Take a walk through these 10 stunning spots in the Nichols Arboretum

ANN ARBOR, MI – The weather is finally cooperating in Ann Arbor. Blue skies galore, warm temperatures and occasional rain to cool folks off. The time to enjoy the city’s outdoors is now.

For the Ann Arbor nature-goers this summer, the Nichols Arboretum is ripe for a visit, if not several. About 3.5 miles of trails traverse this 123-acre temple to Mother Earth, filled with numerous species of flowers, trees, plants and more.

Whether visiting just to get outside or to see University of Michigan students and locals perform “Shakespeare in the Arb,” here are 10 beautiful spots to hit.

Laurel Ridge Trail

There are three main entrances to the Arb: near the visitor’s center at 1610 Washington Heights, the hospital entrance off Medical Center Drive and the Geddes Road entrance.

After filling a water bottle near the visitor center, the first possible trail goes through the Laurel Ridge. This path travels above a slope of azalea and rhododendrons, members of the laurel family. Other plants here include tree peonies that bloom lush flowers and Asiatic shrubs.

The reason the flowers here grow on a slope is due to the acidic soil provided by the nearby pines and the protection from winter sunburn, according to the Arb’s website.

Peony Garden

The peony garden in the Arb turns 100 this year, and the plants still produce vibrant blooms of many colors.

It is now North America’s largest collection of heirloom and antique peonies. More than half of the varieties, which originated in North America, Asia and Europe, are no longer commercially available, according to University of Michigan.

The journey of this special garden started when pharmaceutical entrepreneur and University of Michigan alum W.E. Upjohn donated the first peony plants to the university 100 years ago. The Board of Regents then approved $2,000 to establish the garden in the Arb, and on May 19, 2022, the regents named the garden for Upjohn.

The flowers typically bloom at the end of May into mid-June.

Read more: See decades of the rare flowers in this 100-year-old Michigan peony garden

Fairy Woods & Troll Hollow

After walking past the peony garden and before descending into the depth of the Arb, there is a small grove of pines that holds a fairy garden.

The “Fairy Woods & Troll Hollow” sees visitors build tiny houses out of sticks, rocks and other material from around the Arb.

Also known as the “Troll Knoll,” the area was given special commendation from the Mini Gardens & Terrariums magazine in 2017.

The Staircase

Runners frequent all corners of the Arb, and a popular place to break a sweat is a staircase connecting the lower level near the Huron River to the upper level near the Arb.

There are other examples of stairs in the hilly areas of the park, but this one has more than 100 steps and may be the most challenging.

Huron River

A centerpiece of activity in the Arb is located along the banks of the Huron River. There are several landing spots for picnics, resting on a park bench and more.

The area also allows for bird watching, canoeing, fly fishing and sunbathing, according to the Arb’s website.

The riverfront landing is a testament to “bank stabilization,” officials say, as the combined use of rubble removal, regrading, erosion control blankets, shoring up with groups of native plants, live stakes, plugs and seeds make it easy to walk close to the river and not unintentionally fall.

This landing is a collaborative work completed in 2006 by both UM and the Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation and Development Council.

Amphitheater

The main theater attraction in the Arb is the annual Shakespeare performance organized by Kate Mendeloff, a theater professor in the UM Residential College.

Her “Shakespeare in the Arb” production has its 20th anniversary this summer with a bevy of June performances, taking visitors to various locations in the Arb.

Despite the theater connection, these performances rarely utilize the amphitheater located on the eastern edge of the Arb’s boundary. Officials say that this amphitheater is also available for outdoor performances, but many just use it as a chance to get some shade from the burning summer sun.

The Prairie

The prairie dominates the east side of the Arb, containing some of the most threatended of Michigan’s native plant communities, officials say.

The threat comes from the loss of soils used by prairie plants, which have been converted to farming and other uses, officials say. These Great Lakes Region plants thrive in wet to dry soil conditions, and consist of distinctive high grasses and wildflowers.

A looped path around the Prairie is also another popular running route.

Heathdale

As visitors make their way from the eastern edge to the western side of the Arb, they encounter a secluded clearing known as the Heathdale.

The area features a collection of Ericaceous plants native to the Appalachian region of the country. The Michigan climate is conducive to the azaleas and their relatives that thrive in this area, as the seclusion helps protect the plants from extreme summer heat and winter cold.

Other plants types found here are rhododendrons, dog-hobble, mountain laurel, hemlock, dogwoods, witch-hazel, sassafras, native ferns and wildflowers. Some of the plants date back to the 1920s, according to the Arb website.

Main Valley

An uphill trek follows the Heathdale, but en route to the exit is a set of stairs leading down to the Main Valley of the Arb. It is a popular location for UM students to play frisbee, sunbathe, picnic, study and more.

Known as the “Heart of the Arb,” it was designed in 1906 by landscape architect O.C. Simonds, who sought to create boundaries around the valley similar to the glaciers that left the area more than 10,000 years ago.

There are various tree collections that border the valley, including native oaks, walnuts, pines and the Turkish tree known as the Cedar of Lebanon.

Geddes Road entrance

On the way out of the Arb is a gate off of Geddes Road with iron lettering spelling out “UM” for University of Michigan.

The lettering speaks to the UM roots of the Arb, which was founded 116 years ago from a gift of 80 acres of land by Walter and Esther Nichols.

From more than a century ago to now, the Arb still stands as a landmark of natural beauty for UM and Ann Arbor.

Read more from The Ann Arbor News:

100 years in bloom: Peony garden’s historic anniversary comes with multiple events

These are 10 historic buildings still standing on the University of Michigan campus today

The Cube? The Rock? Nah. Here are 10 even more unique University of Michigan landmarks