A girl wearing rubber boots and carrying binoculars bends over to look closely at a plant.
Girl Looking at Plant A young girl explores wildlife at the Nan Weston Nature Preserve at Sharon Hollow. © Michael D-L Jordan/dlp

Stories in Michigan

Enhance Your Preserve Experience

Find new ways to explore our preserves—at home or in the field.

A wolf in the snow.
Wild Winter Wolf Hear the howl of the elusive Echo Lake wolf pack, one of the most famous wolf packs in the Upper Peninsula, and one of many species to discover on the TravelStorys tour. © Janet Haas
Need more nature? Explore all Nature Conservancy preserves. 

Get the Inside Scoop 

Take a tour through floodplain forests, wetlands, bluffs and marshes right from the palm of your hand. Our guided audio tours include stories, fun facts, historical notes and natural sounds to deepen your connection to place. Access the tour from the comfort of your home, or onsite as you hike! Keep scrolling to find directions for either option, available at the following locations:

Take the Tour at the Preserve

Before you visit:

  • Download the free TravelStorys app to your smartphone or tablet from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android).
  • Search for the preserve you want to tour.
  • Click on the tour when it pops up, then click on the blue circle with the white arrow to download it to your device.
  • In your device settings, make sure GPS and location services are set to "allow all the time".
  • Charge your device and grab a pair of headphones (if you prefer). 

When you arrive:

  • In the preserve's parking area, open the TravelStorys app, and select the tour to begin (data service/internet is not required). 
  • As you hike, the audio will play at pre-programmed GPS points. It’s like a personal tour guide that you can carry in your pocket! 

Take the Tour at Home

  • Visit travelstorys.com/tours and search for the preserve you’d like to tour. 
  • Click on the tour page and scroll to the green button “Explore this Preserve Remotely”.
  • From here, toggle your way through the interface at your own pace. Enjoy all the sights and sounds from the comfort of your home (or classroom!).  
A delicate orange and black butterfly balances on a plant with small yellow flowers.
FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY AT ROSS PRESERVE One of many species you may see enjoying the wildflowers. © Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media

Treasure Hunt with Geocaching

Geocaching is an exciting way to explore the landscape, to discover something new, and share special places with outdoor enthusiasts. Players seek to locate hidden containers, called geocaches or earthcaches, using a smartphone or GPS. It gets the whole family outside to explore the natural world and teaches kids about navigation with the fun reward of finding real hidden "treasure". Once back home, you can share your stories and photos of the adventure online. Log on to geocaching.com to set up a free account and start the hunt. Official geocaches can be found at the following preserves:

Geocaching is a regulated activity at TNC. In order to protect sensitive habitats and maintain a fun and safe activity, anyone wishing to place a geocache within our preserves must complete a permit application first.  

Geocaching 101 Start your adventure today!

Get Involved!

Volunteer Work Days

Step up for nature at Ives Road Fen Preserve in Lenawee County. Enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds as you remove garlic mustard in the floodplain next to the River Raisin and cut honeysuckle in the upland prairie. Work days take place every Saturday from 9am-12pm ET in the months of April, May, September, and October. To participate, contact Chuck Pearson at ivesroadfen@gmail.com or call 615-500-8229. This program is completely volunteer-run and a great opportunity to join a friendly conservation-minded community. 

Field Trips & Webinars

Visit nature.org/mievents for more information on guided hikes and educational webinars offered throughout the year. Keep scrolling to find recorded webinars in the video gallery below. 

A group of smiling people with tools pose next to the Ives Road Fen Preserve sign.
Volunteer Work Day TNC staff (including State Director Helen Taylor) removing invasive species at Ives Road Fen Preserve © TNC/Heywood

Spotlight on Nature Series

Trillium and blue phlox are just two of the flowers on display at Nan Weston Nature Preserve in the spring.
Nan Weston Nature Preserve at Sharon Hollow Fall for the colorful foliage found at our popular preserve near Chelsea.
View from top of the Helmut and Candis Stern Preserve at Mt. Baldy.
Helmut & Candis Stern Preserve at Mt. Baldy See a stunning vista above Lake Superior before exploring the forest floor and river below that supports a spectacular array of plants and wildlife.
Grand River Fen Preserve is home to the longest river in the state of Michigan, the Grand River.
Grand River Fen See the start of Michigan’s longest river as it begins nestled in a protected area that provides habitat for fluttering butterflies and dazzling wildflowers.
Fritillary butterfly enjoying wildflowers at Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve.
Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve Watch the seasons change at this beautiful preserve in southwest Michigan.
Erie Marsh Preserve sunrise.
Erie Marsh See the migratory birds that use this restored coastal wetland system near the Michigan/Ohio border.
Box turtles such as this one can be found at Paw Paw.
Paw Paw Prairie Fen Colorful plants, insects, birds and other wildlife thrive at this unique wetland habitat in southwest Michigan.
An alkaline spring-fed prairie blends into a floodplain forest to create a globally significant fen habitat at Ives Road Fen Preserve.
Ives Road Fen Through the hard work of hundreds of volunteers and staff, this rare fen habitat has been restored to ecological glory, less than an hour away from Detroit.
Looking out along the shoreline of Grass Bay Preserve, Michigan.
Grass Bay Preserve A paradise for wildflowers found only along the Great Lakes.
The 4,084-acre McMahon Lake Preserve lies within the watershed of the Two-Hearted River.
McMahon Lake Preserve Due to its remote location and swampy nature, the area has avoided development—so visiting the preserve is like traveling back in time.
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Webinars and Staff Features

(ALL RIGHTS GRANTED TNC, CREDIT MANDATORY) Nan Weston Preserve at Sharon Hollow. Photo Credit: © Kevin Kluczek
Take a Walk with Kim and John at Sharon Hollow Enjoy this mini-tour hosted by TNC restoration staff.
An alkaline spring-fed prairie blends into a floodplain forest to create a globally significant fen habitat at Ives Road Fen Preserve.
Restoring and Protecting Tecumseh: Great Lakes Now Connect - Wild Places Enjoy this DPTV episode on the super volunteers restoring native prairie at Ives Road Fen Preserve in Tecumseh.
A narrow trail cuts across the forest floor while rays of sunlight stream through the trees.
Preserve Webinar: Spring into Nature at Sharon Hollow Staff from TNC and Washtenaw County Parks & Rec share the unique history and natural features of the Nan Weston Nature Preserve at Sharon Hollow and Sharon Mills historical site.
(ALL RIGHTS GRANTED TNC, CREDIT MANDATORY) Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve. © Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media
Preserve Webinar: Resilient at Ross Experience the conservation of a rare Lake Michigan marsh at the Ross Coastal Plain Marsh Preserve located in Van Buren County, Michigan on this virtual hike with staff from The Nature Conservancy. Learn about the land’s unique history from indigenous tribes to the local Ross family.
Snow and ice cover bedrock jutting out from a hillside at the Echo Lake Nature Preserve.
Preserve Webinar: Experience the Wild of Echo Lake From wolves to dramatic granite cliffs, learn more about the pristine Echo Lake Nature Preserve located in Marquette County, Michigan with staff from The Nature Conservancy.
Carl A. Gerstacker Nature Preserve at Dudley Bay in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Preserve Webinar: Lake Huron Nature at Gerstacker Nestled along the shores of Lake Huron, the Carl A. Gerstacker Nature Preserve at Dudley Bay located in Mackinac County, Michigan features a spectacular limestone bedrock shoreline and a variety of wildlife and songbirds. Learn more on this guided tour with staff from The Nature Conservancy.
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