Recreation & Parks

Four Seasons Recreation | Auto Racing/Race Tracks | Winter Activities | Skiing
Ice Skating | Cross Country Skiing | Snowmobiling | Bowling | Other Activities | Parks | Campgrounds

Outdoor activities are plentiful in Kalamazoo, no matter what time of year. Fish, swim, waterski, sail or boat in one of Kalamazoo’s 83 lakes or visit the sandy shores of Lake Michigan—just a 40-minute drive or three-hour bike ride away on the Kal-Haven Trail. Around every corner in Kalamazoo, there is a park or trail with areas for picnics, biking, hiking or horseback riding. When snow starts falling in late November, Kalamazoo becomes a winter wonderland. People flock to the local ski resorts and toboggan runs or head to the trails for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. There are six sheets of hockey-sized ice in Kalamazoo along with several skating ponds. The ski resorts offer beginner hills and challenging slopes for skiers and snowboarders.

Four Season Recreation

Fort Custer
Recreation Area
M-96, east of Augusta
(269) 731-4200
www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.aspx?id=448
Areas for biking, swimming, fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing, hunting, horseback riding and camping.

Kalamazoo River
(269) 337-8191
This 135-mile river has 27 riverfront developments, parks and access sites, offering opportunities for fishing, canoeing, boating and other aquatic sports. For canoeing or trail information call the Kalamazoo County Parks office.

Kal-Haven Trail
Kalamazoo to South Haven
(269) 637-2788 www.kalhaventrail.org
The former Kalamazoo and South Haven Railroad track bed has been converted to a biking/hiking/snowmobile/cross-country skiing trail, running 34 miles from an old caboose on Kalamazoo’s west side to the Lake Michigan shoreline city of South Haven.

Mayors’ Riverfront Park
200 Mills Street, Kalamazoo
(269) 337-8191
Community park equipped with a baseball and football/soccer field and playground, as well as a canoe launch and fish dock.

Yankee Springs
Recreation Area
Barry County
(269) 795-9081
This expansive, rural recreation area north of Kalamazoo features nine lakes including Gun Lake which offers hiking, swimming and boating opportunities, as well as a 200-site modern family campground, open spring through fall.

Boating
Whether you’re sailing in silence or roaring over the waves, water sports abound in southern Michigan with more than 83 lakes with public access. Lake Michigan is 37 miles to the west and Gull Lake, 15 miles to the east, offers crystal clear water and beaches.

Fishing
From sport fishing on the big lake to trolling for trout on a quiet stream, there are many beautiful places to cast your line. Try charter fishing on Lake Michigan from Saugatuck, South Haven and other ports, or fish in one of the 83 public-access lakes around this water wonderland.

Tennis
Kalamazoo County offers more than 100 public outdoor tennis courts. Among the largest court complexes are: Kalamazoo College’s Stowe Stadium, the Sorensen Courts at Western Michigan University, the courts in Kalamazoo’s Upjohn Park and those at Kalamazoo Valley
Community College.

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Auto Racing/Race Tracks

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Winter Activities

Echo Valley Winter Sports Park
8495 E. H Ave., Kalamazoo
(269) 349-3291
www.echovalleyfun.com
Want a winter thrill? Try Echo Valley’s 60 mph-toboggan runs, a 500-ft. inner-tube sliding hill, 43,000 square-foot outdoor skating rink, 2400 square-foot warming lodge and viewing deck.

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Skiing

Timber Ridge Ski Area
Off D Ave., Gobles
(269) 694-9449
www.timberridgeski.com
Fifteen runs, naturally wooded terrain, a 250-foot vertical drop, four chair lifts, four tow ropes and 100 percent snowmaking, plus a snowboard terrain park.

Bittersweet Ski Resort
600 River Road, Otsego
(269) 694-2820
www.skibittersweet.com
Seventeen runs for all levels of skiers and snowboarders, 350-foot vertical drop, quad-chair lift and 100 percent snowmaking.

Swiss Valley Ski Lodge
Patterson Hill Road,
Three Rivers
(269) 244-8016
www.skiswissvalley.com
Eleven ski runs, two quad chairs, one triple chair, night skiing and 100 percent snowmaking coverage.

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Ice Skating

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Cross Country Skiing

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Snowmobiling

Snowmobiling in Michigan requires a permit for all public trails. Michigan Trail Permits are $25 per sled and can be purchased at any hunting and fishing and snowmobiling dealers.

General Information for SW Michigan
(800)246-0260

West Michigan District Snowmobiling Council Trail Condition Hotline
(616)752-7879

Local Conditions and Trail Maps
www.fishweb.com/recreation/snowmobile/trails/trails1.html
www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10365_14824---,00.html

Staging Areas

• Corner of M-40 & M-43.
• Kal-Haven Trail on 10th Street, just west of US 131 with full access to all the trails off of the Kal-Haven Trail (4” base required for this trail).

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Bowling

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Other Activities

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Parks

City of Kalamazoo
(269) 337-8193
www.kalamazoocity.org
Enjoy 64 public parks with year-round family recreation, team sports, picnicking, playground activities, walking, fishing, swimming, boating and cross-country skiing.

Kalamazoo County Parks
(269) 383-8778 www.kalcounty.com/parks
Recreation and picnic opportunities abound in Kalamazoo County’s park system. Open year round 7 a.m. - sunset.

• Cold Brook Park
  Located between Galesburg & Climax and features a swimming beach, boat ramp with access to 3 lakes (Blue, Portage & Long), improved and rustic campgrounds, Championship disc golf course, scenic trails and picnic sites.
  14467 East “MN” Avenue
  Climax, MI 49034
  (269) 383-8778
  www.kalcounty.com/parks
  
• Markin Glen Park
  Located in Northern Kalamazoo County and features a swimming beach,
  tennis courts, state-of-the-art campground, scenic trails and picnic sites.
  5333 North Westnedge Avenue
  Kalamazoo, MI 49004
  (269) 383-8778
  www.kalcounty.com/parks
  
• Prairie View Park
  Located between Portage, Schoolcraft & Vicksburg and features a swimming beach, boat ramp with access to 2 lakes (Gourdneck & Hogsett), scenic trails and several picnic sites.
  899 East “U” Avenue
  Vicksburg, MI 49097
  (269) 383-8778
  www.kalcounty.com/parks
  
• River Oaks Park
  Located between Comstock & Galesburg and features several soccer and
  softball fields, boat ramp with access to Morrow Lake, scenic trails and
  picnic sites.
  9050 East Michigan Avenue
  Galesburg, MI 49043
  (269) 383-8778
  www.kalcounty.com/parks
  
• Scotts Mill Park
  Located in the Southeastern corner of Kalamazoo County just west of the Village of Scotts and features the preservation of Agriculture & History with the 1870’s grist mill also being a popular wedding site, fishing pond, scenic trails and picnic sites.
  8451 South 35th Street
  Scotts, MI 49088
  (269) 383-8778
  www.kalcounty.com/parks

City of Portage
(269) 329-4522
www.portagemi.com
Enjoy 14 public parks with year-round recreation, sports, picnicking, playground activities, musical entertainment, boating, walking, canoeing, biking and skating.

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Campgrounds

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