Stony Creek Metropark is a
Huron-Clinton Metropark located in southeast
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
in the outskirts of
metro Detroit
The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is a major metropolitan area in the U.S. State of Michigan, consisting of the city of Detroit and its surrounding area. There are varied definitions of the area, including the ...
. The park is predominantly in
Washington Township and
Oakland Township, with a small portion in
Shelby Township. The park covers 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 km
2) of northern
Oakland County and the lake formed from the dams covers .
Stony Creek Metropark is situated on a
moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris ( regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice sh ...
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 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 , 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
Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and p ...
* 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
Wildlife
The park is reestablishing an
osprey
The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...
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
External links
Huron-Clinton MetroparksClinton River Watershed CouncilStony Creek Metropark Mountain Biking Trails at Clinton River Area Mountain Bike Association
{{Metro Detroit
Huron–Clinton Metroparks
Protected areas of Macomb County, Michigan
Nature centers in Michigan