North Central Michigan College Natural Area
Petoskey, Emmet County
Hiking Trails | Snowshoeing Trails
The Natural Area can be accessed from the southeast corner of the parking lot near the Student and Community Resource Center (Lot #6 on campus maps).
The landscape itself gives a record of the environmental changes since the last Ice Age: mainly glacial deposits associated with retreating glaciers and remnants of floodplains abandoned by the Bear River as the water levels in Lake Michigan have dropped. A dozen different biotic communities, both upland and wetland, can be found within the boundaries of the Natural Area, making it an excellent place for environmental studies, photography, and wildlife observation.