trails give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in nature - and to choose which part of our Nature Center best fits your mood of the day! Quietly observe the areas around you as you walk, and you are likely to find views that capture your imagination or pique your curiosity. Feel free to photograph the things you see so that you may take home fond memories. (Please leave all animal and plant materials where you found them, to avoid disturbing the delicate ecosystem balance and so that others may observe them as you have!)

Maple and Beech Woodlands

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Maple and Beech Woodlands

Maple and beech woodlands are native throughout this part of Michigan, and all of our trails find their way at times through these majestic broadleaf, deciduous trees and their associated wildlife. Here you might find animals from deer to chipmunks and snakes to insects, as well as tall trees, smaller bushes and ground cover plants.

Grand River Shoreline, Lagoon and Wetlands

The Grand River provides Woldumar with very special places that you can visit on the yellowtrail. Ducks and geese are common, and visitors are often treated to the sight of great blue heron! They come because the river provides them (and fishermen) with fish such as steelhead, walleye and bass. The lagoon is a quiet side cove that branches off the flowing river, providing fish and waterfowl with ideal places to live, feed or raise their young. Many plants live on or under the surface of the water here, such as duckweed, water lilies and waterweed - they make this a haven for ducks and geese, frogs, turtles, beaver and crayfish.

Pine Plantation

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Pine Plantation

The red trail wanders across multiple parts of Woldumar Nature Center's various terrains, but provides the hiker with breathtaking opportunities to feel the grandeur of nature from the base of tall pines. The sun peeks artistically through the green needles and branches of these stately trees, and few ground plants obtain enough sunlight to flourish here - leaving an open feeling at ground level.

Tall Grass Prairie

The green trail follows the contours of our tall grass prairie, allowing visitors to observe the grasses and wild flowers, the insects who frequent their fragrant blooms, and the birds swooping overhead. The sun shines warmly here, even on cool days, and there's always lots of life to observe. Prairie grasses are adapted to these exposed conditions, with deep roots that can withstand dry times, and help hold the soil in place. Among these grasses, you'll find wildflowers such as asters and goldenrod. Insects visit the plants here; rodents eat the seeds; in turn, birds and coyotes feast on the insects and rodents!

Accessible Trail

The blue trail is our shortest trail at about a mile. It winds through meadows and light woodlands and gives individuals who may be mobility impaired an opportunity to enjoy nature on their own terms! This trail covers terrain that is flat and has no stairs or hills, but the trail does include grassy tufts and roots that may impede wheelchair users. However, the central campus area at Woldumar is fully accessible, enabling all to enjoy nature!