The Paul H. Douglas Trail in Miller Woods winds through several habitats including wetlands, globally rare black oak savanna, open dunes and beach. The views of the lake and the dunes are incredible. The oak savanna’s native grasses and wildflowers, including lupine, thrive in the sunlight and open forest floor. Please stay single file on the narrow trail to protect yourself from the abundant poison ivy along the trail edges as well as the fragile lupine habitat.
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Trail Features: Birding, Fall Colors, Lake, River, Swimming, Views, Wildflowers, Wildlife
On to Miller Woods and the nature center. We are butterfly searching for a Karner Blue Butterfly. There is a nice, short loop around the nature center area but the real action is toward the lake. This featured hike is essentially an out and back trail. Starting from the Paul H. Douglas Center, take the trail north or counter-clockwise around the wetland complex. Look for wildlife including beavers. The trail will run west along the top of the wetland. At the trail junction, take a right and follow the trail to the north.
On our way from the Nature Center to the beach, we pass over the Calumet River and Lagoon. The trail from this point is an out and back to the beach. The trail features beautiful scenery with small interdunal ponds nestled among oak savanna covered dunes teeming with wildflowers in the spring and summer.
We were both happily surprised by the lake approach. Clear water and a huge, vacant beach. Hit this hike up in the summer so you can go swimming. Once you cross the bridge over the Grand Calumet River, the landscape changes dramatically into a world of towering sand dunes. The trail winds around and through the dunes all the way the shore of Lake Michigan.
Miller Woods was a definite surprise. A great hike with changing landscape and ecosystems. Then a refreshing swim in clear water at the southern end of Lake Michigan. After enjoying the lake, follow the trail back to the junction at the wetland complex. Follow the trail to the right along the wetland back to the Paul H. Douglas Center.
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