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The St. Clair Lake-Six Mile Lake Nature Preserve is located between East Jordan and Ellsworth Michigan, off C-48. It is a beautiful trail, consisting of a mix of gravel and boardwalk that winds along the lakes and through the woods.
Weather and Season:
The weather was forecasted to be a high of 77 degrees, and it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day for the last day in May of 2024! The trails were clear and dry.
Rating:
It was a beautiful day! The weather was not too hot or cold, but a gentle breeze limited mosquito.
Weather- 10
Seasonal- 10
Permits, Regulations and Safety:
Dogs are allowed on this trail. To our knowledge, no permit is required. You can learn more about this nature preserve here.
We did not see any poisonous plants in the area, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Poison ivy, for example, is often common in woods in Michigan. As I mentioned last week, “leaves of three; leave them be.” As a reminder, there are other poisonous plants in Michigan as well, so just be aware and make sure you aren’t touching something that could be dangerous to your health.
The nearest hospital is approximately a 40 minute drive from the St. Clair-Six Mile Lake Nature Preserve. Cell phone service is sketchy in some places, but will work in others, depending on your service provider.
Permits and Regulations Rating: 6
Safety could be a concern if someone needed to be close to medical facilities. Cell phone service can be sketchy in some places.
Facilities
There are no restrooms available at this nature preserve. Restrooms are usually available during the warmer months at parks in Elsworth and East Jordan, and there may be fast food and gas station options in colder months in both towns. Elsworth is located about 4 minutes from the nature preserve, and East Jordan is about 8 minutes.
Facilities Rating: 4
Although there are no facilities at the nature preserve, it is a short drive to a gas station, park, or fast-food place to find a restroom.
Gear
We wore everyday clothing. The bugs were not bad, although there was a gentle breeze, which may have helped to keep them away. I also carried my camera and camera bag.
Equipment you might consider taking:
- Small hiking pack
- Snacks, especially for the commute and after the hike, depending on how far you are traveling from.
- Water
- Cell phone for emergencies
- Camera
- Mosquito gear (Spray, netting, or whatever you use to keep mosquitos off)
- Tick gear
- Good hiking shoes/boots, although regular street shoes may work as long as the trail is not wet.
- Hat and/or sunglasses
Gear Rating: 9
The gear needed on this trail is simple, and the trail is short, so a lot of equipment may not be needed.
Highlights of the Trail:
| Favorite Part: | My favorite part of this walk is the wide variety of birds we were able to see. We watched an American Redstart fly from tree to tree, spotted a Yellow Warbler, Red-Winged Blackbird, and American Robin, and listened to many different birds sing their songs, including a Swamp Sparrow, American Crow and Song Sparrow. |
| Cool Sightings: | My favorite sighting was a Yellow Warbler! (See photo below) |
| Length of the Trail: | .25 Miles. It only took us a few minutes to walk this trail, and I think we spent more time sitting/standing on the dock watching nature than we did actually walking. But it’s a beautiful view! |
The trail had a lot of birds in the area, but not much else for wildlife. It has some beautiful views, but most of them are of the lakes and a small section of woods, so there were not as many highlights as some other trails might have.
Highlights Rating: 7
Critters:
| Critters to Admire | Critters to Be Wary of: |
| As I’ve mentioned, there were a variety of birds on the trail, but we didn’t see much else. Still, we had some pretty cool bird sightings, including a yellow warbler! | We did not encounter many mosquitos, flies, or other insects, and did not see any ticks. In the right weather conditions, the mosquitos may have been worse, or the flies, and there could be ticks just off the trails. There could also other animals, such as bear, coyotes and bobcats. Given the type of trail and the location, it doesn’t seem as likely one would encounter them, but it is still possible. |
American Redstart, singing away.
Critter Rating: 6
There may not have been a lot of animals or birds to see, but what we did see was pretty cool!
Accessibility:
| Physical Features: | Trailhead and Map: |
| The trail consists mostly of boardwalk and gravel, and is created to be a universal access trail for individuals with disabilities. This includes access to the waterways. | The trailhead is easy to find. The driveway was a bit tricky, and not accurate on Google Maps, but close. Once in the driveway, parking is right next to the trailhead. The map is clearly marked and easy to follow, and there are also additional signs and information along the trails. |
Trail Difficulty Rating: 9
The trail was pretty easy to walk, with space for a wheelchair. It did not have braille signs, or ropes that we saw.
Leave No Trace
There were no trash cans available at the nature preserve. We had to drive to a nearby park to dispose of garbage, or take it back home with us.
Leave No Trace Rating: 3
There are no trash cans at the facilities, and the nearest park where garbage might be able to be taken is at least a 4 minute drive, and might be in the opposite direction, depending on where you are coming from.
Final Rating:
Overall Rating: 9
Other than the lack of facilities, this nature preserve is by far one of our favorite places to visit! Our basset hound gets excited just pulling into the parking lot, and it’s an easy hike when you don’t have a lot of time, but still want to explore a beautiful area.
Average Rating: 7
Trails From North Country 