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Richardi Park is located at 402 N Bridge St, Bellaire, Mi 49615. · To learn more about Richardi park, go here or here. The trails are paved, and connect with other trails, as well as local waterways. You can find out more about the pathways here.
Weather and Season:
The forecast for this day was mostly sunny, with a high of 70 and a low of 51 degrees. The hike took place towards the end of June, in the summer months in Northern lower Michigan. When I started out for the hike, the sun was shining and there were a few white puffy clouds in the sky.
Rating:
Weather- 10
Seasonal- 10
It was the perfect day for a walk! The temperature was not too hot, but it wasn’t chilly either, and the trails were dry and clear. There was a gentle breeze, but no strong winds.
Permits, Regulations and Safety:
There are various signs posted throughout the park. Most of them are travel maps/informational, but some do tell you what not to do, such as this sign that tells you not to jump off the main bridge on the trail. There are also polices for the park itself, and there is a Gazebo and Pavillion that can be rented for events at the park, but a form must be completed and fees paid to do so. There is no charge to hike the trails though, at least as of the time this blog post was written, and most of the park is also free to use.
I did not see any poisonous plants, although the trail is paved and well cared for, so it is less likely for things like poison ivy to grow along it. Cell phone service was great in this area, although driving to the park may have sketchy service depending on where you are coming from. In case of an emergency, the local police station is less than five minutes from the trails and the nearest hospital is about 30 minutes from the park.
Permits and Regulations Rating: 9
There are lots of sign posted, emergency services close by and no permits are needed to hike the trails.
Facilities
There are restrooms located at the park, and they are open for at least the warmer months. In colder months, there are gas stations and a McDonalds with 5 minutes or so of the park.
Facilities Rating: 9
There are restrooms available at the park during the warmer months of the year, and bathrooms close by at local businesses the rest of the year.
Gear
I wore regular walking clothes, no jacket and did not use mosquito or tick spray. There were no mosquitos, occasionally a fly, but no ticks and no other bugs in the area.
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) Although there were none when I was there, with the water in the area, there may be mosquitos at other times.
- Tick gear
- Good hiking shoes/boots, although regular street shoes may work as long as the trail is not wet.
- Hat and/or sunglasses
- Hiking Stick
Gear Rating: 9
The trail doesn’t really require a lot of equipment, although if you hiked further, you may want hiking gear.
Highlights of the Trail:
| Favorite Part: | My favorite part of this hike is the bridge overlooking the river. |
| Cool Sightings: | There were quite a few birds in the river! |
| Length of the Trail: | The total trail system goes about 1.5 miles. I walked the shortest section for this hike. |
Highlights Rating: 7.
There were not many animals along the trail, and not a lot to explore, but the area is beautiful!
Critters:
| Critters to Admire | Critters to Be Wary of: |
| I saw very few critters along the way, but there were water birds down in the river, such as swans and mallards. The swans were quite a distance away, but the mallards were a little closer. | There were a few flies, but other than that, I didn’t notice many critters. There are bears in northern lower Michigan, and sometimes they do wander into small towns, so even though the trail is located within the village, bears are something to be aware of. |
It’s hard to spot them in this photo, but there were mallards off in the distance in the water.
Critters Rating: 6
I didn’t see a lot, on this day but I have been to this park before, and sometimes there are more critters there. Because it is located within a village, you may not see some of the animals you would find in a forest.
Accessibility
| Physical Features: | Trailhead and Map: |
| The trail consists mostly of paved trails. They are wheelchair accessible. There are also signs that show you where local waterways connect, and some of the waterways have accessible features to help support everyone in enjoying the waterways as well. | The park has lots of maps throughout, and the trailhead is right off the parking lot. It is easy to find, with lots of places to park. |
Accessibility Rating: 9
The trails are easy accessible, and include accessible ramps in some places for the waterways! I would rate this a 10 if there were more options for people with visual disabilities, but I did not see anything for someone who might need Braille or other supports. Many of these resources are fairly new though, and I think there are many positive changes being made, so there are likely more resources to come!
Leave No Trace:
The park has several trash cans, and provides an opportunity to easily dispose of trash.
Leave No Trace Rating: 10
There were plenty of places to dispose of trash!
Final Rating:
Overall Rating: 9
Average Rating: 9.8
This park is a great place to hike! Overall, it’s easily accessible, has lots of great resources and lots to see.
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