Nan Weston Nature Preserve at Sharon Hollow

Plan Your Visit

Frequently Asked Questions

• When is the best time to visit and what will I see?

  In the wet spring months, visitors can see vernal pools, which are temporary pools of water that provide habitat for insects, snakes and amphibians. Also, keep an eye on the treetops and sky. Nan Weston Nature Preserve serves as stopover habitat for migrating birds as they travel through the Great Lakes flyway and provides nesting sites for several warblers and other birds, including the yellow warbler, rose-breasted grosbeak, barred owl and pileated woodpecker.
  
  As you hike the trails through floodplain forest and wooded wetlands, look for a vast array of wildflowers and other native plants. Beginning in mid-spring, woodland plants come to life, including bright blue hepatica, Dutchman’s breeches, spring beauty, southern blue flag iris, squirrel corn, starflower, bloodroot and large-flowered trillium.
  

  Many of our preserves allow deer hunting from October through the first week of January, so wearing blaze orange is suggested when hiking in these areas during hunting season.

• What should I do?

  Nan Weston Preserve at Sharon Hollow is a wonderful place to hike, watch for birds and other wildlife, take photos and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. The preserve also allows geocaching and hunting.
  
  The Nature Conservancy allows bow hunting for white-tail deer on this preserve to reduce threats too many deer pose to our conservation targets and to ensure that the preserve does not become a “refuge” for deer during the hunting season. In order to be eligible to hunt at this preserve, hunters are required to receive a permit from TNC, follow TNC hunting program rules and comply with all local, state and federal laws and ordinances governing hunting activities, including obtaining all required government licenses or permits. For more information, please visit our Deer Hunting in Michigan page.

  Trails

  This walking tour takes you along a mile and a half route. Depending on how many stops you take, it will be about one hour until you reach the River Raisin.

  Please note: The portion of trail near Sharon Mills County Park is closed while we repair the paths and boardwalks. The main trail from the parking lot to the river is open.

  ·      Preserve Map

  ·      Trail Closures Map

  Audio tour

  Our guided audio tour includes stories, fun facts, historical notes and natural sounds to help deepen your connection to the Nan Weston Nature Preserve. You can access the tour from the comfort of your home or onsite as you hike. Learn More

  iNaturalist

  Help our scientists and restoration managers keep track of the species in our nature preserves by using iNaturalist. You can record your observations, help others identify species and view other users' identifications. Learn More
  More Ways to Explore

  We offer a variety of ways to explore including geocaching, webinars, events and volunteer opportunities. You can even request a permit to use TNC lands for scientific research! Learn More

• What amenities are available?

  Hours: Sunrise to sunset

  Parking: The preserve has a small gravel parking area at the trailhead that can accommodate three to five vehicles.

  Restrooms: There are no restrooms available.

  Visitor center: There is no visitor center.

  Picnic area: There is no designated picnic area.

  Wildlife viewing areas: While you can view wildlife throughout the trail, there are no designated overlooks, platforms or wildlife viewing areas.

  EV Charging: EV charging is not currently available.

  Cell phone and wifi service: Most TNC preserves are located in remote areas, meaning cell phone and wifi service may not always be available.

• What should I bring?

  • Wear comfortable footwear suitable for natural trails, but please do not wear heavy, cleated boots that can damage them. In the spring, be prepared for wet, muddy trails by wearing waterproof boots.
  • To protect yourself from ticks, poison ivy or poison sumac, wear long pants and tuck them into your socks.
  • No matter the season, each person in your party should bring a full water bottle. Dehydration is a serious risk at any time of the year.
  • To get the most from your visit, you may want to bring some or all of the following items:

  ·      Snacks

  ·      Camera

  ·      Insect repellent

  ·      Rain gear

  ·      Sunscreen

  ·      Binoculars

  ·      Compass

  ·      Field guides (wildflowers, birds, butterflies & other natural features)

  ·      First aid kit

• What are the preserve guidelines and rules?

  Our vision is of a world where people and nature thrive together. The Nature Conservancy encourages people of all ages, experiences and abilities to visit our preserves and has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind.
  Service animals specifically trained to aid a person with a disability are welcome.

  OPDMDs: OPDMDs are not permitted, as the trail system is not conducive to OPDMDs, due to unsafe features, obstacles, wetlands and sensitive areas

  We encourage you to hike open trails and enjoy bird and wildlife watching and other permitted activities. Please do not trespass (or park) on private property adjacent to Conservancy preserves. Property lines are clearly marked with yellow signs featuring the Conservancy’s logo. To protect the plants and wildlife that call the preserve home, TNC prohibits the following:

  ·      Biking and mountain biking

  ·      Camping, campfires and cooking

  ·      Caving

  ·      Fishing (except by permit on designated preserves)

  ·      Horseback riding

  ·      Hang gliding or paragliding

  ·      Ice skating

  ·      Picking flowers, berries, nuts or mushrooms

  ·      Removing any part of the natural landscape (shells, rocks, etc.)

  ·      Rappelling

  ·      Rock climbing

  ·      Snowmobiling

  ·      Swimming

  ·      Firewood collecting

  ·      Littering (please remove all trash)

  ·      Drones – aka Personal aircraft, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) — Self-propelled or other aircraft are prohibited from taking off, landing or being operated on any TNC preserve except for official TNC purposes, approved research, or in an emergency landing situation. We prohibit the private use of drones on our preserves for the following reasons:

  o   Privacy and enjoyment of other preserve visitors – In order to avoid capturing images of people who are not related to TNC, and from whom a necessary photo release has not been obtained.

  o   Wildlife disturbance – To make sure drones will not disturb resident wildlife, especially areas with many birds or ground based nests.

  o   Preserve management – Unauthorized drones operating in areas where active land management is taking place, such as prescribed burning, could lead to potentially dangerous interactions.

  o   Respecting neighboring property – Preserve boundaries are not always apparent from the ground. We wish to be good neighbors and minimize the risk of drones accidentally crossing over from our preserves to non-TNC property

• Contact info

  Have questions about the preserve? Contact us at miplaces@tnc.org. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.