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Places We Protect

Erie Marsh Preserve

Michigan

A water-level view across a pond covered in lily pads, with a few trees on the shore and sun shining out from behind clouds at Erie Marsh Preserve in Michigan.
Erie Marsh Preserve Erie Marsh Preserve is managed as part of the USFW's Detroit International Wildlife Refuge, preserving critical habitat for migratory birds and fish species. © Jason Whalen

Open for the Season

This preserve is open to the public from January 1 to September 1. Welcome back to Erie Marsh!

Overview

Description

Erie Marsh represents 11% of the remaining marshland in southeastern Michigan and is one of the largest marshes on Lake Erie. Located on North Maumee Bay, it is one of the largest coastal wetlands on Lake Erie, supporting numerous animals and plants that would otherwise be hard-pressed to find suitable habitat. The most significant feature of this area is its role as a migratory and nesting area for shorebirds, waterfowl, land birds, and in the fall, raptors. It also harbors some of Michigan’s few remaining colonies of American lotus and swamp rose-mallow—both listed as state-threatened.

In 2011, TNC implemented a multi-year project to restore 946 acres of highly degraded coastal wetlands at Erie Marsh. This connected the marsh to Lake Erie, providing access to key spawning areas for fish, controlling invasive species (most notably, Phragmites) and improving the overall quality of the wetland. 

 

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Pets are not permitted. The preserve is closed from September 1 to January 1.

Highlights

Located on western Lake Erie’s North Maumee Bay, this sprawling preserve plays a huge role as a migratory stopover and nesting site for shorebirds, waterfowl, land birds and, in the fall, raptors.

Size

2,216 acres

Explore our work in Michigan

Exploring the Preserve

The activities below will help you explore this preserve and enhance your connection with nature—from the comfort of your home or while onsite.

  • A person crouches down to examine green plant life while on a hike at Nan Weston Nature Preserve in Michigan.

    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

  • Pop Goes the Weasel // Weasel pup on a sunny day at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Taken 7/17/22

    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 land for scientific research! Learn More

Video

Explore Erie Marsh Virtually

Erie Marsh Wetlands (3:08) As the spring and fall migration begins, grab your binoculars and head to one of the best locations for birdwatching in the world. Erie Marsh Preserve, tucked alongside Lake Erie, is a critical nesting and stopover spot for thousands of birds.

Plan Your Visit

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The preserve is closed to the public from September 1 to January 1 for waterfowl hunting season. It is open to the public from January 2 to August 31.

    During the week, the gate is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Even if the gate is closed, the preserve is still open to the public from dawn to dusk. 

    Note: Due to ongoing restoration work, the northwest corner of the full perimeter loop is closed until July 2023. The main preserve trail encompassing the southern half of the preserve remains fully open.

  • Dress warmly for spring visits to this preserve as the wind coming off Lake Erie can be brutally cold. Wear sturdy walking shoes or boots for the occasionally hilly or wet terrain, and bring bug repellent. Be sure to bring along binoculars or a spotting scope if you have one. 

  • A 5-mile loop trail follows a series of dikes that divide the wetland types present at Erie Marsh. Be prepared for muddy and uneven terrain walking along the dikes. Closure of certain trails is possible during eagle nesting periods. Please watch for and respect any posted closure signs.

    Note: Due to ongoing restoration work, the northwest corner of the full perimeter loop is closed until July 2023. The main preserve trail encompassing the southern half of the preserve remains fully open.

    Guide to Erie Marsh

    • Foot access for hiking, snowshoeing, birdwatching, etc.
    • Educational studies, photography, journaling 

  • For the safety of both the habitats at this preserve and visiting guests, we ask that you please follow the rules listed below.

    • You can help us protect this preserve by enjoying low-impact, non-motorized recreation during daylight hours only. 
    • No pets
    • No building of new trails
    • No geocaching (see list of TNC-approved geocache sites) 
    • No removal of trees, plants or animals (alive or dead)
    • No removal of rocks, water or other non-organic materials
    • No camping, bonfires, fireworks or other fires
    • No littering

  • Have questions about the preserve? Contact us at miplaces@tnc.org. 

Where Migratory Birds Rest and Nest

No matter the time of year, Erie Marsh Preserve offers refuge to tens of thousands of migratory birds that touch down to rest, refuel and sometimes nest here. Bring binoculars and you might see: Bald eagles, great egrets, great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, blue- and green-winged teals, mute and trumpeter swans, and more!

More on Migratory Birds
A person looks through a camera to photograph a bird at Erie Marsh Preserve in Michigan.
A bald eagle rests on the top of a tall tree on a cloudy, grey day.
A family of ducks swims along a lake.
Three white pelicans balance on a piece of concrete. One flaps its wings and splashes the water below.
A group of people look through binoculars on the Erie Marsh Preserve in Michigan.
A person looks through a camera to photograph a bird at Erie Marsh Preserve in Michigan.

Birding at Erie Marsh: Birding at Erie Marsh © Deb Allen

A bald eagle rests on the top of a tall tree on a cloudy, grey day.

Bald eagle: A bald eagle rests on a tree branch near Superior National Forest. © Jason Whalen/Fauna Creative

A family of ducks swims along a lake.

Duck Family at Sunrise: A family of ducks swims during sunrise over Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan. © Jason Whalen/Fauna Creative

Three white pelicans balance on a piece of concrete. One flaps its wings and splashes the water below.

Concrete Balance Team Contestants: These American White Pelicans were having fun balancing on a concrete "balance beam" or rather a flooded parking barrier on the Bois de Sioux River located at White Rock Dam Recreation Area. These fellows were waiting for a fisherman to lose his catch to swoop in a grab a fish. Unfortunately they didn't have much luck! Photo taken on May 4, 2019. © Ann Villanueva/TNC Photo Contest 2019

A group of people look through binoculars on the Erie Marsh Preserve in Michigan.

Birdwatching at Erie Marsh: Erie Marsh Preserve, Spring Treasure Hunt 2017. © Deb Allen

Background

When The Nature Conservancy acquired this preserve in 1978, it was essentially 2,200 acres of highly altered, degraded wetland habitat that had been divided by barrier dikes and separated from Lake Erie since the 1950s.

That all changed in 2011, when TNC embarked on a multi-year project to restore 946 acres of high-priority coastal wetlands. Over the past decade, we have refurbished extensive marsh and wetland habitat, rehabilitated degraded levees and installed a fish passage structure that reconnected the marsh to Lake Erie’s North Maumee Bay.

Native fish and other aquatic life are now accessing new breeding and spawning areas for the first time in more than 60 years. The reconnection between wetland and lake has also helped control invasive Phragmites, allowing some of Michigan’s few remaining colonies of the state-threatened American lotus and swamp rose-mallow to thrive.

Restoring Erie Marsh (5:04) Only 5% of western Lake Erie’s original 300,000 acres of wetlands remains today, and Erie Marsh contains 11% of the wetlands left in southeast Michigan. This, along with its location within the Atlantic migratory flyway, make Erie Marsh Preserve a critical priority for coastal wetland restoration.

Keep Exploring

From shifting sand dunes to granite bald mountains, explore our preserves and reserves spread across the state of Michigan.

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