Barker Woods

Why You Should Visit
Barker Woods, dedicated to the Conservancy in 1975, is dominated by pin oak, black gum, and red maple. The preserve also displays a beautiful arrangement of yellow and white birches as well as several boreal shrub and herb species.

Location
LaPorte County

Ecoregion
The Great Lakes

Size
30 Acres

Dedicated
State Nature Preserve, 1975 

Owned & Managed by
The Nature Conservancy  

Partners
Department of Natural Resources

How to Prepare for Your Visit
This easy terrain is open for hiking on the trails, photography, and it is great for bird watching. Please park in the designated area. For more information please consult the Conservancy’s Preserves Visitation Guidelines.

Directions
From the intersection of U.S. 421 and U.S. 20 in Michigan City travel north on U.S. 421 (Franklin Street) 0.5 mile to Barker Road. Turn east and go 0.5 mile, cross Cleveland Avenue, and turn left (north) into the preserve.

What to See: Plants and Animals
Barker Woods homes a number of trees including: pin oak, black gum, red maple, yellow and white birches. Threatened and rare plants such as trailing arbutus, large-leaved shinleaf, paper birch, cow wheat, draping wood sedge and long sedge can also be found at the preserve so please stay at on the trail.

What The Nature Conservancy is Doing/has Done  
Development near Baker Woods has drastically altered the hydrological processes of the wet forest habitat by ridding the land of sufficient amounts of fresh water. In addition, Barker Woods is being overrun by many non-native species — such as burning bush, garlic mustard, lily of the valley, periwinkle, and privet — that were introduced through landscaping. Restoring the wet forest habitats and eradicating invasive species is the Conservancy’s main goal.