Cedar River Nature Sanctuary
Mancelona, Antrim County
Hiking Trails | Snowshoeing Trails
The Cedar River Sanctuary totals 80 acres and was acquired in four transactions over 30 years. Dora S. and Ramona Lee Morgan made the initial donation of 77 acres in 1971. A 0.9-acre addition was purchased in 1974, a 1-acre parcel
was donated in 1997 by Donald and Mona Graham, and a 1.1-acre parcel was donated by the estate of Edward Kussaba in 2001. The sanctuary’s namesake, the Cedar River, and the surrounding wetlands form the main hydrological feature of the sanctuary. The Cedar River is a high-quality classic cold water stream which flows into the Intermediate River, which in turn is part of the Elk River Chain of Lakes watershed in the northwestern Lower Peninsula. The sanctuary is also on the edge of the Jordan River Wilderness Valley, owned by the State of Michigan.